The NBA has become the home to many talented youngsters over the years. Nowadays, high school basketball players are choosing to go for a basketball career early on. They’re choosing to enter the NBA Draft when they are 19 years old.
When they enter the draft that young, it gives them the time in the league to grow as a person and a player. When they retire in their 30s, they would have had a long career at the highest level. That’s if they had learned how to maintain their careers for a long period of time.
Silver said, “it may be the case that it’s in all of our interests that we start impacting with these young players, especially because in our sport they are identified at such a young age. And begin working with them on their development then, not just basketball skills but increasingly there’s a focus on their mental health, their diets, just helping them build character and all of the important values around the sport.”
How will the new age limit rule help young NBA players
The new rule change could potentially change how the game works in the future. Just not in this, there have been other developments in favor of college athletes as well. Recently, players gained the advantage of being able to earn money from their image and name. Back then, the NCAA did not allow college athletes to make money using their names.
Adam Silver is open to the possibility or lowering the age to enter the NBA from 19 to 18 👀
“It’s the right thing to do.”
(via @CBSSports) pic.twitter.com/jTXz58twEK
— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPointsApp) July 13, 2022
Silver also spoke about what it will take for the decision on the rule change to take place. He said, “I think there’s an opportunity. It’s larger conversations than just whether we go from 19 to 18, but I’m on record: When I balance all of these various considerations, I think that would be the right thing to do and I am hopeful that that’s a change we make in this next collective bargaining cycle, which will happen in the next couple years.”
There is one main reason why people have brought the rule change into question. It is because of the number of college athletes turning to other leagues to play in, whether it is overseas or domestic ones such as the G League. If the NBA decides to reduce the age limit there could be younger players in the league. This means we could potentially see another Jalen Green or Cade Cunningham balling out as rookies in front of thousands of fans.
That will be beneficial for young players who are looking for the opportunity to step up. Many players mature early on before starting their career in the league. With the age limit in place, they end up playing one more year before entering the NBA Draft. If the limit is 18, they could choose to enter the league earlier.