Knight not happy with new NBA rule

by user ActiveSports

A new rule that says players must be at least one year removed from high school before entering the NBAis "the worst thing that's happened to college basketball since I've been coaching," says Texas Tech coach Bob Knight. Instituted last year by the NBA, the rule means exceptionally talented players must wait at least a year rather than jumping to the pros from high school.

Many coaches have said the rule helps the college game, because it lets schools showcase the players for at least one season and improve their program. But Knight, the winningest NCAA men's coach of all time (886 victories), explained why he dislikes the rule.

"Because now you can have a kid come to school for a year and play basketball and he doesn't even have to go to class," Knight said Monday. "He certainly doesn't have to go to class the second semester. I'm not exactly positive about the first semester. But he would not have to attend a single class the second semester to play through the whole second semester of basketball. That, I think, has a tremendous effect on the integrity of college sports."

From a former student-athlete's perspective, I would not enjoy being associated with "student-athletes" who never went to class and didn't have to bother with the unique experience of time management, organization, and responsibility in addition to a demanding athletic schedule of practicing and playing.

Do you think there should be a limiting rule on high school athletes who are on their way to the NBA?

KelsdadAll-Star

1021 days ago

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In baseball, an athlete who either isn't good enough to make a Division I roster or is academically ineligible has to go to a JC until he meets the above requirements for admission, or, in some cases, until a scholorship is available. In football and especially basketball, rosters are full of players who are academically ineligible and are coasting thru a season of free room and board, free food and travel, just so they can score 20 ppg or throw a few touchdowns. What I think is if a player commits to a school and accepts an athletic or scholastic schlorship they are bound to the school for at least two seasons. Take the one year "vacation" rule and throw it away. College should be the same as the military..if you want us to pay for you to be a doctor or a basketball player fine, but you will repay us by earning what we are paying you for..which is an education, and which you can only get by staying in school.

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BigPPupMajor Leaguer

1020 days ago

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These young guys who are going to college for year are living the life and their colleges are just becomign a holding place for them as they wait out their time. Currently all they have to do is take the easiest courseload they want for the first semister get a 2.0 (which is easy as hell) be thrown on probation, but then the second semister they can blow off. There is no need for them to worry about flunking out because by the time that becomes an issue Marchmadness is over and they have signed with an agent and moved on to NBA draft prep. As a former student athlete, and a kid who grew up on a university campus and who's parents worked for highly ranked schools I have to agree with Bob Knight on this one. Allowing players to do this slash and burn on College programs is creating a mockery of our coligate system.

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EnyboDiv-I Stud

1020 days ago

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It's called discipline. Punish the kids that miss class, make them sit out a game or two. But really, how is this any different then football, can't football players do the same thing?

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BigPPupMajor Leaguer

1020 days ago

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Football players can only do it at the end of their third season because of the NFL rules, and typically they simply drop out of school after their bowl game because of commitments to the combine and all that. As far as discipline goes, they can still go to class and take the easiest schedule of fake classes you can think of. There are basketball players at Wisconsin taking a class called the history of water. Im sure they show up to it, but doesnt meant they are doing the work. By the time midterms and reports and all that come out, the college basketball season is all but over. There is very little that you can threaten these kids with when they know as of March 15 they are gone from school for good.

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EnyboDiv-I Stud

1020 days ago

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History of water??????? Hahahaha, thats great.

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TylersaltAll-Star

1020 days ago

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I dunno, man, that History of Water class could actually be pretty neat, depending on the professor.

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