(Kevin Garnett and David Stern, 1995)
The debate over whether or not there should be certain age restrictions or college requirements met before a player is eligible for the NBA draft, is an ongoing one. I have had my opinion pretty much set in stone for years and have had little reason to change my point of view on the matter. There are those that believe high school students are not only physically unprepared for the NBA, but also far from being mentally prepared for what comes with a professional athlete's lifestyle. Then there are others who believe that high school players can perform at an equal or superior level to that of college drafted players. I would personally disagree with the latter.
Before putting this in the context of sports, we must look at the root of the debate. A 17 or 18 year old male fresh out of high school could be handed up to 5 million dollars, not including endorsement deals should the opportunity arise. All decisions involving money would not be entrusted to the parents, but to the player and any number of hired staff, bankers and agents. With this new found fortune you would also have to add responsibilities that include budgeting, investment, insurance, purchase of a home among many other things. Slowly adding sports to the equation, you have a sudden and important need for media skills, press quote's, contract negotiations and vulnerability to those that would try to take advantage of a youth with a great deal funds at their disposal. Financial scenarios are not the end of the mental drain provided by the NBA. Often high school players are treated as royalty among their peers, where as in the NBA, that may not be the case. It may seem insignificant, but being mature and having the ability to be coached as well as criticized is very important. Their performance is now worth more than school reputation and is costing owners millions. The pressure to perform will be higher and the criticism more severe. Players may have become accustomed to winning easily in high school, but later realize that competition is much more physically demanding at the pro level. Longer games, extended road trips for away games has new players seperated from family and friends moving to different cities days at a time.
With all that I have mentioned, I have yet to touch on the physical demands of pro basketball and how this would affect a high school drafted player. Those that do attend college as basketball players learn how to cope with a lot of the above mentioned mentally draining scenarios. Their bodies also have a chance to mature and pick up good and structured habits that will increase their chances of success at the pro level. Fact of the matter is, the talent pool in college is drastically different from that in the high school system. Along with fundamentals, players bodies can grow, mature and help prevent injuries later on in the future. I would not attempt to say that playing in college prevents injuries in the NBA, but conditioning does play a major role in all sports, and that should not be ignored in the face of current ability. If and when an injury does occur, due to conditioning or lack there of, a player's career can end in an instant. Money management and education will be all that a young player will be able to rely on to survive financially.
Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, Jermain O'neal, Tracy McGrady, Rashad Lewis, Amar'e Stoudamire, LeBron James and Dwight Howard all skipped out on college to jump from high school to the NBA. All have had stellar careers, but between 1962 and 1995, only 8 out of the 25 high school drafted players are house hold names. Some might say I have no right to say that high school players should not be able to enter the draft if they have a chance, after all it is a once in a life time opportunity.
Even though there is an estimated 5 million people around the world that participate in some form of basketball, there are only 450 players in the NBA. With those numbers it's no wonder parents and student athletes alike are jumping at the chance to sign an NBA contract. Even if an unfortunate injury did occur, a player with good money management skills could retire and still be financially set for life.
The problem starts to rear its ugly head when teams under perform, players are clearly undeveloped, and lack maturity, that the league begins to suffer. I am not willing to pay $200 to go watch NBA players play at a high school level, and I'm sure owners don't want to invest millions in that either. This is not a knock against high school talent, and my own selfishness aside, the league must take into consideration what they are exposing these young men to when accepting them into the NBA. I don't think I need to go too far back in history to bring up public media nightmares, disgraceful statements and even fatal decisions that this young generation of millionaires have been a part of. If the age cannot be set at 21 or have the player be a Junior in college before becoming eligible for a draft, better use of the NBA Development League is needed to develop future NBA players, both physically and mentally.
For every Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett, there is an Antoine Walker and Len Bias. Antoine Walker, a Sophomore for the University of Kentucky, earned $100 million during his 10 year NBA career and has since filed for bankruptcy. Len Bias, a Senior for the University of Maryland, died of a drug overdose less than 2 days after being drafted to the Boston Celtics. Your initial reaction might be to say Antoine Walker and Len Bias debunk my theory, but if two college players could fall from grace in such a drastic way, what chance does a high school student have.
In closing, I want to be clear that I have nothing against high school player's abilities. There are great players at every level of basketball, that if warranted, will make it to any one of the many pro leagues around the world, no matter what. Even though sports are a major form of entertainment, it is still a job. Job seekers want experienced, maturity and reliable staff, which can only be acquired through age and years of involvement in any given position. Few Fortune 500 companies would hand over their decision making powers to a high school student, genius or not. I have a feeling you wouldn't either.
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