One and Done

One and Done is a phrase used by members of the media to describe the current phenomenon of players going to college for 1 year and then leaving as it pertains to sports. What this means is that young men are being forced to go to college for 1 year before they are allowed to enter the NBA. No more straight out of high school kids. It is better known as the LeBron rule.

This rule is only enforced by the NBA as commissioner David Stern felt that too many kids were coming right out of high school and going into the NBA. He felt that the NBA could do some good and therefore made it mandatory for kids to go to school for 1 year before entering the pros.

What has happened however is that the term "student athlete" is being made a mockery of as these kids use colleges as pit stops on their way to the pros.

The whole process really started back in 2003 when Carmello Anthony led Syracuse University to a national championship as a freshman and then immediately declared for the draft being taken 5th overall by the Denver Nuggets.

Since Anthony there have been countless players who have gone to school for 1 year and then gone straight to the pros. Players like: Greg Oden, Derrick Rose, Kevin Durant, and OJ Mayo all did their time at school in the NCAA and then made the jump to the NBA.

Now I do not have a problem with players going to the NBA at a young age. What I do have a problem with is the whole 1 year thing because all it does is make a mockery of student athletics by allowing these kids to go to a school, play basketball for 4 months and then leave. What is the point?

It's not as if these kids are getting an education. Hell they don't even stay for a whole year. Once the season is over what incentive is there for them to go to class? They know they are going to the pros so why bother. What 19 year old in their right mind would wake up for early morning classes when they know they have $20 million waiting for them in 4 months?

Nothing is gained by forcing these kids to go to college for 1 year. They gain absolutely nothing from it other than getting a chance to win a National Championship.

The rule is so stupid that some players are finding ways around it and getting their money right away. Brandon Jennings for example went to play basketball in Italy and made almost $600,000 last year rather than going to school. Now he is projected to go 9th overall to the Toronto Raptors in the upcoming draft.

What the NBA needs to do is either get rid of the rule or stretch it to a 2 year minimum of college. This way kids will either come right out of high school or get at least some form of education while at college.

If they want to just go right to the pros then let them. They may get their money or they may get injured and wind up a bum. Let them make the call. If they choose college then they stay for 2 years and learn something or maybe choose to stay since they are half way done. It is really a win win.

Some NCAA coaches have taken it upon themselves to try and fight this epidemic by not recruiting players who have plans of leaving after 1 season. The leading man behind this new movement is Mike Krzyzewski of Duke who refuses to recruit any player that wants to only stay for 1 year. It has caused Duke to falter somewhat but they are still a very competitive team every year and have made the NCAA March Madness tournament 20 years in a row.

As it stands right now 4 of the top 15 draft prospects are freshman who are coming out of school after only 1 year. That number is sure to rise with each passing year as more and more kids are going to make the jump to the NBA as soon as they are allowed.

If the NBA is actually serious about trying to ensure these young men are getting an education than they need to do something about this rule. Right now players are coming right to the pros with little or no education and are treating the NCAA and college as a speed bump on their way to the NBA.

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