Kentucky Championship More Proof NBA Should Keep Minimum Age Requirement
When the final horn sounded and the Kentucky Wildcats began celebrating winning the National Championship, we learned a lot about not only the Wildcats, but the college game in general.
The rash of one-and-done players the past few years can be seen as a major problem in the college ranks, but last night's Kentucky win serves as proof of why the NBA still needs to keep the minimum age requirement.
Actually, I would be in favor of increasing the age limit and making kids stay in school for a minimum of two years. But that will never happen, and eventually these kids have the right to work just like anyone else, so keeping them in college for one year will have to suffice.
After watching them this season, you certainly could make the case that Kentucky stars Anthony Davis and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist could have played in the NBA this season.
But take into account what the one year of college actually did for both guys.
Both guys were clearly better players when the season ended than when it began. Playing major minutes on a successful college team did more in a teaching aspect for them than heading straight to the NBA ever would have allowed them.
A year of college allows a kid to begin to grow up a little bit, on and off the court.
Take a look at guys like Dwight Howard and Andrew Bynum, who are All-Star NBA players, but didn't have that year to grow. They are grown men who show immaturity on a daily basis. If the minimum age requirement was in effect back then, it could have done both guys good.
A lot can be said for one year of college, especially on the court.
Just being part of a team and being taught everyday goes a long way. Using Kentucky as an example again, look how five very young guys were able to buy into playing as a team and put egos and stats aside for the collective success of everyone on the team.
They wouldn't have gotten that opportunity in the NBA. They would have been thrown into the fire, and their growth spurt as players would have been stunted.
What Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist learned this season will stick with them forever.
Taking away the minimum age requirement does a whole lot more than just taking a year of college away.
Just remember, for every Kobe Bryant and Kevin Garnett that came from high school straight to the NBA ranks with success, there have been many more James Langs, Robert Swifts, Korleone Youngs and Leon Smiths who passed up on college and never made it.
The year of college does more for a guy like Marquis Teague and other freshmen who wouldn't have been top picks that wouldn't be the player they are now without a year of college.
That type of player would water down the talent in the NBA for years, because teams would be forced to draft on potential and upside, just like they did with the likes of Kwame Brown and Eddie Curry.
Would Brown and Curry have become better NBA players with at least one year of college?
Probably.
So while the one-and-done guys may hurt the college game some, it's a necessity for the NBA and shouldn't be going away anytime soon.
