Currently in the final sprint of negotiations for a new collective agreement (CBA), the NBA and the players’ association are discussing the final aspects before signing the final deal. In the midst of all this, one thing already seems certain: the minimum age to register for the Draft – now set at 19 – should not change.
It is not tomorrow that we will once more see high school students make the leap to the NBA, as legends of the game (Kevin Garnett, LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kwame Brown) have done in the past.
Indeed, according to Adrian Wojnarowski ofESPNthe “One-and-Done” rule will remain in place for the duration of the next CBA, which must last until the end of the 2020s. This rule requires prospects to have minimum 19 years old to register for the NBA Draft, they who must therefore do an additional year following high school. Many choose to do a season in college, other high schoolers opt for the G League if they are talented enough, and some no longer hesitate to think outside the box (by going abroad, or through the new Overtime Elite program).
ESPN Sources: As NBA and NBPA pursue a new CBA ahead of tonight’s opt-out deadline, a deal wouldn’t include a change in the minimum draft age rule ending the “One-and-Done” era. High school players will still need to wait a full year beyond graduation to enter future drafts. pic.twitter.com/VL0UEZpBmT
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) March 31, 2023
As a reminder, the “One-and-Done” rule was introduced in 2005 under Commissioner David Stern, in particular to avoid the massive influx of high school students not yet ready – both physically and mentally – for the demands of the highest level. Because if phenomena like LeBron James or Kobe Bryant have become superstars without going through the NCAA box, a large number of youngsters who have taken the plunge have then turned into busts (Robert Swift, Jonathan Bender, Kwame Brown…). However, this rule has been challenged on many occasions: “If I can go to war at 18 in the US Army, why can’t I play basketball?” former Pacers interior Jermaine O’Neal, who went straight from high school to the NBA in 1996, said at the time.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the players’ association did not insist in the negotiations to lift this rule and thus open the doors to the NBA earlier. Two reasons for this according to Woj:
- 1) a number of veteran players resented kids as young as 18 taking a roster spot on an NBA team;
- 2) there are now new opportunities to earn income even before arriving in the NBA, via the G League, the Overtime Elite program, or signing partnerships with sponsors thanks to the NIL law. Until a few years ago, joining the Big League was not only a dream, but also the only path for some prospects who wanted to financially help their families in need.
Case settled. The NBA and the players’ association must now come to an agreement on the final talking points, in order to validate the new CBA and avoid a potential lockout in the future.
Source texte : ESPN
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