College basketball is a unique system. It can either be a stepping stone to professional leagues or the end of one’s basketball career. While the latter is more accurate for most athletes, the spotlight shines brightest on those who will likely move on to a career in the NBA. These uber-talented players often use college as the short-term bridge between amateur and professional basketball.
College basketball is defined by its one-and-done policy. Athletes must turn 19 during the calendar year of the draft, and a minimum of one season needs to have passed since they graduated high school. Since 2006, the most successful players have met this requirement by spending at least one year in the college ranks entering the NBA draft. Prior to 2006, players were allowed to jump directly from high school to the NBA without waiting a year.
When a player’s goal is to play professionally, being forced to spend a year waiting to enter the league is pointless. College is a viable option for the majority of basketball players, but requiring those who are only attending to leave as soon as possible is indicative of a flawed system. Players should have the ability to leave college after one season, but should not be required to do so. Players should be allowed to enter the NBA directly after high school.
This controversial rule change created the one-and-done era of college basketball, which has featured top basketball talents showcasing their skills at the collegiate level for one season before entering the NBA draft. In the grand scheme of college hoops, only a small percentage of players leave college after one season.
But, those who do use the one-and-done rule are among the best talents in the country. As a result, the average age of first round draft picks was 19.9 years old in 2018, and the ‘student’ in ‘student athlete’ essentially means nothing when players are only in school for one basketball season.
In recent years, talented high school recruits have opted to play in the G-League, the NBA’s developmental league, where they receive a salary and train with NBA-caliber players. Playing overseas is also an increasingly popular alternative to the NCAA, as the talent is strong and the paychecks exist. These alternative routes will only grow in popularity in the coming years, unless the NBA abolishes their controversial one-and-done rule.
Additionally, the one-and-done era has created a scandalous culture where kids are bribed and manipulated by adults with dangerous motives. Nike has been caught up in a bribery scandal, allegedly authorizing payments to several players, including top 2018 draft pick DeAndre Ayton and former Oregon player Bol Bol. Former University of Louisville Coach Rick Pitino was involved in a ‘pay for sex scandal’ that attempted to use ‘strippers and escorts’ to snag commitments from high profile recruits. The University of North Carolina reportedly created courses with an easier workload to allow athletes to remain eligible.
These are just a few examples of the corruption within college basketball. If players were able to skip the whole college process, there would be less motivation for these scandals to exist. While there would still be corruption if the one-and-one rule was eliminated, players would be able to avoid college athletics and receive legal payments from brands and professional ventures. The flaws of the NCAA’s amateurism laws help create these issues. Players deserve the right to pursue financial compensation for their skills, and abolishing the one-and-done rule will provide a smoother route for those who choose it.
