You hear and read the pious crap that comes from college coaches about their players. How they want what’s best for them. How they understand the difficulties. Well it is so, until it makes their jobs more difficult. This piece from Andy Katz has coaches whining about underclassmen testing the draft waters.
Two to three weeks, max. That’s the total time college coaches say underclassmen should have to make up their mind about staying in the NBA draft. How long do players get now?
Try nearly three months.
College players have from the end of their season until June 21, a week before the NBA draft, to make a decision on staying in the draft. Yes, they have to declare by May 14, but they have another five weeks after that during which they can still withdraw and return to school, as long as they don’t sign with an agent (though you know many get advice from one).
The NBA personnel want the time to evaluate the player on an individual basis. They want to see the player – either against other players in similar situations at the Chicago pre-draft camp the first week of June or in individual workouts at the NBA teams’ practice facilities, under their supervision and against a selected group of players with equal or similar talent.
That’s right, basically if a player wants to consider going into the draft, ending their eligibility, and affecting their entire future. They should make up their mind irrevocably in no more than 21 days.
Why? So the college coaches can go out and recruit their replacements.
While that may make the coaches’ jobs easier, it would screw the players and defeat the whole purpose of the chance for college underclassmen to find out about where they could go in the draft. To work out for teams, to attend pre-draft camps, and generally get a feel for what their future holds regarding playing basketball.
I know, I should be with the coaches on this. After all, with Carl Krauser testing the draft waters Pitt Coach Jamie Dixon can’t be sure whether he needs to prepare for a new starting point guard and can’t offer another scholarship to a high schooler, junior college player or prep player until he knows what Krauser is doing. Going with the coaches, would clearly favor the schools.
Sorry. That’s unfair to Krauser and other college underclassmen. You know too many would err on the side of going pro. I like the period as it is. It gives players the time they should have to decide about leaving school and starting their career. These college coaches who talk so much about wanting what’s best for their kids suddenly lose interest the minute the kid looks to the pros.
Wonder how they would like a rule that restricts when they could make a job change. Only leave for a pro job in a 3 week window, or jump to another school within a certain timeframe after the season ends. I’m sure they would howl long and hard about how unfair and restrictive it would be.
