High school play is an important part of any young baller’s journey. It hones their skills and gives them additional knowledge about the game that is essential in advancing up the ranks.
But high cchool basketball could be on the verge of a big-time change, spearheaded by none other than LeBron James himself. Writing on Twitter, coach Cam Joyce advocated for the use of a 35-second shot clock for Ohio schools after coming back from a California tournament.
@OHSAASports our team @SIHSBasketball1 just got back from a tournament in California we played 4 games with a 35 second shot clock. They were all high level. Teams ran there sets, game pace was great & you never felt out of the game in the 4th quarter. It’s time to get them Ohio!
@OHSAASports our team @SIHSBasketball1 just got back from a tournament in California we played 4 games with a 35 second shot clock. They were all high level. Teams ran there sets, game pace was great & you never felt out of the game in the 4th quarter. It’s time to get them Ohio!
— Cam Joyce (@CamKnows_) January 2, 2022
LeBron James (who made the move from Ohio to L.A.) agreed and called for the change to happen immediately.
“I ABSOLUTELY AGREE!! I played HS ball in Ohio and now my boys play ball in Cali,” claimed the Lakers star. “The pace of the game is simply better and actually enhances the kids minds! This CHANGE has to happen now in Ohio ASAP!”
I ABSOLUTELY AGREE!! I played HS ball in Ohio and now my boys play ball in Cali. The pace of the game is simply better and actually enhances the kids minds! This CHANGE has to happen now in Ohio ASAP! https://t.co/AFWQk2QZpA
— LeBron James (@KingJames) January 3, 2022
Adding those 10 seconds could make a world of difference for young players, who are still trying to learn and understand the game at a high level. Giving them more time to work on the offensive end slows down the game and allows for new opportunities.
As for the NBA, the 24-second shot clock has been the norm for ages now, since it was first created and then implemented league-wide.
“I looked at the box scores from the games I enjoyed, games where they didn’t screw around and stall. I noticed each team took about 60 shots. That meant 120 shots per game. So I took 48 minutes – 2,880 seconds – and divided that by 120 shots. The result was 24 seconds per shot.”
Of course, as time goes on, it’s only natural for some things to change and adapt as people figure out new (and better) ways to play the sport.
Could the 35-second shot clock be the next big change at the high school level? We’ll just have to wait and find out, but LeBron James seems to be all about it.
