Knight's thoughts on new rule- college basketball

by **Brent Burns** on Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:14 am

The new rule that says players must be at least one year removed from high school before entering the NBA, according to Bobby Knight, "...the worst thing that's happened to college basketball since I've been coaching."

In the Big 12, it might be called the Kevin Durant rule. The NBA instituted the new rule last year which means the talented players must wait at least a year rather than jumping into the pros right out of high school.

http://sports.yahoo.com/ncaab/news?slug=ap-big12coaches&prov=ap&type=lgns

Bobby Knight even did not back away from critcizing the referees.

I personally and still strongly believe that the players should play 4 years of college before going to the pros. What about you on the NBA rule of insisting that the youngsters should have at least one year before jumping into the pro basketball.

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by **Danny Hogan** on Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:25 am

doesn't apply to any other profession, i dont' think it should apply to pro sports

and i'm a huge college sports fan that doesn't like seeing people leave early, its about principalities man...

by **Ben Clark** on Tue Feb 20, 2007 10:26 am

doesn't apply to any other profession, i dont' think it should apply to pro sports

A-men. People drop out of college for job opportunities all the time.

by **laxfan25** on Tue Feb 20, 2007 12:13 pm

I think the biggest reason for these requirements for entry into the pros is that the pro leagues don't want to upset the de facto farm system they have built in the college ranks - at no cost to themselves. If a kid has the talent to jump into a 7 figure job without college, why can't he do so? He can always go back to college if he doesn't make it, AND if he is so inclined. Again, it smacks of indentured servitude.

by **horn17** on Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:40 pm

NBA Commish Stern enforced the rule due to the slow develeopment of players in the league right out of HS....he wants them to develop more as a person, instead of jumping to the league and either getting in trouble all the time, having poor support system around them, and simply not having a high enough basketball IQ. (how long did it take players such as Jermaine O'Neal, Rashad Lewis, Eddie Curry, Tyson Chandler, etc)...

Most of the problem with the league is that the attitude has taken a giant step backwards in the past 10 years...why do you think that is????? Because it the largest transtion of HS players trying to make the jump. Now, im not discrediting the superstars that can pull it off, and do it well...KG, Kobe, Lebron, etc....but think of all the "goofballs" that havent amounted to anything, and are nothing but a headache....Darius Miles, Nudi Edi, Kwame Brown, etc....

Look at Carmelo though...who went for at least one year, one a championship, and is a highly successful lottery pick (if he would have came out early...he would have been lucky to be top 11-15)

But just keep in mind, look at Lebron, have you seen the Youtube video of him trying to READ a childrens book to the class - and he barely can.....horrible.....

If you cant make the grade to get into college, then you should be forced to go overseas for a year and come back and enter the draft (which is recommended by the NBA if you cant go to college, or you simply dont want to - OJ MAYO might have to do this)....

Its not as much as restricting the players as everyone likes to think, but rather the NBA trying to uphold, and make their product much more enjoyable/profitable. They can do whatever they want to grow the brand and the sport, even limit HS punks that think they are way better than they are, and attempt to make the jump....Remember they are a company selling a product....

by **horn17** on Tue Feb 20, 2007 1:43 pm

laxfan25 wrote: If a kid has the talent to jump into a 7 figure job without college, why can't he do so? He can always go back to college if he doesn't make it, AND if he is so inclined. Again, it smacks of indentured servitude.

He cant jump if he wants too, he doesnt define rules. If the NBA says no, suck it up and move on...

by **Danny Hogan** on Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:02 pm

i guess in the same vein the nba as the 'employer' can make a year of college a pre-req for 'potential employment'

by **laxfan25** on Tue Feb 20, 2007 5:59 pm

And we all know what gifted and highly motivated students they make - in general.

by **Campbell** on Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:12 am

Danny Hogan wrote:i guess in the same vein the nba as the 'employer' can make a year of college a pre-req for 'potential employment'

But what sort of requirement is this? Is it one year of college? 24-30 hours? Do they have to pass or meet a minimum GPA? The one year rule just seems stupid and counter productive to college basketball. College should be about academics first, athletics second. The NBA should not be forcing players into one year of college if it is at the expense of the university. I mean, is a guy like Durant on scholarship? a scholarship that could go to a committed student athlete?

I don't begrudge players for leaving college early for the pros, but the colleges do need to protect the ideal behind college sports. A one year rule like this for the NBA looks like exploitation of the colleges. Personally, if a professional team wants to hire a kid right out of high school they should be able to, it is just a job after all.

by **Tim Gray** on Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:38 am

Danny Hogan wrote:doesn't apply to any other profession, i dont' think it should apply to pro sports

and i'm a huge college sports fan that doesn't like seeing people leave early, its about principalities man...

It applies to the NFL and I think it's for the safety and well being of the players b/c a HS kid wouldn't be developed enough, but I think the same applies to the NBA.

by **StrykerFSU** on Wed Feb 21, 2007 10:59 am

Make no mistake, the NBA's decision was never about protecting the college game or protecting the kids. Their decision was solely based on their dwindling fan base and the degradation of the game. Please don't use the Kobe's and Lebron's of the world as evidence that high schoolers can make it in the NBA because for every Kobe or Lebron there are countless other who's names we don't know that are now sitting on some street corner talking about how great they were in high school. The NBA is hoping that one more year of seasoning will help ensure a higher percentage of "phenom" level players survive and flourish in the NBA. From an economics outlook, it makes sense for the NBA to do whatever they can to try to ensure the most economic return for their investment in players.

It's my belief that if Stern could, he would mandate that all players be required to attend at least three years of college, i.e. Magic and Jordan (you know, back when NBA players were actually good at the game). The NBA would never be able to mandate this but it would be in everybody's best interest; the colleges, the NBA, and the kids.

Ask Joe Forte, Von Wafer, and company if they would have been better off staying in school a couple of more years.

by **Danny Hogan** on Wed Feb 21, 2007 7:55 pm

the NFL rule is "2 years removed from highschool'' which i take as primarily for physical development

if a kid skips college and can't hack it in the nba, why should we feel bad for them? people fail in all types of careers.

by **Danny Hogan** on Wed Feb 21, 2007 8:04 pm

Campbell wrote:
Danny Hogan wrote:i guess in the same vein the nba as the 'employer' can make a year of college a pre-req for 'potential employment'

But what sort of requirement is this? Is it one year of college? 24-30 hours? Do they have to pass or meet a minimum GPA? The one year rule just seems stupid and counter productive to college basketball. College should be about academics first, athletics second. The NBA should not be forcing players into one year of college if it is at the expense of the university. I mean, is a guy like Durant on scholarship? a scholarship that could go to a committed student athlete?

I don't begrudge players for leaving college early for the pros, but the colleges do need to protect the ideal behind college sports. A one year rule like this for the NBA looks like exploitation of the colleges. Personally, if a professional team wants to hire a kid right out of high
school they should be able to, it is just a job after all.

not necessarily a pre-req from an academic standpoint...more a functioning as an independent adult and completing a season of basketball sort of way.

in the broader scheme of things college isn't as much about actually learning anything as it is a means to find gainful employment.

for a blue chip athlete, your best shot at gainful employment may be a pro sports career and college athletics might be the best way to get noticed. school isn't for everybody.

Most of the guys who leave early aren't the ones who will fall back on their accounting degrees if they can't make it in the pros.