Duke Blue Devils vs. the One-and-Done Rule

A little more than a year ago, Duke was in the middle of a recruiting battle for a guy that was sure to make a monster splash. John Wall was the prototypical player that would have skipped college all together if the rules would allow it. 

He seemed to have the entire package, and could have played in the NBA as a rookie without college experience. The question is: should he have been allowed to?

Everyone has their own opinion on the minimum age for a player to be in the league. I am here to tell you that they should do away with the one-and-done rule. I am not saying increase it to 21; I am saying trash it all together.

Before you get crazy, let me debate my point. Take a look at the current NBA playoffs.  Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Pau Gasol, Rashard Lewis, and Andrew Bynum are considered to be some of the best players left, and not one played a minute of college ball.

The number of impact players that didn't play college ball is just as long, if not longer than the other. To say it is necessary for a player to play college ball and grow is a farce. It is not required. Every one of the aforementioned players are doing just fine.

The one-and-done rule only mocks the pure college game. It opens the doors for more NCAA violations, wrong doings, and disrespects a school academically. Don't believe me? Your four-year-old has been to class more than Wall and his former teammate Demarcus Cousins combined.

The NBA has a developmental league, and overseas play is growing annually. If a player goes to college, they should play until they get their degree, then call it pay back for having tuition, books, room and board, food, and all of the other perks of being a student-athlete on scholarship. 

Maybe asking four years from a future millionaire is asking a lot. Tell that to the men and women that signed up for the military for four, fix, or six-year contracts. Contracts that support our freedom and volunteer them for things unthinkable for a student athlete. Four years is nothing.

College is not for everyone. I will not argue that. 

The argument that players would then opt for the D-League or European League, leaving Division-One NCAA ball would suffer just isn't true. Only the elite would skip school, especially after the astronomical failure rate players would have. 

The Duke Blue Devils are the one team that has seemed to avoid the NBA rush (for the most part). They are your current NCAA National Champions, and will have a team next season that could be even better than this years.

Without a doubt, the reason is because Coach K and his staff recruit team-first players. Players such as Grant Hill, Chris Duhon, and Kyle Singler are as rare as a projected lottery pick going to class.

Duke is not immune to the NBA bug, but their staff understands what it means to play Duke basketball. The players they bring in are not your prototypical dumb jock. Duke brings in guys that will be in the running for basketball All-Americans, but also academic ones.

Singler was one of the best players last season. He was arguably the best part of a three-headed monster that will forever be known as champions. His leadership proved to be crucial last season. Think that was impressive? Wait for the more mature, upper-class version next season.