Craig Spjute Emily Dibble Humanities 24 April 2014 Current Event Project One of the exciting stories in the

sports headlines, particularly the National Basketball Association (NBA) is the controversy of the NBA age limit. Up until 2005 a student athlete who had graduated from high school could declare for the NBA draft, but in the year 2005 it changed. Essentially what the new rule is, which has been in place for the past 9 years, is that a player must be 19 years of age to enter the draft. This rule was set in place by former NBA commissioner David Stern. The talk of the age limit hasnt ended ever since, but because of changes in the NBAs front office, it has become a big topic again. Mr. Stern very recently resigned from his position as commissioner and Adam Silver took his place. Since then, he has taken the reigns of the NBA and has discussed again changing the age limit to 20 years believing that it will help the league. Mr. Silver says, "I believe and continue to believe it will be in the best interest of the league. I think that the extra year in college will be a benefit for these young men to grow and develop as people and basketball players" (Reyes, 2014). Technically this event hasnt happened, but it is in the process of possibly happening. If this age change happens, it will affect a lot of young men. This year alone, many of the top college athletes are the so called one-and-done players who played one year in college and leave for the NBA, including star players Jabari Parker of Duke University and Andrew Wiggins of the University of Kansas. To many this idea of the age change is great, to others they tend to disagree and think the players should be able to do what they want. As for me, I tend to lean more towards attending school for

another year to at least try and attain more maturity and knowledge, if not at least an associates degree. But I also wonder, if this age limit is affecting the dream of many players, thus limiting the reality of reaching their American Dream. So whats the big deal about this anyways? Its just a year, why do students need to stay another year? Or better yet, why not? Why cant they pursue education one more year? Well, hopefully this will help answer these questions. Lets start with a couple positives of players leaving school at 19, after only one year of school. First, it allows these phenomenal athletes to showcase their skills earlier, thus enabling them to provide for their families sooner, reports Jason Clary, he also says Like it or not, the money that athletes get goes a long way towards the development of their families and themselves. Good people find ways to do good things for society. These players could put the money back into their communities and give youths in their hometown the ability to play sports when it could have been previously impossible. I completely agree. I think that a large majority of these athletes use the money they receive for good, and to help others (Clary, 2009). Also, an athletes window life for a healthy career, and top notch playing ability is so small, that they should be able to play at the highest level possible, for the longest possible. Clary mentions also the risk of injury from playing one more year of college, Many athletes feel that if they stay in college they could get injured and put their professional career at risk (Clary, 2009). These are very valid reasons. Now let us look at some of the positives of staying in school another year. Clary mentions things like securing for themselves a future if basketball doesnt work out, he mentions how it helps develop the maturity level of these young men and also enhances knowledge of the athlete, which will help them throughout their lives. One talk show host says, Every player has weaknesses that they need to work on and doing so in-game action really helps. If players go to the NBA too early, they may not have the confidence or the opportunity to

work on their weaknesses during the game (Beasley, 2014). College athletes are not aware of the increased amount of talent that awaits them in the NBA, and if they dont take time in their college career to overcome the weaknesses of their game, their spots on the team will get taken. Thus leaving them unemployed with no money, all because he should of stayed in school longer to not only receive a better education but also to better hone in on their skills. So what do the actual players in the NBA have to say about the age limit being raised? Kobe Bryant, an all-star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, a shoe in for the Basketball Hall of Fame said this concerning the age limit discussion, I think the reality is theres been a lot of players whove come out of high schoolif you do the numbers and you look at the count you probably see players who came out of high school that were much more successful on average than players that went to college for a year or two years. It seems like the system really isnt teaching players anything if you go to college (Beasley, 2014) I trust Kobes opinion, not only for his accolades, but also because he is one of those players who has made it after entering the NBA at such a young age. Interestingly enough though, a player who also entered at a very early age, Tracy McGrady has a very different opinion, I actually think they should implement having these guys go to school for two years, McGrady said. What is it, one year now? At least go to school for two years because the league is so young. I think we need to build our league up. I mean, I hate to say it, but the talent in this league is pretty down. (Beasley, 2014) If this is true, if the talent really is lower, the NBA should seriously consider making this talk of raising the age limit a reality so people do not lose interest in the NBA. Now lets hear what one of the leagues most vocal team owners has to say about the thought of raising the age limit. Mark Cuban, owner of the Dallas Mavericks who wants the NBA to take it a step farther and make college players wait 3 years to enter the draft,

commented this, "I just think there's a lot more kids that get ruined coming out early or going to school trying to be developed to come out early than actually make it (Thomas, 2012) He goes on to mention some of the few really young players who have made it in the NBA, but says for every one that made it in the league there are a hundred others who dont become anything. Cuban then says, "It's not even so much about lottery busts; it's about kids' lives that we're ruining Even if you're a first-round pick and you have three years of guaranteed money -- or two years now of guaranteed money -- then what? Because if you're a bust and it turns out you just can't play in the NBA, your 'Rocks for Jocks' one year of schooling isn't going to get you real far" (Thomas, 2012). I completely agree with Mr. Cuban. A lot of players turn out not to be what they thought they could, and end up without a job at the age of 22 because no team wants them, and no company will take them because of their lack of schooling. I tend to think that the NBA is setting up its players who dont make it, for failure, if they dont raise the NBA age limit. In the 2002-03 season for the NCAA, a player by the name of Carmelo Anthony, a freshman, decided to enter the NBA draft after leading his team to a national championship. After declaring for the draft, Carmelo was quoted saying, "Being able to play professional basketball has been my dream since I first started playing this game and now I have the opportunity to accomplish that dream," So is it any of our rights to take this young mans dream away, or even postpone it? (Thomas, 2012). This dream could also be called, The American Dream, of being successful, having money and doing what you want to do with your life. In A Chinamans Chance: Reflections of the American Dream it illustrates the validity of the so called American Dream concept. Eric Liu, the author states, A lot of people my age seem to think the American Dream is dead. I think theyre dead wrong (Liu). Carmelo Anthonys dream is a

perfect example of the live nature of the American dream today! We cannot take that away from him, or any other athlete for that matter. Within this work of art, we are encouraged, not matter race or background, to chase after the American Dream and to do everything you can to achieve all that you want to achieve in this life. In Our Freedoms and Rights, which was given to congress by President Roosevelt it states the rights that we have here in the United States. There are many that stick out to me when thinking about what the NBA is trying to do. Here are the ones that stand out to: the RIGHT to work: Now we all deserve this right, and it shouldnt be taken away, right? College athletes of a high level typically have the desire to make money professionally. This age limit prohibits them from working when they so desire. The RIGHT to fair pair: If they have the talent, let them play and earn their FAIR pay. The RIGHT to security: Letting these players play in their prime, helps them become more secure for their future. The RIGHT to come and go: Let them do what they want, when they want and to where they want to go. The RIGHT to education: See now they have this right, and it is up to them if they want to use this as a privilege or not. The RIGHT to rest: If they want to go to school, let them, if they want to play ball, let them. (National Planning Board, 1942). Our rights, seem to point towards letting these athletes enter the draft when they so please. Now as you can see, the NBA is in some sort of major pickle. In the end, I think my feelings have changed a little. When I began working on this paper, as stated in the intro, I really leaned towards them staying in school for at least the two years, but as I have furthered my research, I think I may have changed a little. I still think education is very important and I think that it would help a lot of kids in the long run become more successful when their NBA careers are through, but I do think they should be given to make the choice for themselves. For many

kids this is their dream, and it shouldnt be postponed. Enough people are losing out on their dream because people are telling them over and over again that they arent good enough. Let them live. Also, it is a right of each individual to choose how he wants to live his life. So again, let them live. The NBA has some big choices to make here in the future, and I am glad I get to be right in the middle of it.

Works Cited "College Vs. Pros: Should Athletes Leave School Early?." Bleacher Report. N.p., 13 Dec. 2009. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://bleacherreport.com/articles/307746-college-vs-pros-shouldathletes-be-allowed-to-leave-school-early>. Poster from Report of the National Resources Planning Board. Transmitted to the Congress by President Roosevelt. Our Freedoms and Rights January 14th 1942 Beasley, L. "." The Pros and Cons of Changing the NBAs Age Limit [Opinion] . News Talk WCHB, 20 Feb. 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://wchbnewsdetroit.com/3094346/thepros-and-cons-of-changing-the-nbas-age-limit-opinion/>. Liu, Erick. A Chinamans Chance: Reflections of the American Dream. 1994. Reyes, Lorenzo. "NBA Commissioner reiterates desire to raise age limit." Detroit Free Press. USA Tday, 24 Apr. 2014. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://www.freep.com/usatoday/article/8099083>. Thomas, Etan. "End the NBA draft age limit." ESPN. ESPN Internet Ventures, 12 Apr. 2012. Web. 24 Apr. 2014. <http://espn.go.com/espn/commentary/story/_/id/7804204/davidstern-mark-cuban-wrong-nba-age-limit>.