Storyline: Players like Kevin Durant are the exception, not the rule. For the sake of NBA fans whose teams have been in the cellar for years, I hope the NBA and the NCAA will put more regulations on the current one-and-done rule.
In my opinion great sports journalists are typically those who are fans first. You gain knowledge of a certain sport through research, experience, and being involved in a sport.
I’ve been fortunate enough to have been involved in NCAA sports, AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) sports, high school sports, and in the European Super Leagues and the NBA. There isn’t too much that takes place in sports today that I haven’t already experienced or witnessed.
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Guys in the NBA scoring 40 points for three or four consecutive games just doesn’t move me. I started watching Michael Jordan play when I was 7-years-old. I became a fan instantly. I’m 42 years old now, so you can imagine all of the amazing things I’ve witnessed, not only from Air Jordan, but from other guys in his era … and so much more.
When I look at most of these one-and-done players at the college level I’m just not moved by what they bring to the table. I honestly believe that the one-and-done rule should be altered a bit. The new rule should state that you can only be one-and-done if NBA Executives conclude you’ll be an impact player right away.
I’m probably part of a small collective that isn’t upset with the rule of having to attend college for one year before entering the draft. Too many NBA fans are suffering to some degree because of this one-and-done crap! Why? Most of these “NBA kids” aren’t ready to compete against the big dogs!
Being able to score 20 points per game in college doesn’t always translate into immediate success in the NBA. You have guys like D’angelo Russell, Willie Cauley-Stein, Noah Vonleh, Tyler Ennis, Stanley Johnson–and a host of others–who prove my point. Some of these guys shoot terribly from the field or they don’t play at all!
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Take Tyler Ennis. He has been traded three times in a two-year span. And D’angelo Russell was bombing so badly for the Lakers, that Coach Byron Scott buried him on the bench–at a time when the Lakers were well out of playoff contention. While essentially playing for nothing, Russell still landed on the bench!
Then you have guy like Kevin Durant. He won every major award during his lone season at Texas, He scored 30 points eleven times and 20+ points …get this… 30 times! He shot 53 percent from the field and 88 percent from the free throw line.
When you perform like that, especially when you’re playing in a major conference and on a national stage, there’s absolutely no doubt that you’ll be a one-and-done player! What else did Durant have left to prove?
Demarcus Cousins, John Wall, Anthony Davis, Devin Booker, Andrew Wiggins, Karl Anthony Towns, and Kyrie Irving are cut from the same cloth. They are all one-and-done players, immediate impact players, who are able to shift a franchise’s fortunes starting from day one.
UCLA’s Lonzo Ball (photo, Jae C. Hong, AP)
But none of the names I hear these days are remotely close to achieving immediate success at the professional level. The clear-cut exception may be Lonzo Ball of UCLA, who’s a bigger Jason Kidd. His court vision, unselfishness, ability to create for himself, and competitive drive make him stand head-and-shoulders above everyone else.
So, here’s an idea. If nothing else but for the sake of NBA fans whose teams have been in the cellar for years, I hope the NBA and the NCAA will put more regulations on the current one-and-done rule.
