Over the past century, college athletes have decided to spend only one year at the college level and go straight to the NBA. Currently, player like Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz, and Jayson Tatum have all decided to go down the one-and-done route of going to the NBA draft with only one year of college experience. What are the advantages of declaring for the draft after freshman year of college? Why do other sports (football) not allow the athletes to declare for the draft after freshman year? How has college level and professional level been impacted by the one-and-done? Do you think that basketball players should be able to declare after their senior year of high school as LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnet did?
http://www.foxsports.com/college-basketball/story/changes-ap-hoops-polls-help-tell-story-of-game-s-evolution-033017
Going straight to the NBA after only one year of college seems like a great idea for your professional career. You get to the NBA at a much younger age so you have time improve your game before you reach the prime of your athletic abilities. Additionally, why pay thousands of dollars to get a college education when you could be making millions in the big league? However, there is of course value to getting a good education. If you only stayed at college for one year, you would be missing out on life skills that will help you down the road.
ReplyDeleteAlso, if you get an injury early on in your career (which unfortunately happens sometimes) it would be much harder to get a job if you have only one year of a college education. Then again, plenty of players have gone down the on-and-done route and they turned out just fine, like Jahlil Okafor, Tyus Jones and Justise Winslow who played for Duke in the 2015 season.
Leaving the collegiate level and going to the professional level after freshmen year of college may be a good idea for athletes who are talented enough, but the concept does not sit well with me. As a firm believer that education is the key to a good job, dropping out of college for professional sports is very risky and unwise. If a basketball player leaves after their second semester to go to the NBA and in their sports career they become injured and unable to play (hypothetically speaking) they are very limited with career options afterwards. Players who do the “one-and-done” negatively impact the university they attend because if the players are good enough, they would help increase publicity and media coverage of the school. I also think that it is not respectful to the university, which provided a scholarship to the athletes to attend their school. This belittles some of the school’s educational value, as student-athletes value their athletic abilities over the generous offers the universities make.
ReplyDeleteWhile the opportunity to head straight to the NBA may seem enticing to many high school athletes, I feel that 90% of the time it's not in the athlete's best interest. The public and the history books only mention the success stories like KG, Lebron, Kobe etc. but fail to mention the many many failed attempts. After this failure they're stuck with little to no education or real skills as their time was spent on basketball, and schools have no incentive to recruit them now that they can't play for them after declaring for the draft. The one and done rule is a fair compromise to me, as it keeps the college game interesting to the public without holding back the athletes careers for too long, and allows them to hone their skills.
ReplyDeleteIn order to be a "one-and-done" athlete, you obviously need to display special athletic ability in order to be successful at the professional level. Most players do not have this ability and should most definitely stay in college in case their dream of being a pro athlete fall through. However, not all athletes should stay in school for more than 1 year. If a player truly displays unbelievable qualities, they should be allowed to pursue their dream early on. Tying back to the NCAA not paying athletes, if an athlete feels that they want to receive compensation for their talents, they should be allowed to declare for draft in order to get paid. Most one-and-done athletes likely declare for draft early in order to earn at least a rookie contract, so that they can provide for either themselves or their families. Wether or not it impacts a university, shouldn't be even a consideration. Most universities can afford to lose a star player, as they rake in multi-millions while college star athletes who could be getting paychecks, have to wait until they get drafted to earn money. In this sense, being a one-and-done is a sort of remedy for not getting paid at the collegiate level.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Griffin's comment in that it is usually not in the athlete's best interest, although it seems like a very exciting opportunity. Personally, I believe you go to college for an education and sports is an addition that can take off careers. However, before starting an athlete career professionally it is really important to have an education. Even for some of the best athletes, specifically basketball players on a team, not riding out their college career could create a risk of injury or just a failed attempt at going into the draft too soon. It has worked very well for many pro basketball players careers but it creates a lot of risk.
ReplyDeleteOnly a select few players have the capability of "one and done." The idea of this sounds great. You get into the NBA to start your career earlier and get to start making some money. It is very risky to declare for the draft after your freshman year because if the NBA doesn't work where do you go? In the article it stated that "North Carolina was in 98.2 percent of the polls – what else would you expect from a program featuring Michael Jordan, James Worthy and coach Dean Smith." I think most people think that if you are not one and done you are not going to be successful in the NBA. But Micheal Jordan the best player ever went to North Carolina for 3 years. But I do believe that you should be able to enter for the draft in the NBA and the NFL right after high school. These are professional sports and if you have the athletic capability after high school, why should you get held back.
ReplyDeleteGoing pro after one year is a great idea for some athletes. Players get the opportunity to get paid and improve their game with stand out athletes. If the athlete has the talent to take the next step early they should. Other sports might not allow players to declare for the draft after freshmen year because they require different things. For example the NFL wants players to be bigger and stronger so they wait to let players grow and let the programs whip them into shape. The one and done for basketball gives players the advantage to go to college and play against harder competition to see if they are cut out for the NBA at a younger age. Freshmen like Lonzo Ball, Markelle Fultz, and Jayson Tatum all destroyed this year and are ready and committing to playing in the NBA next year. Like the article said, if you don't make it you won't be able to play college ball after and would get little to no education. So testing yourself in college lets players make better decisions for their future.
ReplyDeleteFor any teenage basketball player, going to the NBA is the main goal, and getting to the top league in the world as fast as possible would be even better. They're traveling the country, doing what they love, and on top of that, making money. Also, there is less stress without the NCAA's rules over the players' heads all the time. It would seem like "one and done" would be the best decision. It's not beneficial for the NBA and the NCAA. The players in the NBA are worse now, with more less experienced rookies. The NCAA doesn't have as much exciting talent as well with players leaving after their freshman year. Sports like football understand this and don't let players do this. As for the players, they get caught up in the money and their dream and don't realize what will really benefit them. A lot of times, getting that extra experience will really help them improve. If the players jump into the pros prematurely, it can slow down growth tremendously. Their are some players who end up going to the NBA straight out of high school. This is extremely rare and it only happens for some of the best players of all time. It should be allowed, but not everyone should do it. If everyone was trying to get into the NBA as fast as possible, the skill level would drop and the excitement level would drop even faster than it already is.
ReplyDeleteIn my opinion, I think the athlete should always have the choice to go pro whenever they want. Nobody forced Mark Zuckerberg or Bill Gates to finish college before they started their professional careers to make significant amounts of money. Why does the same not go for professional sports. If someone wants to pursue a career in anything, they should be allowed to go out and make money that they deserve for their talent. I believe that the only reason that the NCAA is regulating when players can leave is because of the revenue that these stud players can generate. If everyone went straight to the pros out of high school, the quality of play in college would decrease and so would interest. To me, it just doesn't seem fair to restrict a kid who is ready to be a pro athlete from going just for the gain of a billion dollar organization.
ReplyDeleteWhile I think that this "one and done" strategy for basketball players is a great move for their NBA careers, as it gets them playing professionally at a younger age, I don't necessarily know if the long-term benefits are there. Playing at a professional level at a younger age could mean more exposure to injury, as well as peaking too early. In addition, college athletes that leave after just one year, miss out on the college experience and education that is likely being paid for by scholarships. This opportunity is only available to those of a certain age and once having left for the NBA, there is no going back. This said, if an athlete is only interested in a professional career then this sounds like a good way to accomplish that.
ReplyDeleteI think the concept of the one year of college to be eligible for the draft is not great for a couple reasons. I think that first off, if you are that good to be able to go to the NBA out of high school, you should be able to. It is very rare that a player is that good and because it's so rare they should be allowed to choose whichever path they want. Second of all, these kids get a mediocre education for one year because the only reason they are there is for basketball, not school. I think other sports like football have the mandatory 3 years in college to be eligible for the draft because players need to develop their skills and size in order to be ready for that level of physicality and skill set. This should either be implemented for basketball or the rule should be taken out all together, either way, the one year rule is useless.
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ReplyDeleteDeclaring for the draft at an early year has been an issue in predominantly all sports. I empathize for the players that are eager and need the money to provide for their families urgently, but it ruins leagues in some ways. By declaring for the draft after freshman year of college, you attain large amounts of money immediately, gain attention right away, can develop as a player quicker, and basically get in the spot light. It's impressive to be able to declare after one year of college ball, so fans definitely keep an eye on the player. What's more, the player might not like college ball and want to avoid injuries. The NFL doesn't allow players to declare after freshman year because they want the NCAA to reap maximum revenue. It doesn't cost the NFL anything, so they might as well keep it a rule. But it doesn't make sense because they don't have much of a reason to keep it implemented, and players' bodies are under more pressure, remembering the average career in the NFL is roughly 3.3 years. The college level is impacted by the one-and-dones because it technically lowers competition, revenue and interest. Professional levels are also impacted because there are many more players all of a sudden. However, I believe the one-and-done rule should be up to the players. If they want to declare before college, then so be it. Who are the industries to say when a player can go professional? That's a personal decision, not an industries.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the one and done should stay in affect for college basketball. Basketball players should not have to stay in college if they are good enough to play to the next level. I think this because if they are at that next level then they would probably want to make the sport their profession. But, if they want to stay in college they have the option do. These athletes shouldn't have to wait all four years of college before going pro if they have the abilities to play. Sometimes the athlete need provide for their family and letting them leave college to go pro will give them the opportunity to provide. The only disadvantage to the one and done is injury, if the athlete gets injuered and can't play anymore, their future will be at risk because it will be hard to find a job. Although, I think the athlete should be able to choose to leave college early and go pro.
ReplyDeleteI don't think that the one and done is terrible for college basketball. It gives chances for a lot of athletes that are very talented, but will never play in the NBA to shine in the college spotlight. If all those one and done stick through all four years they will chew away all the minutes from other players who won't be in the NBA. In addition they should get the chance to start when they want. They have worked hard and should be allowed to decide when they want to start getting paid. In some sports like hockey a lot of the kids never even go to college because they can develop in an international professional league or even get drafted and play in the NHL at the young age of 18. I don't see why It can't be the same for basketball players. The kids are obviously not getting an education if they are going to the NBA nor do they really need one because they will be making millions. Although it is nice to think that they could get educated it is just unrealistic to expect that. As a result they should be allowed to declare for the draft at whatever age they desire because they have a small window of opportunity to capitalize on.
ReplyDeleteI believe that one and done is not a bad choice for college basketball players. Ultimately, these young men have guidance are are given the best advice on how to go about the draft. Whether they are ready or not after their first year after college, everyone's goal is to get drafted and make it to the NBA. Kids also used to be drafted out of high school. I believe if Lonzo Ball was eligible to be drafted out of high school he would be a perfect candidate after this performance this year as a freshman. I also believe it may be a good idea as a one and done because as a 19-20 year old kid, you are in the prime time to sign a big contract and maximize the money you are able to make.
ReplyDeleteI believe that it is a great idea for some college basketball players to go "one and done." I feel that if you are good enough, players should be able to go straight to the NBA and get drafted. The earlier that you declare for the draft, the more money you make and the more experience you get. Just like how the college game is different from the high school game, the same applies with the NBA in comparison to college. For most players, their rookie year isn't anything that is outstanding. A lot of them get put on the D-league teams because they haven't developed yet. So as long as you have enough skill, there is no problem in declaring for the draft early.
ReplyDeleteThere is one clear cut advantage of declaring for the draft after your freshman year—money. In athletics, players have a finite amount of time to financially capitalize on their talents, so a star basketball player that is required to stay in college essentially loses a year in which they could be making millions of dollars. On a personal level, I enjoy that fact players are required to attend college before heading to the pros. It especially makes sense in football, where virtually zero players come out of high school polished enough for the NFL. But in basketball, where prospects that finish high school and are ready for the next level, the arguments on either side become murkier. The fact remains there is still some importance to the college game. If you remove the best players from D-I basketball, the game itself loses its quality. Although Kentucky's Malik Monk or UCLA's Lonzo Ball won't be playing for their respective schools for long, it was fun to watch them compete in the NCAA tournament in a thrilling matchup. In the end, it is the players that make the games compelling, so if you remove the top recruits we'll end up with a watered down version of what we currently have.
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