Shabazz Muhammad: Elite Talent Is Prime Example Why NBA Age Limit Is Ridiculous

The NBA is keeping Shabazz Muhammad from the league his talent and ability dictate he should be in. 

Muhammad is nearly universally considered one of the top two recruits in the nation. He has yet to choose a school and he shouldn't have to at all. He should have the option of preparing for the NBA Draft. 

Muhammad is an explosive 6'6" wing player. At a chiseled 225 pounds, he already has the body to withstand the punishment delivered in an NBA season. He also has the talent to get on the court. 

Muhammad has been dominant in offseason All-Star contest. He walked away with the MVP of the McDonald's All-Star game. That came after he won the dunk contest. And now he dominated the Nike Hoops Summit. 

Muhammad set an event record with 35 points and also chipped in nine boards. This game against the World Select Team, which features some of the best young talent on the international scene. 

Check out this video from the first quarter of the game. Muhammad is No. 10 in white. 

He instantly grabs the eye because, as a man among boys, he is the most impressive force on the court. He is ready to compete in the NBA and he should have the option to do so. 

Instead, as an American-born player, he cannot play in the NBA until he is 19 years old. That rule was instituted in 2005 and it needs to go away. Instead, NBA commissioner David Stern wants to increase it. 

Here is a recent quote from Stern that was captured by the Associated Press and comes to us via ESPN.   

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We would love to add a year, but that's not something that the players' association has been willing to agree to.

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Muhammad does not need to wait until he is 20, or even 19, to enter the NBA. He is not a 7'0", 123-pound center that has potential but needs to fill out. He is teenage man-child that should be allowed to learn and grow on the NBA courts if he chooses. 

While this rule may protect certain teams and players from making bad decisions, it is their decision to make and the existence of the rare player like Muhammad means the rule is a crime against certain individuals. 

Muhammad would not have to spend his rookie season on the bench accumulating rust. There is no doubt he would struggle at times, but there is even less doubt that he is ready to contribute to an NBA team, and there is no better way for a player like that to improve. 

This rule is keeping him from NBA money, and the elite experience he should be gaining.