NBA recap: One-and-done rule, Blazers’ potential and more
The one-and-done rule, a consistent playoff team hoping to overcome their shortcomings, a rising sophomore and games take centerstage in this week’s NBA recap.
The NBA’s one-and-done rule has been at the forefront of discussions over the past week after the potential No. 1 pick in the 2019 NBA Draft, Zion Williamson, was injured in Duke’s loss to North Carolina on Feb. 20. Zion planted his foot to make a cut when his shoe literally busted open, causing him to sprain his right knee and miss the rest of the game.
Zion has missed the following two games with a Grade 1 knee sprain, and everybody around the basketball world rushed to say he shouldn’t suit up for Duke again to preserve his health and status as the best player in the draft. No matter what side of that fence you’re on, the one-and-done rule was inevitable when talking about Zion and this injury, with the league hoping to implement it by the 2022 NBA Draft.
The one-and-done rule states that players must turn 19 years old in the calendar year of the NBA Draft, and forces players to choose between college for one season or opting for a professional league overseas or the NBA G League before entering the draft. Most of the blue chip prospects choose going to college for one year (or seven months), building their profile in the NCAA and getting the fast track to a shoe deal depending on where they play.
Zion’s injury may have increased the urgency of lowering the draft age from 19 to 18, with the NBA proposing this rule change, according to USA Today’s Jeff Zillgitt. Some players don’t need to prove themselves in college (Zion and Duke teammate R.J. Barrett are prime examples), so it makes sense to lower the draft age for them.
Outside of a select few players, it would do teenagers some good to learn the game and prepare for the mental and physical grind in college. This is disputed because college players aren’t on salaries or contracts and watch the schools they play for make millions off their likeness, but college is far from the only route to pass the time before becoming draft-eligible.
I’ve always been a fan of the European professional leagues instead of NCAA basketball. Players will be paid, learn how to be a professional on and off the court, dedicate all of their time to their craft instead of studying and attending classes for less than a year, and are playing against a much higher level of competition. Europe will always be an outlet for these young players.
The other option is the G League, which is slightly more complicated. The G League is offering $125,000 Select Contracts for elite players that choose to play in this league over college. This could be an avenue for teams to gather information on players while paying them fairly, but some roadblocks stand in the way.
First off, the G League is largely unproven. While the league is improving and growing, it’s far from a perfect farm system. Also, there are 27 teams in the league with all of them being affiliated with NBA teams. Will players join their G League teams for one season then re-enter the NBA Draft? Could the player fall in love with their organization and refuse to play elsewhere?
There is no correct answer, but lowering the draft age and offering paths for straight out of high school players to assess their options after the draft results would be the best decision. The NCAA will never pay its players, but there are other options to get paid if that’s what you value. Some enjoy the college experience, some just want the cash, others want to immediately compete with the best.
Everybody’s different, and if Zion chooses to return this season, then good for him. If not, everybody will understand why. This rule will be resolved in the coming years, but until then it will remain a point of discussion as to what the NBA’s top prospects should do before entering the league.