NBA high school players

Ever since its inception in 1946, the National Basketball Association has long had a preference for players who played basketball at the collegiate level; the vast majority of players to play in the NBA have had college experience. However, there have been numerous notable players who attended high school in the United States and then jumped directly to the NBA, without playing collegiate ball. Several such players have excelled in the professional game.

The controversy

Despite the success of numerous high-school players drafted since 1995; the entry of high-schoolers into the NBA remains controversial--as evidenced by the league and the union agreeing to ban the practice. Many say the influx of high-schoolers into the NBA, bypassing college, has caused the collegiate game to deteriorate. Many point out that the collegiate level is useful at "filtering" out players who can dominate against weak competition in high school, but who cannot succeed at a higher level of play. Even among the high-school players who have been successful; many of them took longer to become productive NBA stars than have rookies with four years of college experience. And some question the message that skipping college sends to youth. Furthermore, unlike baseball and hockey (which accept high-schoolers without reservation), basketball has for a long time not had an established farm system in which to groom young players.

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On the other hand, others argue that the success of players like Malone, Garnett, Bryant, O'Neal, and Stoudemire demonstrates that there is no valid reason to exclude high-school players. Many professional sports (such as tennis) permit competitors who are still in high school; with little ill effect. Further, it is claimed by many that the NBA's alleged use of college hoops as an unpaid farm system is unfair, and that the ban on 18-year-olds entering the NBA may violate antitrust law. (A pending lawsuit between football player Maurice Clarett and the NFL concerns this very matter). It is also frequently pointed out that a college degree (nor the academic skills needed to succeed in college) are not required to play professional basketball; and that requiring academically-marginal athletes to attend college in order to participate in pro sports makes no sense.

Related Topics:
Antitrust law - Maurice Clarett - NFL

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