Changing NBA Draft Rule A ‘Stupid’ Decision
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By DERON SNYDER
Two questions always dominate men’s college basketball as the NCAA tournament approaches the penultimate weekend: Who’s going to win the title and who’s leaving early for the NBA?
The Maryland Terrapins didn’t qualify for the postseason, but they don’t have worry about losing their best player, either. Terrell Stoglin, the ACC’s leading scorer this season, announced Wednesday that he will return for his junior year. Conversely, St. John’s University missed out on the tournament and coach Steve Lavin has a hole to fill. Moe Harkless, the Big East Rookie of the Year, declared for the draft and plans to hire an agent, making the decision irreversible.
Other “one-and-done” candidates this year might include Kentucky’s Anthony Davis (the consensus No. 1 overall pick), teammate Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Duke’s Austin Rivers. One mock draft has nine freshmen in the first round, including four of the top seven picks.
That’s nothing new. Many freshmen have gone high in the draft since 2007, when freshmen Greg Oden and Kevin Durant went 1-2 after the NBA banned high school players. But a new NCAA policy this season makes me question the organization’s concern about underclassmen, whether they are one-and-done, two-and-through or three-and-flee.
Instead of continuing to allow players to “test the waters,” as it has done for years, the NCAA moved up its deadline to withdraw from the draft and retain collegiate eligibility if an agent hasn’t been signed. Players used to have until May 8, which gave them an opportunity to work out for NBA teams and receive feedback.
But the pull-out date this year is April 10, three weeks before the NBA allows its teams to contact early-entry candidates.
