SEC EAST MEN’S BASKETBALL : Hoops coaches critical of NBA’s 19-year-old rule

BY DAVID SHOWERS Northwest Arkansas Times

Posted on Thursday, July 17, 2008

URL: http://www.wholehogsports.com/nwat/67225/

Since its inception two years ago, the NBA’s 19-year-old rule has been widely panned by SEC coaches. Wednesday’s SEC Men’s Summer Basketball Teleconference provided another opportunity to decry the rule, which requires players to be 19 and a year removed from their final year of high school before they’re eligible to enter the league.

Arizona head coach Lute Olson’s recent proclamation, stating that he won’t recruit players who intend to stay in school for only their freshman year, provided context for the latest round of criticism.

Olson made the comments in the wake of Brandon Jennings’ decision to forgo college for the European professional leagues. Jennings was part of Arizona’s 2008 signing class.

Florida head coach Billy Donovan said he’s in favor of abolishing the 19-year-old rule, which will remain in effect until 2011.

“ There are certain players that have the ability to go out of high school right to the NBA, ” Donovan said Wednesday. “ It’s been proven that the LeBron Jameses, the Kevin Garnetts, the Kobe Bryants and Tracy McGradys have done very well doing that. These kids, in my opinion, should have the opportunity to leave out of high school if they want to go.

“ I think you could make it a lot more of a clearer-cut situation for these kids. Every year there’s going to be a handful of high school guys that have the opportunity to go right to the NBA. ”

Donovan said he won’t totally abstain from recruiting potential “ one and done” players. He does, however, want to get a feel for players’ intentions before offering them a scholarship.

“ I’m more interested in finding out a kid’s mindset, ” Donovan said. “ If the kid’s mindset coming in is ‘ I don’t care about your program. I’m just using this as a vehicle to the NBA. I don’t care how much we win or lose. I’m only interested in how many points I score. ’ That’s probably someone I’d stay away from. ”

Donovan said he wouldn’t begrudge a player of NBA largesse if that player had elevated himself into such a position during the course of the season.

“ If I’ve got a young man that has the potential of being one and done and really wants to come to Florida and wants to get better and improve and wants to win, and the opportunity presents itself that this guy could leave after his freshman year, I would be OK with that, ” he said.

Vandy on the rise Vanderbilt’s reputation for scholastic achievement has drawn aspiring academicians from all points of the globe to Nashville, Tenn. In contrast, consecutive appearances in the NCAA Tournament have made Music City a popular destination for those pursuing athletic endeavors. Men’s head basketball coach Kevin Stallings said the Commodores are currently at their most competitive on the recruiting trail since he came to Vanderbilt in 2000. Two Sweet 16 appearances in 2004 and 2007 have made the school more appealing to prospective recruits.

“ I think the level of player that we’re able to get in front of right now is as good as it’s ever been, ” Stallings said Wednesday morning. “ I just think from a consistency standpoint, we’re consistently getting interest from as high-level players as we’ve gotten in front of since I’ve been here.

“ There’s a tremendous amount of momentum that we feel in our program, and I think the guys that we recruit feel that. That’s what makes things exciting around here right now. ”

Vanderbilt signed two highly touted prospects last November. Rivals. com rated Lance Goulbourne of Brooklyn, N. Y., the 18 th-ranked small forward in the 2008 class. Rivals rated Steve Tchiengang the 25 th-best prospect at the power forward position.