Adam Silver favors raising the age limit

[Moranis]

I think higher age limits are all around a better deal for the game, and often for the player. This is the highest level of the sport, and having raw kids that need to be incubated for a few years does not help the quality of the sport. More mature, more proven and seasoned players will be better for the game.

or you miss out on 3 years of Lebron James in the NBA.  You miss out on watching a talent like in an 82 game season.  Maybe he develops worse habits in college because he is so much better than everyone else.  Maybe winning goes to his head and his ego gets out of control whereas losing in the NBA motivated him.

Some guys need college, but some guys don't.  The market should establish that.

This. Once in a decade careers could be lessened.

Was the careers of Bird lessened going to college?

It might have been.  Maybe all those years he was healthy in college he would have been healthy in the pros and instead of 13 years he had 17 years with the extra years being in his prime (instead of hitting his prime at 28, maybe he hits at 24). 

If Lebron James had gone to college for three years, do you really think that in 06/07 (his now rookie year), he would have averaged 27.3/6.7/6.0 AND led his team to the NBA Finals?  Or the next year he would go for 30/8/7 on near 50% shooting?  Or that he would start winning MVP's in his 3rd season?

[Moranis]

I think higher age limits are all around a better deal for the game, and often for the player. This is the highest level of the sport, and having raw kids that need to be incubated for a few years does not help the quality of the sport. More mature, more proven and seasoned players will be better for the game.

or you miss out on 3 years of Lebron James in the NBA.  You miss out on watching a talent like in an 82 game season.  Maybe he develops worse habits in college because he is so much better than everyone else.  Maybe winning goes to his head and his ego gets out of control whereas losing in the NBA motivated him.

Some guys need college, but some guys don't.  The market should establish that.

This. Once in a decade careers could be lessened.

Was the careers of Bird lessened going to college?

Was KG's by declaring straight out of high school?

Would it have hurt his career?

Going to college certainly could have.  See my prior post. 

[Eja117]

Here is my question, how does letting in players out of high school help the NBA and their teams?



It is not like the best players will not be drafter two or more years later.

They may not be drafted if they get injured in college, thus missing out on a huge payday.

This could be addressed with insurance. Also it's a little like saying accounting firms should have to hire kids out of high school because what if something happens to them in college.  They aren't owed a huge payday in and of itself

No, it's like saying accounting firms should be able to hire kids out of high school if they want to.

Ok. So say they do that and there are a ton of fudge ups on people's taxes. The firms can't agree to not hire kids that haven't been to college? They can't create an industry standard?

[Moranis]

Here is my question, how does letting in players out of high school help the NBA and their teams?



It is not like the best players will not be drafter two or more years later.

They may not be drafted if they get injured in college, thus missing out on a huge payday.

This could be addressed with insurance. Also it's a little like saying accounting firms should have to hire kids out of high school because what if something happens to them in college.  They aren't owed a huge payday in and of itself

No, it's like saying accounting firms should be able to hire kids out of high school if they want to.

Ok. So say they do that and there are a ton of fudge ups on people's taxes. The firms can't agree to not hire kids that haven't been to college? They can't create an industry standard?

The industry standard is a licensed accountant.  To the best of my knowledge there are no age requirements on people merely requirements to obtain a license.  If a 16 year old meets the requirements to be licensed, he could get his license and work as an accountant. 

[Eja117]

Here is my question, how does letting in players out of high school help the NBA and their teams?



It is not like the best players will not be drafter two or more years later.

They may not be drafted if they get injured in college, thus missing out on a huge payday.

This could be addressed with insurance. Also it's a little like saying accounting firms should have to hire kids out of high school because what if something happens to them in college.  They aren't owed a huge payday in and of itself

No, it's like saying accounting firms should be able to hire kids out of high school if they want to.

Ok. So say they do that and there are a ton of fudge ups on people's taxes. The firms can't agree to not hire kids that haven't been to college? They can't create an industry standard?

The industry standard is a licensed accountant.  To the best of my knowledge there are no age requirements on people merely requirements to obtain a license.  If a 16 year old meets the requirements to be licensed, he could get his license and work as an accountant.

So therefore it would be ok for the NBA to license people to play in the NBA and set up licensing requirements?

[Moranis]

Here is my question, how does letting in players out of high school help the NBA and their teams?



It is not like the best players will not be drafter two or more years later.

They may not be drafted if they get injured in college, thus missing out on a huge payday.

This could be addressed with insurance. Also it's a little like saying accounting firms should have to hire kids out of high school because what if something happens to them in college.  They aren't owed a huge payday in and of itself

No, it's like saying accounting firms should be able to hire kids out of high school if they want to.

Ok. So say they do that and there are a ton of fudge ups on people's taxes. The firms can't agree to not hire kids that haven't been to college? They can't create an industry standard?

The industry standard is a licensed accountant.  To the best of my knowledge there are no age requirements on people merely requirements to obtain a license.  If a 16 year old meets the requirements to be licensed, he could get his license and work as an accountant.

So therefore it would be ok for the NBA to license people to play in the NBA and set up licensing requirements?

Nope.  Different type of profession.  Also, professions with licensure requirements are handled by the government or pseudo government agencies?  Is the NBA a government or psuedo-government agency?  And just out of curiosity, what exactly would this license require?  If it is purely by age it would be unconstitutional.  So even if you could create a license, what would it be?

[fairweatherfan]

Here is my question, how does letting in players out of high school help the NBA and their teams?



It is not like the best players will not be drafter two or more years later.

They may not be drafted if they get injured in college, thus missing out on a huge payday.

This could be addressed with insurance. Also it's a little like saying accounting firms should have to hire kids out of high school because what if something happens to them in college.  They aren't owed a huge payday in and of itself

No, it's like saying accounting firms should be able to hire kids out of high school if they want to.

Ok. So say they do that and there are a ton of fudge ups on people's taxes. The firms can't agree to not hire kids that haven't been to college? They can't create an industry standard?

I think the analogy breaks down when a bunch of former fresh out of high school accountants are on their way to the Accounting Hall of Fame.

[sofutomygaha]

I think higher age limits are all around a better deal for the game, and often for the player. This is the highest level of the sport, and having raw kids that need to be incubated for a few years does not help the quality of the sport. More mature, more proven and seasoned players will be better for the game.

or you miss out on 3 years of Lebron James in the NBA.  You miss out on watching a talent like in an 82 game season.  Maybe he develops worse habits in college because he is so much better than everyone else.  Maybe winning goes to his head and his ego gets out of control whereas losing in the NBA motivated him.

Some guys need college, but some guys don't.  The market should establish that.

This. Once in a decade careers could be lessened.

Was the careers of Bird lessened going to college?

Was KG's by declaring straight out of high school?

Would it have hurt his career?

Going to college certainly could have.  See my prior post.

It certainly would have cost him a lot of money, and it certainly would have made some money for the NCAA.

It cost Bird a lot of money, too. Might have cost him some NBA titles. Certainly reduced his exposure and limited his endorsement and other business activities. Spending four years in college ABSOLUTELY constrained Larry Bird's career.

EJA117: The reason we have licensing laws and education barriers to professions in which practitioners are entrusted with the financial or medical well-being of their clients is to protect the consumer from negligent malpractice. NBA Basketball games are an entertainment product; bad basketball does not expose consumers to damages.

[Eja117]

Here is my question, how does letting in players out of high school help the NBA and their teams?



It is not like the best players will not be drafter two or more years later.

They may not be drafted if they get injured in college, thus missing out on a huge payday.

This could be addressed with insurance. Also it's a little like saying accounting firms should have to hire kids out of high school because what if something happens to them in college.  They aren't owed a huge payday in and of itself

No, it's like saying accounting firms should be able to hire kids out of high school if they want to.

Ok. So say they do that and there are a ton of fudge ups on people's taxes. The firms can't agree to not hire kids that haven't been to college? They can't create an industry standard?

I think the analogy breaks down when a bunch of former fresh out of high school accountants are on their way to the Accounting Hall of Fame.

Right, but the accounting industry could still look at what had happened and decide to create standards.

Are you folks saying it would be ok to create a basketball exam to assist with licensure? 

If the standard wasn't an age, but was that they must have played either a year overseas, or a year in the NBDL, or a year in college, or junior college, would that suffice?

[D.o.s.]

bad basketball does not expose consumers to damages.

Says you. 

[sofutomygaha]

bad basketball does not expose consumers to damages.

Says you. 

Touché!

Unless we're talking about Gerald Henderson...

[Moranis]

Here is my question, how does letting in players out of high school help the NBA and their teams?



It is not like the best players will not be drafter two or more years later.

They may not be drafted if they get injured in college, thus missing out on a huge payday.

This could be addressed with insurance. Also it's a little like saying accounting firms should have to hire kids out of high school because what if something happens to them in college.  They aren't owed a huge payday in and of itself

No, it's like saying accounting firms should be able to hire kids out of high school if they want to.

Ok. So say they do that and there are a ton of fudge ups on people's taxes. The firms can't agree to not hire kids that haven't been to college? They can't create an industry standard?

I think the analogy breaks down when a bunch of former fresh out of high school accountants are on their way to the Accounting Hall of Fame.

Right, but the accounting industry could still look at what had happened and decide to create standards.

Are you folks saying it would be ok to create a basketball exam to assist with licensure? 

If the standard wasn't an age, but was that they must have played either a year overseas, or a year in the NBDL, or a year in college, or junior college, would that suffice?

sure, as long as the NBDL had no age limit.

[D.o.s.]

bad basketball does not expose consumers to damages.

Says you. 

Touché!

Unless we're talking about Gerald Henderson...

hahahahahaha TP.

[Eja117]

Here is my question, how does letting in players out of high school help the NBA and their teams?



It is not like the best players will not be drafter two or more years later.

They may not be drafted if they get injured in college, thus missing out on a huge payday.

This could be addressed with insurance. Also it's a little like saying accounting firms should have to hire kids out of high school because what if something happens to them in college.  They aren't owed a huge payday in and of itself

No, it's like saying accounting firms should be able to hire kids out of high school if they want to.

Ok. So say they do that and there are a ton of fudge ups on people's taxes. The firms can't agree to not hire kids that haven't been to college? They can't create an industry standard?

I think the analogy breaks down when a bunch of former fresh out of high school accountants are on their way to the Accounting Hall of Fame.

Right, but the accounting industry could still look at what had happened and decide to create standards.

Are you folks saying it would be ok to create a basketball exam to assist with licensure? 

If the standard wasn't an age, but was that they must have played either a year overseas, or a year in the NBDL, or a year in college, or junior college, would that suffice?

sure, as long as the NBDL had no age limit.

I would assume it would follow child labor laws.  I think Europe has some experience with this because they don't have college sports in the same way

[Moranis]

Here is my question, how does letting in players out of high school help the NBA and their teams?



It is not like the best players will not be drafter two or more years later.

They may not be drafted if they get injured in college, thus missing out on a huge payday.

This could be addressed with insurance. Also it's a little like saying accounting firms should have to hire kids out of high school because what if something happens to them in college.  They aren't owed a huge payday in and of itself

No, it's like saying accounting firms should be able to hire kids out of high school if they want to.

Ok. So say they do that and there are a ton of fudge ups on people's taxes. The firms can't agree to not hire kids that haven't been to college? They can't create an industry standard?

I think the analogy breaks down when a bunch of former fresh out of high school accountants are on their way to the Accounting Hall of Fame.

Right, but the accounting industry could still look at what had happened and decide to create standards.

Are you folks saying it would be ok to create a basketball exam to assist with licensure? 

If the standard wasn't an age, but was that they must have played either a year overseas, or a year in the NBDL, or a year in college, or junior college, would that suffice?

sure, as long as the NBDL had no age limit.

I would assume it would follow child labor laws.  I think Europe has some experience with this because they don't have college sports in the same way

Freddy Adu signed with the MLS when he was 14 (he also played in a game while still 14 making him the youngest person to ever play a professional team sport in the US). The MLS has in fact had a number of players sign well before they turned 18 (though Adu was and still is the youngest player to do so).  So you don't even need to go to Europe.