U.S. Congressman ask NBA to repeal age limit

[MemphisX]

This could get interesting...

With the University of Memphis facing NCAA allegations involving a one-year-and-done basketball player, U.S. Rep. Steve Cohen, D-Tenn., said today the time was “ripe” to ask the NBA to stop barring 18-year-olds from its ranks.Cohen fired off two letters — one to NBA Commissioner David Stern, the other to National Basketball Players Association director G. William Hunter — saying the requirement that players be 19 and one year out of high school “is an unfair restriction on the rights of these young men to pursue their intended career…”

“I ask that this policy be repealed when the NBA completes its new collective bargaining agreement,” Cohen wrote.

Cohen said he was also concerned that the NBA policy “contributed to the recent spate of scandals involving college athletes like Derrick Rose and O.J. Mayo, which have particular resonance in my own community of Memphis.”

:thumbsupsmileyanim:

[mrhonline]

Better idea: stop allowing colleges to make money off athletes without fair compensation.

[dlpin]

Better idea: stop allowing colleges to make money off athletes without fair compensation.

I think this is key. When you have a multimillion dollar enterprise and for arbitrary reasons some are not allowed to make money even though they are the ones most impacted by it, shady deals will inevitably go on.

[AHF]

I think this is key. When you have a multimillion dollar enterprise and for arbitrary reasons some are not allowed to make money even though they are the ones most impacted by it, shady deals will inevitably go on.

That has always been the case in every sport. Otherwise, Shaq would be drafted at about 13 years old. The question is where to draw the line and who should make that decision. I don't like seeing prospects sitting on the bench so I like an age limit and would only do away with it if there was a viable minor league.

[DeacKillsaDevil]

Set up the NBA system like MLB. If you are drafted out of high school and don't come, you have to wait three years.

[AHF]

Set up the NBA system like MLB. If you are drafted out of high school and don't come, you have to wait three years.

I would sign on for that as a solution that is good for college basketball, but it doesn't solve the problem of the Jermaine ONeal types just occupying space until they mature.

O'Neal or Rashard Lewis or guys like that would make a much bigger splash coming from college ala Paul Pierce, IMO.

[Cwell]

That has always been the case in every sport. Otherwise, Shaq would be drafted at about 13 years old. The question is where to draw the line and who should make that decision. I don't like seeing prospects sitting on the bench so I like an age limit and would only do away with it if there was a viable minor league.

1 year don't make much of a difference to me,and the way I look at it,all these players know their intent from the get go is to go pro,and there are other players that deserve those basketball scholarships,that will actually stick around for a while and not just get the the schools,campus and fans hopes up for just one year. It should be their choicem,if they make th wrong choice that's on them. And it doesn't make sense when the main players dominating the NBA today are straight out of high school.

Edited June 5, 2009 by Cwell

[dlpin]

That has always been the case in every sport. Otherwise, Shaq would be drafted at about 13 years old. The question is where to draw the line and who should make that decision. I don't like seeing prospects sitting on the bench so I like an age limit and would only do away with it if there was a viable minor league.

Well, it depends on what you mean by "every sport." If you mean collegiate sports, then yes, but still every collegiate sport has problems like that. My wife used to teach student athletes at UGA and she was amazed at how much shady stuff went on. It ends up harming the education of those there who won't make pro, and being a waste of time for those who will make pro.

Because if you really look at every sport, you will see plenty of people who will go pro during or immediately after highschool, and all you need is a junior or minor league system for that. Soccer and basketball players sign on elsewhere around the world very early on, for example.

[AHF]

Well, it depends on what you mean by "every sport." If you mean collegiate sports, then yes, but still every collegiate sport has problems like that. My wife used to teach student athletes at UGA and she was amazed at how much shady stuff went on. It ends up harming the education of those there who won't make pro, and being a waste of time for those who will make pro.

Because if you really look at every sport, you will see plenty of people who will go pro during or immediately after highschool, and all you need is a junior or minor league system for that. Soccer and basketball players sign on elsewhere around the world very early on, for example.

That is what I said. You need a minor league or else you end up hurting your product. Who wants to watch Jonathan Bender, DeShawn Stevenson, DeSagana Diop, Zach Randolph, Ndudi Ebi, Kendrick Perkins, and others who were absolutely embarassed and outclassed on the floor their rookie seasons? Some of those guys scored less their entire rookie seasons than Anthony Morrow scored in multiple games his rookie season. None of them even averaged 4 points per game. Without a minor league system, I'll take those guys matured another year before I watch my team pick a Darko Milicic or Kwame Brown who hasn't been seen enough to be meaningfully scouted.

[DrReality]

I think there is an issue of what is best for the guys for them to develop and have some stability. And that is clearly for them to wait until they are 19.

[pflag]

another politician sticking their nose where it doesn't belong is about all i can take from this. sure their are valid points on either side of the argument, but again it doesn't require one of our many worthless congressmen getting involved. what about those future career politicians that want to start their career as politicians before the age of 25?? can't do it because its not allowed, more hypocrisy from capital hill. PLEASE get to work on something more important and less about getting your name published in as many news organizations as possible.

[BigDirty]

How was this HS->college->pro system implemented anyway? I think everywhere else in the world (except South Korea and to some extent Japan I believe) kids simply join a club and school sports are of 0 importance or non-existent.

[DrReality]

This is cute:

Stern: Congress Has Age Restrictions Too

Posted: 6/5/2009 5:29:00 AM

Source: Howard Beck of The New York Times

With the N.B.A.’s age limit under assault by a congressman and a variety of critics, Commissioner David Stern reiterated Thursday that he was happy with the policy and had no interest in abolishing it.

Speaking during a news conference before Game 1 of the N.B.A. finals between the Los Angeles Lakers and the Orlando Magic, Stern also announced that he had fined LeBron James $25,000 for failing to meet with the news media after the Cleveland Cavaliers’ loss to Orlando in the Eastern Conference finals last Saturday.

Stern defended the motives and underpinnings of the age policy, which generally requires players to be at least 19 years old and one year removed from high school before becoming eligible to play in the N.B.A. The age limit was instituted in 2005 through negotiations with the players union.

“This is not about the N.C.A.A., this is not an enforcement of some social program,” Stern said. “This is a business decision by the N.B.A., which is: We like to see our players in competition after high school.”

In fact, Stern has expressed a desire to raise the age limit to 20 in the next round of collective bargaining. The union wants to repeal the rule.

The issue drew renewed focus this week when Representative Steve Cohen, Democrat of Tennessee, issued a news release assailing the age limit. In an interview Wednesday, Cohen called the policy “a vestige of slavery,” because most of the players affected are African-American.

“Not like the slavery of 150 years ago,” Cohen said, “but it’s a restraint on a person’s freedoms and liberties.”

In defending the policy, Stern noted that Congress itself has a minimum age of 25.

“I don’t know why our founders decided that age 25 was good for Congress, but I guess they thought that was about maturity,” Stern said. “For us, it’s a kind of basketball maturity.”