David Stern looks to increase NBA age limit

As this year’s college hopefuls enter their names into the NBA draft, commissioner David Stern announced he “would love to add a year” to the current age limit for entering the league.

In 2005 the age limit to enter the NBA was increased to nineteen but such a law has seen many students take advantage of the “one and done” rule. Stern and his team of negotiators have already tried to increase the current age limit to twenty during collective bargaining last year but the Players Association refused.

The theory behind Stern’s thinking suggests that, with an extra year of college athletes would be better developed for the professional league and less likely to have cheated their way through their academic work.

“We have a committee that we’ve agreed to with the Player’s Association. We will be looking at the entire situation and probably with the (National Collegiate Athletic Association) input as well.” Stern said. “We would love to add a year, but it’s not something that the Players Association has been willing to agree to.”

It is no surprise either that the Players Association has failed to agree to Stern’s requests. Looking at the situation justly, the benefits that each side obtain are far from equal.

While the players are unable to earn a salary for an extra year, making life even more difficult for those raised in low-income households, they also run the risk of suffering a serious injury, putting their contracts and careers on the line with no compensation in return.

For the NCAA, star athletes staying in college for an extra year creates more money through greater interest in the league. The NBA, meanwhile, is able to take fewer risks come draft time, as teams are able to see a player for two years before putting pen to paper.

As usual, the argument about age limits has been shrouded by discussions of “what’s best for the kids” or “what’s best for the game.” Without forgetting that we are talking about players who are legally able to vote or join the army and go to war, denying such an economic opportunity to potential NBA stars is morally wrong.

While the 2005 ruling has seen a number of positive changes, namely less talent scouts hovering around high schools, there is certainly no correlation between staying in school and having a successful NBA career. Just look at Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett, both of whom jumped straight to the pro’s from high school and have enjoyed extremely successful careers.

The age limit in the NBA is not to protect the student athletes, nor is it to improve the sport itself. The main beneficiaries of the ruling are two authoritative athletic organizations, consumed with making money out of athletes, the very athletes that the NCAA is supposed to protect.