During his interview with Emmy award-winning eponymous show host Graham Bensinger earlier this year, Hall of Famer Charles Barkley shared his thoughts about the current state of the assocication.
According to Barkley, the league hasn't been 'good' for a long time because it has allowed players who aren't ready for the NBA to make the leap to the pro ranks. Chuckster then took a shot at the current one-and-done practice, especially done by top prospects. Barkley said that rather than rush into something they are not ready for; young players should stay in college for three years to develop their games and mature.
"It didn't hurt Magic Johnson to stay in school a couple of years, did it?" said Barkley. "It didn't hurt Larry Bird to stay in school for three years? It didn't hurt Michael Jordan for staying in school for three years. Think about this, the five greatest players in my opinion-Michael, Oscar, Kareem, Wilt, and Bill Russell. All five of those guys stayed in school the minimum of three years. It didn't hurt them, did it?"
The one-and-done practice
During the early days of the NBA Draft , the league required players to complete their four-year college eligibility to qualify for the draft. This was changed when the hardship rule was implemented. This paved the way for HS stars like Moses Malone, Daryl Dawkins, Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant, and LeBron James.
The rule was changed in 2006 when the NBA CBA required players to be at least 19 years old and one year removed from high school. While this stopped HS stars from going prep-to-pro, it also created the current prevalent practice called the 'one-and-done.'
"I don't understand why now all these kids 'I've got to leave school after one year," he added. "I mean, I know he just wants the money, but you don't have to leave school after one year. It drives me crazy."
Related: "I'm not saying that I can take Kobe Bryant or Tracy McGrady" — Michael Jordan was real about his ability when he played with the Wizards
Mike thinks any age below 20 is potentially bad
Michael Jordan completely agrees with his ex-buddy on that matter. During his 2005 interview with Cigar Aficionado founder Marvin Shanken, MJ said he firmly believes that players should be at least 20 years old before they join the NBA. Like Barkley, MJ talked about the players' level of maturity as a potential make-or-break factor.
"Anything less than that is potentially bad," said Mike. "You've got a lot of things you have to take into consideration. The lifestyle. Just the mental and physical demands of the NBA that these kids are going to be dealing with are tough. And their whole maturity level, not only for basketball but on the personal side, too, has to be taken into account."
When you look back at history, the only player straight out of high school that was NBA-ready was LeBron James. Kobe and KG needed several years to develop. Others never did. So many one-and-done players have made it big in the NBA, but for everyone, there is another or perhaps even two, players who did not make it. Take it from Chuck. Or if he's not a role model, take it from the GOAT himself.
Related: Skip Bayless details the conversation that might have triggered Charles Barkley's hate towards him: "Brother, I want to win the game too, but my sh** hurts"
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