by Jonathan Barcus

Created on: August 04, 2008   Last Updated: August 17, 2008

Having watched basketball for many years, I've come to the conclusion that all-around, the overall quality of the game has deteriorated since I was little. The rivalries aren't there anymore (include the fabled Celtics-Lakers rivalry that was supposed to exist, but the players on either team in finals didn't feel the others' rival). With players coming into the NBA at such young ages, we see the league littered with talented athletes, but terrible basketball players. Most of the young-studs in the league are fast, agile, and strong. They possess the ability to go one-on-one, but heaven forbid that basic skills like ball handling, passing, and defense be desirable. When players only play one season in college and then jump to the NBA, they hurt the game of basketball on the college-level and the NBA-level. Rivalries in the league are a thing of the past. So is quality basketball. The college programs used to help develop the basketball skills of the players. College is also where NBA rivalries were born. The reason why the Celtics-Lakers rivalry of the 1980s was sparked was because Magic Johnson deprived Larry Bird, during Larry's senior year at Indiana State, of the National Championship. This was carried over during a glorious decade of basketball, with the two rivals squaring off many times, and in big-game situations as well. NBA rivalries feed off of the rivalries that start in college, and by allowing players to come to the league after only one college season, it hurts the league by allowing unskilled players in and deprives the league of natural stories.

My proposal for these two issues is this: raise the minimum number of years required to be out of High School by at least two, and bring the total required years to three. This provides the college program with some stability. As for those that don't want to go to college, they can play in the NBA-DL or go to Europe. For those that go to the DL, they would get paid and at the same time develop their skills. That league is also helped by becoming a legitimate "Minor League" where fans could go to see the up-and-coming stars of the league. The NBA would now have sustainable minor league, from which is could pull players and coaches for the future. This would all help the players, coaches, and the quality of play at both the collegiate and professional levels.

And, it would also help the journalists out by providing some foundation for the ever-so-desired "rivalries."

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