Jun 27 2008
NBA draft opens with three freshmen picks
For the first time ever, the top three picks in the NBA draft are all one-and-done’rs. For the second straight year, the top overall pick is a freshman.
Chicago opened by taking Derrick Rose out of Memphis with the top pick. He was followed by Michael Beasley of Kansas State going to Miami, and USC star O.J. Mayo going to Minnesota (although the word is that he is potentially trade bait).
Ohio State’s Greg Oden was the top pick of the Portland Trailblazers last year.
In an interview with the Associated Press, Beasley said, “We actually talked about this earlier. We all grew up together and we all grew up playing against each other and we all made a pact together that we would all be here. Just to see it all fall into place and see it all happen is kind of crazy.”
In addition to the top three picks, five of the first seven were freshmen. And the Pac-10 had five of the top 11 picks.
I don’t have a problem with the kids who are one and done. I do have a problem with the rule. It seems so random. Of course, all three major sports have such random rules about the draft it is hard to keep up.
I have never quite understood why there is not just one rule governing football, basketball and baseball. Baseball’s rule has always been my favorite… you can be drafted out of high school, but if you choose to attend college, you cannot reenter the draft until following your junior season. It allows the schools to be able to build programs, rather than wonder each year what your roster needs will be.
The NBA’s draft rules seem to be the most harmful to a program in the long run. Do you recruit a player knowing he will be gone in one year? Do you hope that you can build that team chemistry quickly and then start all over the following season? Or do you bypass the players who will be “short timers” and go for project players, players you can mold to fit your system.
Tough questions. The NCAA needs to come up with some answers, instead of letting the pro leagues puppet the whole show.
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