Age limit to enter NBA a bad idea
The NBA is in the midst of one of its best seasons in recent years. The extraordinary close race for the Western Conference title tops the list, but there are a lot of other headline-grabbing stories as well.
The outstanding record the Celtics have accomplished brings back memories of Celtic teams in the past. The trio of Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen has jelled even better than their most optimistic fans could have hoped for. The recent three-game sweep on the road in Texas is frosting on the cake.
Then there’s the battle for league MVP between LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. While James may not be enough to pull his Cavaliers through the playoffs, Bryant is more than shouldering the load for the Lakers who have been hit with key injuries. It’s too early to determine how far the Lakers can go in the playoffs, but many people are predicting they will make it to the finals.
There’s another story that surfaced a few weeks ago that is bound to have legs. In a recent Time magazine article, Commissioner David Stern said he wants to raise the league’s minimum age limit from 19 years to 20 years when the current labor agreement ends in 2011.
I’ve always felt Stern is a fine spokesperson for pro basketball, a sport whose image has suffered in recent years. To many it was considered a league of just hot-shot African-Americans, an image fueled by the serious brawl a few years ago involving the Pistons and Pacers. Stern squelched the fallout with severe penalties. Then, in an unrelated move, he imposed a dress code that gave the league and its players a more responsible and professional image.
Union director Billy Hunter sees no reason to raise the minimum age limit. He said, “I’m flexible on anything if it makes economic sense and improves the overall conditions for my constituents. I’m philosophically opposed to it and I can’t understand why people think one is needed, except for the fact that the NBA is viewed as a predominantly black sport.”
I don’t think Stern’s plan has any racial overtones, especially when many more white players are playing in the NBA today, but I think Stern’s plan has no merit. Raising the age limit may be more of a civil rights issue because it prevents young men who are qualified to compete as professionals from earning a living. No-one should tell them they can’t sign for the millions of dollars that might be available in wages and endorsement fees. Remember, LeBron James signed a multimillion-dollar contract, including endorsements, and was the 2003-04 rookie of the year while fresh out of high school and hasn’t embarrassed the league one bit.
If an 18-year-old can serve in the Army and put his life on the line, or if he can work in any other field, who’s to say he can’t try his skill in pro basketball? Stern’s plan may be protecting the college game while giving pro teams more of a minor league training ground, but it’s plain wrong to set a minimum age of 20 years. Nobody should tell a talented youngster that he has to spend two years in college, risking injury and the possibility that scouts may overlook him by the time he finishes his sophomore year.
I’m sure there are other labor issues the league and its union have to work out before the current agreement ends, but changing the minimum age to play in the NBA should not be one of them. It’s plain wrong to bar talented young men from earning a living once they reach the legal age.
Cape Coral resident Norman Marcus is a dedicated couch potato and author of “Inside Big Time Sports: Television, Money and the Fans.”