How Would College Basketball Look if the One-and-Done Rule Disappeared (2024)

By Edcel Panganiban August 09, 2024 05:08

Photo by David Williams / Redux for The New Yorker

Since its inception in 2006, the one-and-done rule, which requires that players spend a year in college or overseas before they can go into the NBA Draft, has been as divisive an issue as there is within basketball. The goal when this rule was established was to get high school players a little older and with more games of experience under their belts, even if they are on the professional level. The ramifications for college basketball, though, are potentially seismic if this rule were to disappear. Here are the potential effects on recruitment, conferences and team rosters, star development, and longevity relationships between college programs and NBA teams that the rule change can impact.

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Recruiting and Enrollment of the Best HS Players

Broad Implications for Recruiting

The one-and-done rule requires that a player be at least 19 years old and out of high school for one year before entering the NBA Draft. College programs would be recruiting in a very different way. Coaches would have to start making stronger personal connections with some kids who might not agree to play even just one year at a college.

Competition for Elite Talent Turns Up:Schools would compete not just against each other but also against the NBA. They'd have to step up their recruiting pitch, discussing development for the pros and greater exposure.

An Abbreviated Recruitment Cycle:The recruiting cycle could be fast-tracked so that teams know the futures of players earlier on. Top recruits may choose this path rather than commit to a college filled with other top talent, leading to an even more volatile and mysterious recruiting landscape.

Effects on College Going in the Longer Term

That, in turn, could potentially sap the quality of elite players who ultimately choose to enroll in college basketball programs.Some top players might choose an alternative path by playing overseas or joining G League teams that offer competitive salaries while providing professional development opportunities.

Impact on College Basketball

Changes in Team Dynamics

Added Experience:Teams would be pretty veteran-heavy as the top prospects head directly to the draft or spend more time in college instead of being one-and-done. It may help create added competitive balance and allow teams to receive the development of older players at that stage when their optimal underclassman counterpart is now a professional.

Super Teams Could Emerge:Like in the NBA, programs that can recruit top-tier talent will be able to put together "super teams." Conversely, a small number of talent may instead flock to historically strong programs over time as an increased imbalance in the sport would result.

Impact on Game Quality

Improving Skills:More time in college would give players more opportunities to polish their skills, resulting in a better brand of basketball. The hope is that this could lead to better-produced and more tactically astute games, which would attract a larger viewing audience.

Longer Tenures:The idea is that the nation will become more familiar with each player and their journey through college, which would, in turn, increase rivalries between athletes based on how long they stayed at school.

Development and Workflows for Elite Players

Developmental-Learning Opportunities for Players

By eliminating the one-and-done rule, we would give elite players who could fully develop their game at college another option.

Players would have more time to develop fundamental skills and team chemistry, often missed in the rush to join the NBA. That error could build in a generation of professional players better equipped for top-league football.

Also, college programs could offer on-the-job training to young athletes through mentorship. Coaching staffs led by former players could act as role models. The advice would be important as they have to find their way through the difficulties of professional basketball.

Potential for New Pathways

The NBA could extend its G League or introduce additional development leagues to give the younger new talent an ideal setting for potential success in the main league. It might more accurately pave the way for players coming out of high school to sign pro basketball contracts.

One silver lining is that players would have the opportunity to recommit themselves to their academics and personal lives, which can lead to well-rounded careers after basketball.

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