It's no secret that the NBA would like to do away with its “one-and-done” rule, as it's come to be known. Under its current construction, players are forced to play one year in college before declaring for the NBA Draft, no matter their stature. NBA Commissioner Adam Silver has a plan to abolish this rule, however, and he opened up about the possibilities in a recent interview with The Washington Post.
Silver has made his stance clear on several occasions. He thinks the one-and-done rule is no longer good policy, and he's ready to move forward with a change. That change, however, may not come until the 2022 season, he said at an event on Thursday.
Via Rick Maese of The Washington Post:
“There are a bunch of issues that need to be worked through between us and the players association, so it’s something we’re in active discussions about,” Silver said. “It’s a few years away, I think.”
The matter has to be collectively bargained, and Silver said implementing the rule sooner than 2022 wouldn’t be fair to teams that have made trades involving draft picks nor would it give the league enough time to work with players who would be entering the league at a young age.
For many young NBA hopefuls, this is great news, as they'll no longer need to jump the hurdle of one year in college. The simple fact is: there are usually a few players in each high school class that are ready for the pros. If the one-and-done rule were to be abolished, they would not only be fulfilling a life-long dream by making it to the NBA, but they'd also be able to help their families with financial security.
Setting the date of change to 2022 would allow Silver to start working with the group of teenagers who are currently coming up through the high school ranks. However, the NCAA currently limits the contact between NBA front-office officials and amateur players.
“So if the rule were to change, we and our players association, USA Basketball, other groups would be working much more directly with those young players to prepare them for the NBA,” Silver said.
Not all teams are open to the idea of ending the one-and-done rule, though, according to The Washington Post. Roughly half of the NBA teams seem to like the idea, while the other half is reluctant to agree.
Exactly when the one-and-done rule will come to an end remains to be seen, but it sounds like it could be sooner rather than later.
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