If Lebron were a senior in high school right now...

[4cwebb]

it appears NBA fans would have to wait two years just to see him play...(hope the link works).


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/marty_burns/03/04/age.limit/index.html

Thoughts? Part of me wouldn't mind seeing the college game revitalized a bit, but the other part of me would hate to see a guy like Lebron effectively trapped in a college uniform for two years. It's taken him less than two years to become one of the top 10 players in the NBA (if not one of the top 5, imho), and the fans wouldn't have seen any of it if Billy Hunter doesn't suck it up and stand up to David Stern.

 

[LPKingsFan]

I wouldn't mind watching LeBron trying to lead, say, Duke through March Madness this year, trying to break Kobe's school records.

 

[Gargamel]

I wouldn't mind watching LeBron trying to lead, say, Duke through March Madness this year, trying to break Kobe's school records.

Kobe went to Duke?

 

[Just_Lurkin]

I wouldn't mind this.Players like Lebron(out of high school) are so few and far in between.It's not worth it. I've gotten so tired of hearing analyst say "give him time to develope and in two or three years, he'll be great(or a bust)". My feelings are if you need two or three years to "develope", then you need to take your behind to college. In part I think that's part of the reason some peeps say the play in the nba isn't as good.

 

[6th]

I wouldn't mind this.Players like Lebron(out of high school) are so few and far in between.It's not worth it. I've gotten so tired of hearing analyst say "give him time to develope and in two or three years, he'll be great(or a bust)". My feelings are if you need two or three years to "develope", then you need to take your behind to college. In part I think that's part of the reason some peeps say the play in the nba isn't as good.

Agreed. College is for developing (as far as basketball goes....or any sport). I think 20 years of age is plenty young enough to enter the NBA.

 

[LPKingsFan]

Kobe went to Duke?

He would have, had there been an age limit. C'mon, just play along!

 

[3Ball]

it appears NBA fans would have to wait two years just to see him play...(hope the link works).


http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/marty_burns/03/04/age.limit/index.html

Thoughts? Part of me wouldn't mind seeing the college game revitalized a bit, but the other part of me would hate to see a guy like Lebron effectively trapped in a college uniform for two years. It's taken him less than two years to become one of the top 10 players in the NBA (if not one of the top 5, imho), and the fans wouldn't have seen any of it if Billy Hunter doesn't suck it up and stand up to David Stern.

I think at least part of the reason why the league is imposing an age limit is because most of the players coming directly out of high school are not ready enough for the NBA. Players like LeBron are exceptions, and it wouldn't make much of a difference if players entered the draft a bit later. It would also probably help them develop their games more if they play in college before entering the NBA.

 

[Bricklayer]

LeBron is a major exception. Its only been a decade, but I think people forget how cool it was only a few years ago when teams used to get high draft picks, and you could have a rookie step right in and go 20-10 and be a major contributor. I have actually almost completely quit watching college ball anymore simply because of the bleed off of top talent -- even if a stud does "accidentally" end up going to shcool, he's gone instantly within a year as soon as he shows anything.


20's plenty young enough. Might make the draft well, the draft again rather than a total crapshoot. Help strengthen the college game. There is no real downside.

 

[6th]

Help strengthen the college game. There is no real downside.

Yes! The college game would be strengthened, as well as the NBA's game. There isn't much point in paying some of these young 1st rounders to set on someone's bench when they could be helping a school's team.

 

[HndsmCelt]

Why does theis discussion always start with Lebron instead of say Deshawn Stevenson? Get my point?

 

[Gargamel]

He would have, had there been an age limit. C'mon, just play along!

Oh, didn't know that's what you meant.

 

[Gargamel]

LeBron is a major exception. Its only been a decade, but I think people forget how cool it was only a few years ago when teams used to get high draft picks, and you could have a rookie step right in and go 20-10 and be a major contributor. I have actually almost completely quit watching college ball anymore simply because of the bleed off of top talent -- even if a stud does "accidentally" end up going to shcool, he's gone instantly within a year as soon as he shows anything.

20's plenty young enough. Might make the draft well, the draft again rather than a total crapshoot. Help strengthen the college game. There is no real downside.

It's hard to believe that before Garnett, the last previous player who skipped college entirely was Bill Willoughby in 1975. I'm for the rule, but I wonder if they're going to include a loophole for financial hardship cases, as I'm pretty sure that Spencer Haywood won a court case years ago allowing college undergrads to declare because of financial hardship.

 

[LPKingsFan]

It's hard to believe that before Garnett, the last previous player who skipped college entirely was Bill Willoughby in 1975. I'm for the rule, but I wonder if they're going to include a loophole for financial hardship cases, as I'm pretty sure that Spencer Haywood won a court case years ago allowing college undergrads to declare because of financial hardship.

Well if any of these guys are truly good enough to get into the league, then some of the bigger schools should be offering them nice enough scholarships, whouldn't one think?

 

[HndsmCelt]

Well if any of these guys are truly good enough to get into the league, then some of the bigger schools should be offering them nice enough scholarships, whouldn't one think?

sure asuming they can get in. Again I will cite Deshawn Stevenson who was courted by several universities and sighned a leter of intent with I belive Kansas, but had SAT scores in negative nmbers. Then after his 30 point jump on retest was challanged, he decided going pro was a good call.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

Why does theis discussion always start with Lebron instead of say Deshawn Stevenson? Get my point?

Or Eddy Curry. Or Kwame Brown. Or Leon F. Smith. Or...

 

[4cwebb]

LeBron is a major exception. Its only been a decade, but I think people forget how cool it was only a few years ago when teams used to get high draft picks, and you could have a rookie step right in and go 20-10 and be a major contributor. I have actually almost completely quit watching college ball anymore simply because of the bleed off of top talent -- even if a stud does "accidentally" end up going to shcool, he's gone instantly within a year as soon as he shows anything.


20's plenty young enough. Might make the draft well, the draft again rather than a total crapshoot. Help strengthen the college game. There is no real downside.

Lebron is the major exception, but enough of one to make me against the age limit. We all saw what 'Melo did in his one year in college (and was it really exciting, or did it just seem unfair? Seemed almost unfair in a way, to me)...can you imagine what Lebron would have done?

I guess I just have a hard time accepting that the union is just going to cave to this and prevent guys with the talent to compete in the NBA from entering into the league.

 

[HndsmCelt]

Or Eddy Curry. Or Kwame Brown. Or Leon F. Smith. Or...

EXACTLY!

 

[Bricklayer]

I guess I just have a hard time accepting that the union is just going to cave to this and prevent guys with the talent to compete in the NBA from entering into the league.

If the union caves its excuse will be that its current members don;t appreciate having their jobs stolen by legions of pimple-faces kids 75% of whom never amount to anything.

You might have forgotten, but it used to be a lot of fun watching a prospect develop IN college -- actually greatly enhanced the fame & status of young studs back in the day, the vast majority of whom have never been seen by anybody before they got drafted in the modern NBA. LeBron is the once in the generation exception with all the media hype. That is not normal. Watching a guy tear up college on national TV and salivating over the chnce to draft him is infinitely preferable to trying to catch a few pre-draft scouting reports to figure out if the high school kid from Mississippi, who neither you nor anybody else outside the state has ever seen or heard of, is going to help to your team.

 

[HndsmCelt]

Lebron is the major exception, but enough of one to make me against the age limit. We all saw what 'Melo did in his one year in college (and was it really exciting, or did it just seem unfair? Seemed almost unfair in a way, to me)...can you imagine what Lebron would have done?

I guess I just have a hard time accepting that the union is just going to cave to this and prevent guys with the talent to compete in the NBA from entering into the league.

Yeah if Mello had stayed in school Saracuse could have won 2 or 3 championships. What NBA fans are also forgetting is what bringing snot noses into the NBA is doing TO college ball. Teams used to develop and build instead of recrute and loose.

 

[VF21]

You might have forgotten, but it used to be a lot of fun watching a prospect develop IN college -- actually greatly enhanced the fame & status of young studs back in the day, the vast majority of whom have never been seen by anybody before they got drafted in the modern NBA. LeBron is the once in the generation exception with all the media hype. That is not normal. Watching a guy tear up college on national TV and salivating over the chnce to draft him is infinitely preferable to trying to catch a few pre-draft scouting reports to figure out if the high school kid from Mississippi, who neither you nor anybody else outside the state has ever seen or heard of, is going to help to your team.

EXACTLY!! March Madness was a lot more exciting when the top college athletes, often in their senior years, were at the top of the game in NCAA competition. Watching the games to see what players would do against other premiere college players was a lot of fun. Trying to predict which players would make it in the NBA and where they'd end up was also a joy.

I miss that...

 

[Fillmoe]

Or Eddy Curry. Or Kwame Brown. Or Leon F. Smith. Or...

tyson chandler

california native went to dominguez high school in compton!

 

[Gargamel]

tyson chandler

california native went to dominguez high school in compton!

He and Curry ain't all that bad. They were just drafted a scosh too high.

 

[Insomniacal Fan]

sure asuming they can get in. Again I will cite Deshawn Stevenson who was courted by several universities and sighned a leter of intent with I belive Kansas, but had SAT scores in negative nmbers. Then after his 30 point jump on retest was challanged, he decided going pro was a good call.

I can't imagine a 30 point jump would have been enough to be challenged...

 

[HndsmCelt]

I can't imagine a 30 point jump would have been enough to be challenged...

The jump could have been more dramatic than that, just don't remember the exact numbers, but it is fairly unusual to see an improvemnt of more than 5% from one testing to another, that is one of the arguments made in terms of the validiy of SAT's.

 

[Mr. S£im Citrus]

He and Curry ain't all that bad. They were just drafted a scosh too high.

And about three years too early.

 

[4cwebb]

EXACTLY!! March Madness was a lot more exciting when the top college athletes, often in their senior years, were at the top of the game in NCAA competition. Watching the games to see what players would do against other premiere college players was a lot of fun. Trying to predict which players would make it in the NBA and where they'd end up was also a joy.

I miss that...

Now that's before my time when seniors were leading charges to the NCAA championship games...kidding.

Yes, I remember college basketball being more exciting with guys like Webber, Shaq, Mourning, Iverson, Marbury, etc. in college. I want a Lebron carveout for this restriction, then.