NBA Proposes To Decrease Draft Age To 18: Report

NBA trying to remove “one-and-done” rule.

The NBA has at this time submitted a proposal to the Nationwide Basketball Gamers Affiliation, requesting that the league decrease the draft-eligible age to 18 from 19.

Coincidentally, the formal proposal got here lower than 24 hours after Duke‘s star freshman, 18-year previous Zion Williamson, suffered a light knee sprain when his Nike PG 2.5 sneaker unexpectedly fell aside throughout Wednesday’s nationally televised sport in opposition to UNC.

Jeff Zillgitt USA At present experiences:

“The league and union have had casual discussions about reducing the age restrict, and NBA commissioner Adam Silver is on report saying the present 19-year-old age restrict shouldn’t be working for the league or faculty basketball.”

“This is step one in formal negotiations to decrease the age restrict by the 2022 draft. The difficulty is collectively bargained between the NBA and NBPA, and either side want to comply with any rule change.”

The NBA’s present rule, requiring gamers to be 19 years previous or have accomplished one yr faculty earlier than changing into eligible for the NBA Draft, was carried out in 2006. A number of gamers, together with LeBron James, Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett had been all profitable in making the soar to the professionals proper out highschool.

On the July NBA house owners’ assembly, NBA commissioner Adam Silver told reporters:

“My private view is that we’re able to make that change. … After I’ve weighed the professionals and cons, on condition that Condoleezza Rice and her Fee (On School Basketball) has advisable to the NBA that these one-and-done gamers now come straight into the league, and in essence the faculty group is saying we don’t want these gamers anymore. That kind ideas the size in my thoughts that we must be taking a critical have a look at reducing our age to 18.”