The Impact of “1-and-done” College Basketball Players

We see it happen every year after college basketball season ends. Superstar freshmen players (or those who think they’re superstars) decide to test the NBA waters. The process begins by filing paperwork to the NBA Draft Advisory Board. The board then responds with an answer to what round said player could be drafted in. Players can then either withdraw their name from the draft if they don’t like the answer that they receive, or choose to stay in the draft and begin the process of hiring an agent, working out for teams, etc.

Prior to 2006, high school seniors could enter the NBA draft. Examples of players that have done this include Lebron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, and Dwight Howard to name a few. In 2005, a rule was put into place as part of a new CBA that American players had to be out of high school for at least one year and at least 19 years of age before entering the draft. As a result, high school seniors had to go to college for at least one year, or play professionally in Europe (see Jennings, Brandon.)

The 2007 NBA draft was the first draft class significantly affected by the rule. Since then, there have been multiple “1-and-done” players selected within the first five picks of the NBA draft, including Greg Oden, Kevin Durant, Mike Conley, Derrick Rose, Michael Beasley, Kevin Love, Tyreke Evans, John Wall, Demarcus Cousins, and Kyrie Irving. (Note how four of the above players were recruited by John Calipari.)

This year’s draft class is once again expected to be loaded with “1-and-done” players. As of April 5, here are some of the players who played just one year in college and are planning on bolting for the NBA (again, notice the number of Calipari products) :

Anthony Davis (Kentucky)

Michael Kidd-Gilchrist (Kentucky)

Marquis Teague (Kentucky)

Andre Drummond (Connecticut)

Quincy Miller (Baylor)

Austin Rivers (Duke)

Fab Melo (Syracuse)

Trey Burke (Michigan)

Since we focus on Detroit sports, Michigan, and Michigan State primarily here at Ab(r)andon Inge, I’ll give more on Burke a little later.

In an article on ESPN.com, NBA Commissioner David Stern and Dallas Mavericks Owner Mark Cuban both want to get rid of “1-and-done” draft prospects. Stern wants to add a year to the current rule, while Cuban wants to change it to three years. Cuban also believes that his idea would help prevent players from making poor decisions, and get rid of corruption in the sport caused by player agents.

"I just think there's a lot more kids that get ruined coming out early or going to school trying to be developed to come out early than actually make it," Cuban said.  “For every Kobe, Garnett, Carmelo, or Lebron, there’s 100 Lenny Cookes.”

Lenny Cooke was a high school star in New York who went undrafted after declaring for the NBA draft in 2002. The amount of minutes he has played in the NBA is the same as the number of downs Maurice Clarett has played in the NFL; zero.

I firmly agree with Cuban in the fact that making high school players wait three years before jumping to the NBA would improve the integrity of the game. Also, making players go to college for at least three years places more emphasis on academics, and would improve universities’ Academic Performance Ratings. Plus doing so would help with the NCAA trying to shed the “dumb jock” myth.

In terms of Trey Burke, if he does decide to jump to the NBA, he would become the third player in the last three years to leave Michigan early, joining Manny Harris in 2010 and Darius Morris in 2011. According to reports, Burke projects as a second round pick, which means he could be picked anywhere from pick 31 through 60, although a lot could happen in between the time he makes an official decision and the day of the draft.

 Should Burke decide to jump, Michigan would be very thin at the point guard position. Reserve Carlton Brundidge decided to transfer, and the only other primary ball-handler Stu Douglass was a senior. That would leave junior Eso Akunne as the only point guard on the roster. Incoming freshman Nick Stauskas is more of a hybrid point/shooting guard, and reports from the Detroit Free Press and CBSSports.com have said that U-M was bringing in Crown Point, Indiana point guard Spike Albrect yesterday for visit. Albrecht plans to attend a prep school in Mt. Hermon, Massachusetts next season to attract the attention of bigger name programs.

In my opinion, if Burke leaves, next season could be a year of major regression for the Wolverines. In addition to losing Brundidge, forward Evan Smotrycz and guard Colten Christian have also decided to leave the team. With Burke in the lineup, the Wolverines earned a share of the Big Ten title for the first time since 1986. He also led the team in scoring and assists, and was shared Big Ten Freshman of the Year honors with Indiana’s Cody Zeller. The bottom line is that if Michigan wants to be at the top of the Big Ten with Michigan State and Ohio State, Burke will have to stay put.