NBA: Grantland Age Minimum Article

[jbhtexas]

I don't see Lenny Cooke on that list and he's the most famous example of a high schooler who didn't pan out. So it looks like that list doesn't include the high school players who declared but never made an NBA team, which makes it a rather incomplete list of how high schoolers have fared in the NBA.

Lenny Cooke wasn't drafted by an NBA team, and never got an NBA tryout as far as I know, so I'm not sure why he would be on a list of players that one would use to consider how successful high school players have been in the NBA. You kind of have to make it to the NBA before one can judge how successful you were there.

Here's another list that has a few more players...

Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and the Best Preps to Pros NBA Players | Bleacher Report

 

[CyJack13]

Lenny Cooke wasn't drafted by an NBA team, and never got an NBA tryout as far as I know, so I'm not sure why he would be on a list of players that one would use to consider how successful high school players have been in the NBA. You kind of have to make it to the NBA before one can judge how successful you were there.

Here's another list that has a few more players...

Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and the Best Preps to Pros NBA Players | Bleacher Report

You're changing your argument now. GoCubs218 originally said "When you compare the number who have succeeded when coming out of high school to the number who have failed, it's not really even close."

A guy who was a top prospect in high school and failed to even get drafted is the definition of a high schooler who failed, of course you would need to include guys like that in any comprehensive list. Obviously if you only include high schoolers who played in the NBA, you're going to have a lot more success stories.

 

[HOTDON]

The other thing that hasn't been mentioned is the boost it would provide to the NBADL. Imagine the hype of having Anthony Davis on the Iowa Energy roster for two years. You also have the opportunity to expand your fan base in the NBA. Two big years in Des Moines and Davis would certainly turn some of those local fans into fans of his NBA franchise. College basketball does not directly line the pockets of the NBA. By getting these guys into the NBADL they begin collecting on the talent immediately at bargain prices. Seems like a win-win for Stern & Co.

Did you know who Anthony Davis was in October? Random high schoolers aren't going to increase interest in the NBDL. Anthony Davis is such a hyped NBA prospect because he was player of the year for Kentucky, playing in Des Moines, Reno, Idaho and Sioux Falls is not going to have the same result. The NBA would not benefit from this anywhere near as much as they will from Davis' one season at Kentucky.

Obviously the NBADL would need a big boost in interest to be in the same solar system as the NCAA as far as being a launching pad for young players, but when NBA teams are banking on guys they've placed in the NBADL you would see a whole new level of collaborative promotion. This idea has the potential to lend the NBADL some much needed relevance. It would take time, but with the right plan in place both entities could grow together.

 

[gocubs2118]

You're changing your argument now. GoCubs218 originally said "When you compare the number who have succeeded when coming out of high school to the number who have failed, it's not really even close."

A guy who was a top prospect in high school and failed to even get drafted is the definition of a high schooler who failed, of course you would need to include guys like that in any comprehensive list. Obviously if you only include high schoolers who played in the NBA, you're going to have a lot more success stories.

Exactly. I knew that list looked really thin. There have been tons of high school basketball players who have entered the draft but not been drafted. Those would be a failure.

 

[jbhtexas]

Exactly. I knew that list looked really thin. There have been tons of high school basketball players who have entered the draft but not been drafted. Those would be a failure.

There have been tons? Really??? Why don't you post a link to a list that shows those players?

 

[jbhtexas]

You're changing your argument now. GoCubs218 originally said "When you compare the number who have succeeded when coming out of high school to the number who have failed, it's not really even close."

A guy who was a top prospect in high school and failed to even get drafted is the definition of a high schooler who failed, of course you would need to include guys like that in any comprehensive list. Obviously if you only include high schoolers who played in the NBA, you're going to have a lot more success stories.

I'm not changing the "argument". "Succeeded" is rather ambigous. I took it to mean those high schoolers who at minimum got an NBA tryout.

The discussion for/against the NBA age limit argument (which is what this thread is about) concern the kids who have the talent to get into the NBA out of high school, so it doesn't really seem pertinent to consider those who didn't even get a tryout.

Steve Kerr's argument didn't center around those kids who didn't get drafted, and I've never heard Barkley talk about the Lenny Cooke's of the world. They are addressing the maturity/well being/bussiness aspect of high schoolers/one-and-done's who get into the NBA, not the ones who don't get a chance to play in the NBA. I'm not sure why you are bringing the latter into the discussion.

 

[CyJack13]

I'm not changing the "argument". "Succeeded" is rather ambigous. I took it to mean those high schoolers who at minimum got an NBA tryout.

The discussion for/against the NBA age limit argument (which is what this thread is about) concern the kids who have the talent to get into the NBA out of high school, so it doesn't really seem pertinent to consider those who didn't even get a tryout.

Steve Kerr's argument didn't center around those kids who didn't get drafted, and I've never heard Barkley talk about the Lenny Cooke's of the world. They are addressing the maturity/well being/bussiness aspect of high schoolers/one-and-done's who get into the NBA, not the ones who don't get a chance to play in the NBA. I'm not sure why you are bringing the latter into the discussion.

I've also never heard Steve Kerr or Barkley were talk about the NBA losing a lawsuit because of your reason below:

The NBA on its own might not let high school kids back in, but they could always be sued and forced into some kind of deal. Given that a number of kids coming directly from high-school have been successful in the NBA, it could be tricky to defend that policy in court.

In fact Kerr said the exact opposite in the article: "Regardless, it shouldn't be the NBA's responsibility to provide working opportunities for teenagers, just like it's not the NFL's responsibility to do so. The NBA should only care about running its operation the best it can. That's it."

You're the one who said the NBA would lose a lawsuit because of how successful prep to pro players have been, you then linked to a list which doesn't tell the whole story and now have tried to use some circular logic to change the conversation away from your original point.

 

[Harry]

I graduated fifty one years ago and should be counted among the tons of high school players not drafted by the NBA. (just couldn't master that darn two hand set shot)

 

[jbhtexas]

In fact Kerr said the exact opposite in the article: "Regardless, it shouldn't be the NBA's responsibility to provide working opportunities for teenagers, just like it's not the NFL's responsibility to do so. The NBA should only care about running its operation the best it can. That's it."

I've not said anything to contradict Steve Kerr. I was just suggesting that a lawsuit could happen if someone under the age limit wanted in the NBA bad enough (or some lawyer was looking to make a name for himself).

You're the one who said the NBA would lose a lawsuit because of how successful prep to pro players have been,

I never said any such thing. I said the NBA policy could be tricky to defend.

you then linked to a list which doesn't tell the whole story and now have tried to use some circular logic to change the conversation away from your original point.

The lists I linked tell the story quite completely for the issue at hand, which is how high school players fare once they get into the NBA.

 

[jbhtexas]

I graduated fifty one years ago and should be counted among the tons of high school players not drafted by the NBA. (just couldn't master that darn two hand set shot)

I should be counted too. But my problem was I couldn't dunk consistently on a regulation 10 ft basket, and I was kind of slow...have a pretty bank shot though.

Pretty much any high school graduate can declare for the NBA, whether they have legitimate NBA talent, NCAA talent, JC talent, or rec center talent, which is why it is silly to bring undrafted players into the discussion.