High school basketball players are not allowed to enter the NBA straight out of high school. After a recent injury to Duke star forward Zion Williamson during a game against North Carolina, a debate was sparked asking if players are risking injury playing meaningless college basketball.

James Krause | Reporter

… turn pro or finish school.

At some point in high school, everyone was told college isn’t for everyone, and that rings true for athletes. However, rules from leagues including the NBA prevent athletes from going pro right out of high school.

The NBA’s rule to make players attend college for one season does no good for any part of a players development.

The players don’t get a chance to come straight from high school. The NBA also doesn’t make players get even a basic education in college. They chose a position in the middle that makes a mess.

The league is now full of players that needed further development after being flashes in the pan in college basketball. Teams have little opportunity to give young athletes playing time except by sending them to the G-League.

Colleges, at least larger ones, see their core players change every year with players entering the draft after their first season.

Not everyone in the NBA will have a long fruitful career, and even fewer in college will even go pro. Most players need multiple years to develop as a basketball player, and during that time players should be encouraged to use their scholarship to the best of their ability.

But players should be given the freedom to choose. If Zion Williamson was told he could go to the NBA out of high school, he very well might have gone because he’s that good.

Zion is of course a rare case. Most players out of high school aren’t ready for the NBA. But LeBron James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett and many others were ready, and had their chance to choose.

Giving players the option of coming straight to the NBA from high school or having them get a degree in college will go a long way to ensuring success on and off the court for all involved.

Maddie Barrett | Contributor

… have to play college ball.

While college might not be for every athlete, the preparation from college athletics is. It’s important for basketball players to gain knowledge and experience in something more competitive than high school basketball.

College basketball is more advanced than high school. A year in college athletics won’t take away the player’s prime and the competitiveness will help prepare them for the NBA.

The rule making players stay with a college team for just one year is not only beneficial to the player, but also to the NBA team that may draft them.  

Although some athletes may see this as a hindrance to their game and a depletion of possibilities, it can mean more preparation and readiness for their future NBA years.

More than one year of college could be even more beneficial to the athlete as both a player and as a mature adult. College prepares you for the outside world, such as college athletics prepares you for the NBA.

The potential of skipping college athletics altogether could be problematic because the players won’t be ready for the challenges that come with a career in the NBA.

While Williamson would’ve been able to go into the NBA right out of college, he wouldn’t have received the experiences of being a college athlete.

Injuries are something that is a risk regardless of the presence of college preparation, so an extra year of college athletics wouldn’t increase the chances.

Athletes can be seen as “bigger than college basketball” but one year of college doesn’t waste the prime athleticism of the athlete. Although Williamson is now injured, the chances of an injury are just as high if not higher playing in the NBA.

Jarrett Huff | Contributor

… be allowed to choose.

By graduation most high schoolers have turned 18, making them legal adults and free to pursue a college education or, if they so choose, head straight into the workforce.

The argument of players being too young and immature to make such a decision for their career is irrelevant.

LeBron James, Dwight Howard, Tyson Chandler and Andrew Bynum are examples of successful players that went on to turn in All-Star careers. The concept of high school players immediately joining the NBA has clearly worked before.

There are currently 9 active players that came from high school to the NBA according to Basketball Reference.com before the one-and-done rule was implemented in 2006.

The NCAA made $1.06 billion during the 2016-17 school year according to ESPN, with most of it coming from the men’s basketball tournament. The NCAA makes a lot of money off its players, and the players are prohibited from using their names to make money for themselves.

The window of opportunity for pro athletes to make a living off of their talent is extremely limited. There is always a chance of major or minor injury that can determine the longevity of one’s career. Forcing athletes to spend a year in college puts unnecessary wear and tear on the body.

Duke first-year forward Zion Williamson, arguably the best draft prospect since LeBron James, went down with a knee sprain barely 30 seconds into a game against North Carolina as his foot blew through his shoes. The game saw ticket prices that floored at an unheard of $2500 according to ESPN.

Had Williamson’s injury been more serious, he could have jeopardized his career in a game that is essentially meaningless to him and his future. He could have lost his athletic future, but the NCAA would still get their buck with Williamson’s name putting people in seats at premium prices.

Williamson could be playing in the NBA and making around $9 million right now by helping some bottom-feeder team achieve some sort of relevance. While it is too late for Williamson to skip college, some future prospects may not have to suffer the same fate of the one-and-done rule.

NBA commissioner Adam Silver is for abolishing the one-and-done rule and the NBA may once again accept high schoolers onto their rosters within the next few seasons.

While college basketball benefits their players and helps prepare them for a chance at the pros, not every player should be forced to spend at least one year outside high school just to play in the NBA. Some players have the talent and maturity to handle the transition from prep to pros and they should be allowed to play in the NBA.