It’s been nine years since the last high schooler was selected in the NBA draft.
That’s because back in 2005, the NBA raised the minimum age for eligibility to 19. With this rule in place, the days of high school students going straight to the pros are over.
For now.
You might think this rule was created to give prospective players a better shot at a college education. It’s more likely that the motivation was to protect teams from wasting money on young players who don’t live up to their promise.
The current system’s critics cite numerous problems. None is more prominent than its negative impact on rising basketball stars.
Since top-rated high school basketball players now have to wait before going pro, they’re given two realistic options:
First, they can go play professionally overseas. And some do. But many 18-year-olds who have just taken their last high school final aren’t eager to hop on a plane to China just for the “pro” label.
Second, they can go to college. After all, anyone who’s viewed as a draft prospect coming out of high school won’t have a problem finding a top-notch basketball program willing to offer him a full-ride scholarship.
