It has been ten years since the current one-and-done system has been implemented into college basketball, and it is no less restricting today than it was back then. This rule, known as Article X, states that an aspiring basketball player must be at least 19 years old and at least one year removed from high school for them to be eligible for the NBA Draft. The one-and-done system not only hinders the athlete’s choice, but also negatively affects their college teammates. It is quite publicly known throughout the college basketball community that most one-and-done freshman care very little about the educational aspect of their time in college. However, they share the court with many upperclassmen who care a great deal about their own educations …show more content…
Today the D-League is more or less a place for teams to stash players who GM’s do not want to let walk, but also do not want to pay them an NBA contract. Many players never make it to the NBA and end up leaving basketball altogether. It has fallen away from its original focus of preparing players for the NBA, and teams have simply started relying on the college game to develop players for them. If GM’s and Owners want players to develop for a year before coming to the NBA, then why not get them out directly out of high school and develop them in your own franchise. Players, while not getting as much exposure, would most likely be thrilled due to the salary that all D-League players receive versus being unpaid college athletes. If there was a deeper pool of elite talent in the D-League, then new TV deals would surely be in place to provide more coverage to those games all season. An improved D-League would definitely benefit all involved because athletes would be being paid, coaches would get to develop players how they want to, and teams would be receive more money from lucrative TV contracts. Shifting the gaze of the D-League back its original focus, and using it to develop players fresh out of high school instead of making them go to college would be the best system for everyone