Kareem: Minimum age should be 21

Source

Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says the NBA should raise its minimum age for entry into the league to 21. And he has some thoughts on the tough night for LeBron James.

The NBA’s career scoring leader was in Omaha, Neb., to speak at a B’nai B’rith sports banquet Wednesday. He also met with students at Boys Town, the nationally acclaimed home for troubled youth.

James had one of the worst playoff games of his career Tuesday night, finishing with 15 points as the Cavaliers were blown out by Boston. Abdul-Jabbar says even James would have benefited from college and would have arrived in the NBA with “very polished” skills.

The NBA in 2005 changed its entry age to 19. Abdul-Jabbar says many young players arrive unprepared for both on- and off-the-court challenges.

LeBron isn't exactly the best example for raising the minimum age any further than it has been already, nor yesterday's disappointing game proof that he's unpolished or suffering from skipping college. It's not as though players with college experience are always polished, NBA ready or successful either.

So basically Kareem wants all the one-and-done's to go play in Europe for three years.

EDIT: More on his remarks:

"They get precocious kids from high school who think they're rock stars -- 'Where's my $30 million?' " said Abdul-Jabbar, who was in Omaha to speak at the B'nai B'rith sports banquet. "The attitudes have changed, and the game has suffered because of that, and it has certainly hurt the college game."
...
"Coach John Wooden encouraged me to be more than just a jock," Abdul-Jabbar said. "He said if I let my intellectual life suffer because I was so into being an athlete that I would be less than I could be. I would tell all students to pursue your dreams but don't let your education suffer."
...
"When I played, the players had to go to college and earn their way onto the court, meaning that there were upperclassmen ahead of them," he said. "Players who had to go through that and had to go to class, when they got to be professional athletes, they were a lot better qualified."

Abdul-Jabbar said if college weren't the right place for a player, the player should, as an alternative, be required to play in a minor league or developmental league.

Kevin Garnett, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James became stars right out of high school. The day after James all but disappeared in Cleveland's playoff loss to Boston, Abdul-Jabbar said even "King James" would have benefited from college.

"He would have come into the professional ranks very polished, given his innate gifts," Abdul-Jabbar said. "Having to go through a college system would have made him a total gem as soon as he stepped out of the college ranks."

Abdul-Jabbar commented on other topics:

- He said his role as co-pilot "Roger Murdock" in the 1980 comedy movie "Airplane" changed his life.

"I think everybody in the airline industry is required to watch it," he said. "When I get on planes, every so often the stewardess or the pilot will come out and ask me, 'Do you want to fly the plane?'"

During a flight in Europe, a pilot escorted him from his seat to the cockpit for takeoff.

"I get a good laugh from it," he said. "It's been over 25 years since I made that movie and people still watch it all the time. I guess it's a classic."

- He said he has known about Boys Town and its founder, the Rev. Edward Flanagan, since he attended Catholic school in an Irish neighborhood in New York City. "The Irish were very proud of him and what he had achieved. It's really neat for me to come out here and see it in reality and seeing they're doing such fine work. That is so necessary. People have to care about our youth. They are our most precious resources. If we don't care, what's going to happen."

- He said his greatest athletic achievement was playing on the Lakers team that beat Boston for the NBA title in 1985.

"But seeing my kids graduate from college and knowing they have a firm basis in life, that is a lot more important to me, personally," he said.

- He said 6-11 center Nate Thurmond, who played for Golden State, Chicago and Cleveland, was his toughest matchup.

"A lot of guys beat on me and said they played good defense. Nate actually used skill and knowledge of the game to play against me and make my evenings more difficult when I had to play him," Abdul-Jabbar said. "He was everything a professional center should be."

- He said the "Showtime" Lakers would fare well in the current NBA.

"We had guys on the bench who were Hall-of-Famers," he said. "That doesn't happen now because there is such a dispersal of talent. We would do very well in this present climate."

You know, I agree with having guys play in college for 2-3 years just because it would not only make the college game so much better. I think the more people that see legit stars play so well for more than one year would increase their interest in following them in the NBA. I'm just a college ball lover so that may also play into it.

I've always wanted to compile a list of the biggest FAILS (or should have gone to college) in regards to high school to the NBA players:

Korleone Young
N'dudi Ebi
Robert Swift
?? help me out

Leon Smith?

Ousmane Cisse

You know, I agree with having guys play in college for 2-3 years just because it would not only make the college game so much better. I think the more people that see legit stars play so well for more than one year would increase their interest in following them in the NBA. I'm just a college ball lover so that may also play into it.

I think it's fine to strongly encourage it when an individual isn't ready to go pro, but enforcing it would be a little much. There are plenty of busts that come out college too, the inability to succeed at the professional level either on the court or off it isn't a problem that's exclusive to high schoolers that have made the jump in the past.

Just get rid of the mandatory one year, and if a guy goes to college, he has to be there at least two years or something.

You know, I agree with having guys play in college for 2-3 years just because it would not only make the college game so much better. I think the more people that see legit stars play so well for more than one year would increase their interest in following them in the NBA. I'm just a college ball lover so that may also play into it.

I think it's fine to strongly encourage it when an individual isn't ready to go pro, but enforcing it would be a little much. There are plenty of busts that come out college too, the inability to succeed at the professional level either on the court or off it isn't a problem that's exclusive to high schoolers that have made the jump in the past.

Agreed.

Playing professional basketball is a job. Everyone makes decisions on where they take their lives in terms of career direction. Not everyone goes to college, so I think it's up to the individual to make their own decision on whether they try to make it into the NBA straight after high school. I think that if you are good enough, then you will go for it. If you fail... well, you already knew the risk beforehand. It's the same as any high school kid who decides to skip college.uni to try and find a full time job and realizing they may not have the prerequisite skills to succeed.

LeBron isn't exactly the best example for raising the minimum age any further than it has been already

Not basing on LeBron's disappointing performance, I think he's one of the best examples why NBA entry age should be raised because of the kind of things he does on court. What kind of a leader he is to dance around the court. You're getting paid to play basketball. Leave the halftime shows for other entertainers.

I agree with having the minimum age be 21 by Jan. 1 of the season, but have no age limit on the NBDL. Even though this would never happen due to the NBA/NCAA relationship, but it would popularize the NBDL more, like, make it exist.

I watched more full NBDL games recently than NBA games. Good times.

I think he's one of the best examples why NBA entry age should be raised because of the kind of things he does on court. What kind of a leader he is to dance around the court. You're getting paid to play basketball. Leave the halftime shows for other entertainers.

I'm not sure why you'd think forcing players to "attend" college would change this. I mean, even pretending you don't know anyone who's ever attended college, Shaq spent three years in college and was organizing such things at age 36.

Or why anyone gives a shit about that kind of meaningless crap.

It would definitely give him an edge to stay the NBA's all-time leading scorer.

Does that mean it would have been better it'd have been better for Kobe & Dwight as well?

Personally, I think minimum age rule is stupid since it's a decision that individual has to make. Who knows what could happen to you during college time. If you can make it to the NBA right now and you want to, then why not. I'm going back to the school now after working for a couple of years since I had a great opportunity.

I can't understand the whole debate. Like NovU said, and this is the first time I agree on what he says and I could almost swear that it will be the last time I do so: Let them guys decide on their own career. If there is a team that drafts you at the age of 18 then it's their own risk. You need education? Imho sports has always been something where guys of every kind come together. Different nations, different looks, different mindsets and well, logically different education.
You want players to polish their games at college? I don't see why they should not be able to polish their game in the NBA. I'd rather change the league system and schedule and give the teams more opportunities to train together. That's what really helps improving players. Not a 82 game season with lots of traveling through one of the biggest countries in the world.

Well said, Hova-

Not basing on LeBron's disappointing performance, I think he's one of the best examples why NBA entry age should be raised because of the kind of things he does on court. What kind of a leader he is to dance around the court. You're getting paid to play basketball. Leave the halftime shows for other entertainers.

I don't think playing in college or upping the age limit is going to eliminate that sort of thing. That kind of behaviour and attitude is pretty ingrained in an individual's personality and nothing is going to change that.

I might be thinking old fashion here but guys shouldn't decide to jump to the NBA straight from high school on their own, there should be a way or standard to follow in order to measure how good the player is or if it's just a guess.

I consider Guys shouldn't get to the NBA to polish their game, we pay to watch those perform, not to watch how well they can polish their game. The only reason why a player should try the NBA is if they are good enough, doesn't matter if you're 18, 35 or 21. You went to college and you're good enough to play, let's apply the standard, if you're in High School and you are good enough to score the basket from everywhere with a guy defending you, let's do the same to you too. Understand?, not like age, there should be something to measure work ethic to prove they won't be the next Kwame Brown, something to prove they are better than Luke Walton. I mean, not just cause you went to college you should be considered an NBA player, you should just be that good to play there, period.

You mean some kind of psychological test to see if they can handle playing at the professional level, along with some sort of scrimmage to see if their skill level is acceptable?

exactly, not just cause you went to college should make you an NBA player, I mean we've seen some high schoolers become a waste, but we've seen even more college players do nothing for years as well and age wasn't a factor there.

You mean some kind of psychological test to see if they can handle playing at the professional level, along with some sort of scrimmage to see if their skill level is acceptable?

Don't they already do that in a sense? They put them through workouts and they have to go through an interview phase with the player and I'm sure they would talk to people who know their character and all of that.

Perhaps the process could be refined, a better support system put in place and players better advised as to their career path. Beyond that though, I don't think it's fair to really block anyone from the NBA beyond a reasonable age limit, I think they should have the right to pursue that career path just like any other vocation.

Don't they already do that in a sense? They put them through workouts and they have to go through an interview phase with the player and I'm sure they would talk to people who know their character and all of that.

I don't really think they do that, I mean players declare themselves for the draft, and once they're drafted they're entitled to a contract so I don't see when exactly the workouts happened. Also, If that was going on already, instead of us watching a footage of their college career and averages during the draft night, we would get to know how well they did during the workouts.

But, if this is happening already, the obviously the system needs adjustments.

Last edited by scubilete on Fri May 14, 2010 10:54 am, edited 1 time in total.

There are pre-Draft camps and workouts where players are evaluated, measured and tested with drills. I'd imagine some observations and assessments of their personalities are made at that time.

I'm pretty sure that those need adjustments then, there shouldn't be a development league going on,

There's always going to be a certain amount of development that takes place in the NBA, just as there's a certain amount of on-the-job training in lots of professions. As for the D-League, why shouldn't it exist? It's basically serving a similar purpose to the CBA back in the 90s.