I used to think it was needed but after giving it some time I realize it helps neither the player or college basketball. There aren't many players out there suited to the NBA game out of high school. If there was no one year rule sure many who weren't really ready would declare right away but after seeing the first initial wave of failures the ones following would be more apt to go to college and refine their skills.
All these kids going one and done are doing nothing more than wasting a perfectly good scholarship that someone else wants and could use.
I'm a baseball guy, and I really like the way the baseball draft/rules are set up. I think basketball should take a look at the way MLB and the NFL does things and restructure their system completely.
Here is how I could see it working.....(cue clouds and music for TV 'day-dream sequence')
The NBA would declare that players are eligible to be drafted out of high school if they go through certain hoops (the hoops are designed to weed out the ones that aren't quite ready). Otherwise, that leaves college or overseas.
If the player goes overseas, they must play 2 seasons before being eligible for the NBA; however, teams in the lottery will be penalized for selecting an American who skipped college to play overseas in the lottery selection (penalties discussed a little later).
That leaves college....here is where the baseball player in me comes out:
If the player goes to a JUCO, he may be drafted after each season he is at said junior college. If the player goes to a 4 year school, he must wait until AFTER his 2nd season (although it's 3rd season in baseball) to be eligible for the draft.
The penalties in the draft will be based on MLB's Type A and Type B free agent compensation:
The top X% of each position will be labeled Type A and the following X% will be labeled Type B. If a team signs a Type A free agent (let us say LeBron for example), their first round pick automatically goes to the team the Type A was previously on. If the team does not have a 1st round pick to give away, they will give away their first pick after that (round 2).
If a team gives away their 1st round pick for signing a free agent, they will then be given a sandwich round pick between the 1st and 2nd rounds.
On to type B....
If a team signs a Type B FA, they will give away their 2nd pick, regardless of where it is in the draft, and will receive a compensation pick AFTER the 2nd round.
Penalty for selecting a 1st yr eligible American playing overseas in the Lottery: said team's remaining picks in the draft will be pushed to the end of the round they are in. If a team has a lottery pick and the 17th overall pick thru a trade, the 17th pick now goes to the end of round 1. If they have picks in round 2, they are now at the end of the round. Picks they receive for compensation of losing Type A or B FA will be pushed to the end of whatever round they are in (1st, 2nd, or compensation).
It's all a little confusing, but it's a start, hahah.
That's my pipe dream to fix the NBA draft....
