NBA Reported to Change Minimum Draft Age to 18 as Early as 2024
Reports that the NBA is expected to change the minimum draft age to 18 as early as 2024, restoring the prep-to-pro option. Would have a huge impact for programs for recruiting. NIL may now be able to entice some players to go to college, but I would assume most of the best prospects would go directly to the pros.
https://theathletic.com/3607520/2022/09/19/nba-draft-age-rule-change-nbpa/
September 19th, 2022 at 1:03 PM ^
Interesting. Here's some article highlights (its not very long for those without sub):
- Commissioner Adam Silver said in July that he was “hopeful” for the rule changing in the next collective bargaining agreement cycle, and both sides appear motivated to reduce the age eligibility for the draft.
- With a Dec. 15 mutual opt-out date looming for the NBA and the Players Association under their current CBA, both sides are in the midst of serious conversations over key points that will make up the league’s new CBA. Top officials from the NBA and NBPA will hold their next in-person meeting at the end of this month, sources told The Athletic, a session that will set the stage for the final outcome.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:08 PM ^
So I'll be able to play in the NBA in 2024?
Im 42 and overweight and my handles are ass but I have a shot right?
Bout to be making that Brian Cardinal money
September 19th, 2022 at 1:15 PM ^
Brian Cardinal is your Givony comp? I always had you pegged as more of a Jess Settles kinda guy.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:09 PM ^
Get ready for NBA Drafts that are 75% kids out of high school that nobody has any clue who they are, but because of "potential", they will get invited to draft.
I'm all for it.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:16 PM ^
As it should hopefully reduce some of the "one and done" recruitments, I'm all for it.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:19 PM ^
Emoni Bates not having a good day.... lol.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:35 PM ^
I'm surprised that the NBA wants this. Back when Stern was commissioner, not only did they push for an age limit, but Stern wanted it to be two years out of high school, though the players only agreed to one.
Having these guys play college basketball for a year gets them a lot of publicity. Outside of a few obvious studs like LeBron and Kobe, a lot of the guys who went pro straight out of HS the last time around were barely known to the general public at the time.
September 19th, 2022 at 1:53 PM ^
Also saves NBA teams from themselves.
Every year there's always a handful of 5* can't miss recruits who end up having rough Freshman seasons.
I know NBA teams have tons of extra money, but it's gonna be a lot different when those teams are on the hook for ~$30 million guaranteed for players to struggle and flame out
September 19th, 2022 at 3:52 PM ^
This is the biggest reason why they did this in the first place, and it's asinine you even got one downvote for pointing that out. Teams got tired of drafting guys who were way too damned immature to be making that kind of money and expected to produce 15 points a night in a grown-ass man's league.
I guess the difference is, today you can stash that kid in the G-League, so there's a little better of a network there. It's still less of a good filter than college. The idea that a couple star basketball players every year had to wait a year before collecting $Texas salaries, and people considered that some kind of grave injustice, is one of the biggest cases of misplaced sympathies in history.
September 20th, 2022 at 11:03 AM ^
jm, and, the level of regular competition high schoolers face - even with travel teams - does not compare with what they will face at either the college or professional levels.
I've never cared for the approach the NBA takes - and, this just reinforces it.
I would greatly appreciate the NBA following Stern's guideline for "two years out of high school." And, provide an alternate path for those prospects who don't have an interest in college - IMO, that's part of the role the G League plays.
September 19th, 2022 at 2:24 PM ^
Maybe it's time, now that we're admitting that major college sports are somewhat professional organizations, to adopt something like what the NHL does with colleges.
Expand the draft to 5-6 rounds and drafted players can stay in college.
September 19th, 2022 at 3:09 PM ^
Well damn if this happened sooner Bates would have had his signing bonus before ending up in jail.
s/too soon?
September 19th, 2022 at 3:56 PM ^
Honestly, I think this benefits everyone involved except the Kentucky/Duke/UNC tier of one and done merchants. Most of Michigan's one and dones have been pretty disappointing and sucked up minutes in the hope of improvement for the next season (see: Houstan and to a lesser extent Diabate). Also, funny to imagine Emoni likely being a first overall pick he was eligible out of HS.
September 19th, 2022 at 4:06 PM ^
I disagree...it will end up a detriment to NBA teams that are now re-exposing themselves to the larger bust risk that comes with drafting 18-year-olds. You know, like whichever team would've drafted Emoni Bates.
September 20th, 2022 at 3:03 PM ^
Well, aren’t the teams the ones that should assume that risk, rather than making colleges play glorified baby sitter for a year?
One and done sucks for college ball and is just an annoying hoop for 18 year old prospects to jump through.
NBA teams want the upside of snagging a star at 20 with none of the risk of grabbing them at 18. Not sure why the people that don’t benefit from that arrangement should assume the risk.
September 19th, 2022 at 9:57 PM ^
I wonder how that would affect the recruiting of Michigan, Villanova, etc. Would Kentucky then have to go after same recruits as the schools that are not usually getting the one and done types, presumably, right?
September 19th, 2022 at 5:43 PM ^
Why does the NBA even want this?
They are going to get all of these guys anyway, why not get them already road-tested a little bit in college?
September 19th, 2022 at 8:31 PM ^
Everyone is looking for that James or Kobe and making a decision based on that. It is going to backfire.
September 20th, 2022 at 4:46 AM ^
Just adopt the baseball model already.
September 20th, 2022 at 11:06 AM ^
This is such a bad idea. I don't care for the NBA - and, this is just another example of "why".
Stern's "two years after high school" - could serve the NBA well. Offer an alternative approach to highly regarded prospects - go to college for two years - OR - go to the G League for two years.
September 20th, 2022 at 12:33 PM ^
The only kid I can think of that was probably good enough and had the body for the NBA straight out of high school in the last 10 years is Zion.