NCAA Basketball: The solution for the One-and-Done Rule
By Jordan Cuda
One And Done Rule: The answer the NCAA Basketball should adopt and one we have all been looking for
It has been debated for years, and it has passed around from expert to expert like grandma’s favorite dish at Thanksgiving. Even with so people expressing their thoughts and ideas to fix it, the problem is still not solved. The problem that needs to be addressed is how to handle or fix the “One and Done” rule in college basketball.
Could it be that the change we need is right in front of our eyes? It is actually so close, that we have a problem not being able to focus in and realize it could be the perfect piece that fits to complete the puzzle.
Arizona Wildcats Basketball
What possibly could I be referring too? Well, it’s actually how the NHL, also known as the National Hockey League, works. Just like the NBA, the NHL also deals with students who want to leave college early to pursue a professional career.
Instead of throwing ideas around year after year to see if they will stick, the NBA and NCAA should look to the NHL when it comes to handling these elite athletes.
The NHL has had a rule that allows professional teams to draft a college athlete and the student can attend college to finish their degree. When drafted by the professional NHL team, rights to a player is owned by that team until 30 days after they leave college.
Not only does this benefit the NBA and their teams, but it also benefits College Basketball. The NBA teams get the player they want to develop for their team while using college basketball as a tool for the player to continue to develop.
While college basketball benefits by keeping these talented young athletes around their campus. The same place where their colleagues and fans have fallen in love with them. Maybe even rewarding these athletes with a college degree before pursuing a career professionally. Players have the choice to try to finish their degree in three years as many of the football players do.
Here are the rules according to NHL.com:
"How do players even enter the NHL Draft?To be eligible, players must be 18 years old by Sept. 15 and under 20 years old by Dec. 31 in the draft year. However, non-North American players over 20 years old are eligible. North American players who go undrafted by age 20 are considered to be unrestricted free agents (UFAs). All non-North Americans MUST be drafted before they can sign an NHL contract, despite their age.Can players re-enter the draft years after they have been drafted before?Yes. If an NHL team does not sign a player within the two years in which he was drafted, he can re-enter the draft as long as he is 20 years old or younger for his second draft. Players over 20 years old automatically become UFAs. Players can only enter the NHL Draft twice.For college NCAA players that have been drafted, NHL teams retain their rights until 30 days after the player has left college.A team that does not sign a first-round draft pick receives a compensatory pick in a future draft upon losing the rights to that player, determined on a case-by-case basis."
How does this relate back to the University of Arizona? It would keep late first to second-round draft picks for an extended period of time. All Wildcat fans would have loved to see Chance Comanche and Kobi Simmons stick around for another year or even more.
Imagine a roster that looks something like this during this season:
PG: PJC / Alex Barcello
SG: Kobi Simmons / Dylan Smith / Brandon Randolph
SF: Rawle Alkins / Emmanuel Akot / Ira Lee
PF: Dusan Ristic / Chance Comanche
Keep in mind some of these players can play multiple positions.
Suddenly depth going into March Madness is not an issue for the Wildcats. They have players coming off the bench, who Miller is confident can perform under pressure.
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Speaking of pressure, this rule has worked for the NHL. There is no reason to believe it will not work for college basketball and the NBA. This rule, if implemented could change the whole environment around college basketball right now. Suddenly both parties at the table are happy and getting what they want. They can sleep well at night knowing the issue that has been haunting them for years has finally been resolved. We are interested in your thoughts on this solution.