In a column published on CBS Sports.Com, Miami Basketball Head Coach Jim Larranaga stated he would like to see College Basketball adopt the baseball model of drafting high school players.
In the major league baseball draft, high school players have the option of attending college or signing a professional contract. The Miami Basketball head man would like to see college student-athletes more committed to the college experience. He seems to view the players as taking advantage of the college experience. Larranaga doesn’t like the players in his words using “college as prep school for the NBA.”
He seems to view the players as taking advantage of the college experience. Larranaga doesn’t like the players in his words using “college as prep school for the NBA.”
NBA commissioner Adam Silver has brought up the prospect that the NBA is looking into raising the minimum age in the NBA to 20. The NBA is also planning on to become far more involved in the feeder programs as well.
This goes beyond college basketball, the AAU programs, and the new G-League. The G-League is the rebranding of the NBA’s developmental league sponsored by Gatorade.
Silver appeared on the Dan Patrick show on Monday and said:
"“It’s no longer an issue of 19 to 18 or 19 to 20,” Silver said. “I think it means that we as the NBA need to do something that we’ve avoided, which is getting more involved in youth basketball. If you sit with the folks from Nike or Under Armour or Adidas, they can tell you who the top 100 14 year olds are in the world, and there’s a fairly close correlation between the top 100 at 14 and the top 100 at 18.”"
Larranaga would like to see college basketball use the MLB draft model regarding college basketball players. College baseball players can decide to turn pro right out of high school.
If a player enrolls with a four-year program he must commit to playing through his Junior year before being becoming draft eligible again. The exception is players who enroll at two-year or community or Junior colleges. Those players are eligible to be drafted after completing two years of college.
Speaking on the prospect of that Larranaga said:
"“I think if someone feels confident enough in their abilities that they can turn professional right out of high school, then they should be afforded that opportunity. I also believe someone who enters the college ranks should be committed to getting an education and not just use college as prep school for the NBA. I think the baseball rule does that.”"
The rule would likely benefit schools like Miami. Schools from the power five conferences that are not getting multiple five-star players on a yearly basis. Miami Basketball has had their two best recruiting classes in school history the last two seasons.
How would that rule have affected players like Dewan Huell, Bruce Brown and Lonnie Walker?
Huell said before his freshman season last October that he was going to examine turning pro after his freshman season. Incoming freshman Walker would likely have gone in this year’s draft. Brown took a year of prep school after high school and would have been eligible for the 2016 draft.
Now Huell is back for his Sophomore season after averaging 5.8 points per game and 3.1 rebounds. Brown is hoping to build on a great freshman season. The speculation is that turn pro after next season and Walker is also likely to leave.
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This is an issue central to the NBA and College Basketball. It’s not one that is going to be resolved easily or soon. It will evolve as the game continues to do the same.