Most NBA players that are still in the league today were drafted after 2005. Why that’s relevant is that this is when the rule regarding the age of draft legibility changed. Everyone knows that some of the NBA’s most exciting names joined straight out of high school. LeBron James is the biggest example, but Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, and Dwight Howard also made their way to the league in the same way. Garnett even spoke about having a soft spot for players like that once.
However, with the age being changed from 18 to 19 in terms of draft eligibility, no player has been drafted straight out of high school since 2005. And while that does mean that players get some more time to develop before being thrown into the big leagues, it has also cost some players that could have gotten paid before injuries or other circumstances did them in. This might just be about to change, though.
The NBA And NBPA Will Reportedly Agree To Lower The Age Of Draft Eligibility To 18
Shams Charania is one of the most reliable inside sources when it comes to NBA information. And he has recently released a piece on The Athletic about the negotiations for the upcoming Collective Bargaining Agreement. One of the major points mentioned in his report is regarding the age of potential draftees, with him explaining that both the players and the league want to see it lowered.
“The league and NBPA are expected to agree on moving the age eligibility for the NBA Draft from 19 years old to 18, clearing the way for the return of high school players who want to make the leap to the NBA, per sources with knowledge of the discussions.
“The NBA set the draft age limit at 19 years old in 2005. Silver said in July that he was ‘hopeful’ for the rule changing in the next CBA cycle, and both sides appear motivated to reduce the age eligibility for the draft.
“The reduced age limit for high school-to-NBA jumps would go into effect as early as the 2024 NBA Draft.”
The CBA will also include several other points of discussion and all of them might not be as simple to resolve as the matter of draft eligibility. There is a lot for both sides of the table to consider as the NBA continues to become larger and earn more money. And while there are pros and cons to being drafted straight out of high school, it would mean that fans don’t have to wait an extra year to see the most exciting talents.
