NBA high school draftees

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The NBA high school draftees are players who have been drafted to the National Basketball Association (NBA) straight out of high school. The process of jumping directly from high school basketball to the professional level is also known as going prep-to-pro. Since 2006, drafting high school players has been prohibited by the NBA collective bargaining agreement, which requires that players who enter the draft be 19 years of age or older and at least one year removed from high school. [1]

Contents

The NBA has long had a preference for players who played college basketball, [2] and the vast majority of players who play in the NBA attended college beforehand. Out of the thousands of people who have played in the NBA, only forty-one went prep-to-pro, not including international players.

History

Early years

In the early years of the NBA draft, a player had to finish his four-year college eligibility to be eligible for selection. Reggie Harding, who had graduated from high school but did not enroll in a college, became the first player drafted out of high school when the Detroit Pistons selected him in the fourth round of the 1962 draft. [3] However, the NBA rules at that time prohibited a high school player to play in the league until one year after his high school class graduated. [4] [5] Thus, he spent a year playing in a minor league before he was re-drafted in the 1963 draft by the Pistons. [6] He finally entered the league in the 1963–64 season and played four seasons in the NBA and American Basketball Association (ABA). [7]

In 1971, the U.S. Supreme Court decision Haywood v. National Basketball Association ruled against the NBA's requirement that a player must wait four years after high school graduation (which in most cases was spent playing in college) before turning professional. This ruling allowed players to enter the NBA draft without waiting four years, [8] provided they could give evidence of hardship to the NBA office. [9] The NBA's rival, the ABA, had already instituted a hardship exemption in 1969. [10] [11]

Moses Malone was the first to play professionally directly out of high school in 1974, though with an ABA team before the merger of that association with the NBA. Two high school players, Darryl Dawkins and Bill Willoughby, applied for hardship and were declared eligible for the 1975 draft. [12] They had applied and gave evidence of financial hardship to the league, which granted them the right to start earning a living by starting their professional careers earlier. [9] Dawkins was selected 5th by the Philadelphia 76ers while Willoughby was selected 19th by the Atlanta Hawks. Dawkins played 14 seasons and averaged 12 points and 6 rebounds per game. Willoughby played 8 seasons with 6 different teams and averaged only 6 points per game. Neither player reached the level of success that was expected. It is argued that they could have been better players if they had college basketball experience before entering the NBA. [13] [14] [15]

After Dawkins and Willoughby, no high schoolers were drafted for 14 years, though several players entered the league without playing college basketball. One player, Shawn Kemp, enrolled in college but never played any games due to personal problems. In 1989, a year after his high school graduation, he was drafted by the Seattle SuperSonics. [16] He played 14 seasons in the NBA and was selected to 6 All-Star Games and 3 All-NBA Teams. [17]

1995–2005

Kevin Garnett's high-profile migration from high school to the NBA in 1995 prompted many high schoolers to follow in his footsteps Kevin Garnett 2008-01-13.jpg
Kevin Garnett's high-profile migration from high school to the NBA in 1995 prompted many high schoolers to follow in his footsteps

In 1995, Kevin Garnett, USA Today's high school basketball player of the year, announced his intentions to forgo college, and declared himself eligible for the 1995 NBA draft. The move was highly controversial; the conventional wisdom at the time was that high-schoolers were neither emotionally nor physically mature enough for the rigors of the NBA game. On draft day, Garnett was selected with the #5 pick in the first round by the Minnesota Timberwolves. Garnett led the Timberwolves to eight consecutive playoff berths and made 10 All-Star teams in his 12 years with the team. In 2004, the Wolves advanced to the Western Conference Finals before losing to the Lakers; Garnett was named Most Valuable Player that year. After a trade in the 2007 offseason to the Boston Celtics, he was a core player in the Celtics' first NBA title in over 20 years.

In 1996, two notable players made the jump from high school to the NBA. The first was Kobe Bryant, selected by the Charlotte Hornets with the 13th pick of the NBA draft, but traded almost immediately to the Los Angeles Lakers. The second was Jermaine O'Neal, selected by the Trail Blazers with the 17th pick. O'Neal was traded in 2000 to the Indiana Pacers (and later to the Miami Heat). In 1997, another All-Star caliber player, Tracy McGrady, was selected by the Toronto Raptors. In 1998, three high-schoolers were drafted with Al Harrington and Rashard Lewis experiencing the most success. Darius Miles became the highest high school player selected with the third pick in the 2000 NBA draft, until the following year when Kwame Brown was selected first overall. Further into the 2000s, draftees out of high school who would see success in the NBA included Tyson Chandler in 2001, Amar'e Stoudemire in 2002, LeBron James and Kendrick Perkins in 2003, Dwight Howard and Shaun Livingston in 2004, and Andrew Bynum in 2005.

2005–present

In 2005, both the NBA and the players' union started to discuss the possibility of implementing a new age requirement. The league lobbied for an age minimum of 20 while the union was against an age requirement. [18] Finally in July 2005, both sides compromised in the new collective bargaining agreement, requiring that the minimum age for entry into the NBA be 19 and that entrants be at least one year removed from high school. [19]

Some players support the new age limit. Gerald Green called it "a smart move", saying that "[not everybody is] LeBron James ... He came in ready and he dominated the league. There's a lot of players that have to get developed. Me, I've got to get developed. But I guess that age limit, that one year of college experience, can get you more developed and I think that's pretty good." [18] Others, however, strongly criticize the rule. Andrew Bynum said "That's something I'll never understand. Because in no other business can the owner, or a stock trader, or a CEO of a company try to protect themselves by putting rules like that." [20] Former Florida Gators and current Chicago Bulls head coach Billy Donovan believed that the rule made high schoolers feel like they were being punished. [21] Spencer Haywood, the plaintiff in the Haywood v. National Basketball Association decision, supported an age limit of 20, allowing players time to mature. He left college after his sophomore season to play in the ABA. [22]

List

There have been 41 high school draftees in the NBA draft. Three draftees were selected first overall; Kwame Brown in the 2001 NBA draft, LeBron James in 2003, and Dwight Howard in the 2004 NBA draft. Two draftees went on to win the Rookie of the Year Award in their first season: LeBron James and 2002 draftee Amar'e Stoudemire. [23] Three draftees went on to win the Most Valuable Player Award: Kevin Garnett in 2004, Kobe Bryant in 2008, and LeBron James in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2013. [24] Ten draftees have been selected to the All-Star Game and ten draftees have been selected to the All-NBA Team.

Kobe Bryant was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996. Kobe Bryant Washington Full Retouched Crop.jpg
Kobe Bryant was selected by the Charlotte Hornets in 1996.
Jermaine O'Neal was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1996. J O'Neal - Wizards vs Heat 2009-04-04.jpg
Jermaine O'Neal was selected by the Portland Trail Blazers in 1996.
Tracy McGrady was selected by the Toronto Raptors in 1997. Tracy McGrady 1.jpg
Tracy McGrady was selected by the Toronto Raptors in 1997.
Amar'e Stoudemire was selected by the Phoenix Suns in 2002. Amar'e Stoudemire free throw.jpg
Amar'e Stoudemire was selected by the Phoenix Suns in 2002.
LeBron James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003. LeBron James (31944491583).jpg
LeBron James was selected by the Cleveland Cavaliers in 2003.
Dwight Howard was selected by the Orlando Magic in 2004. Dwight howard 2009z.jpg
Dwight Howard was selected by the Orlando Magic in 2004.
Pos.GFC
Position GuardForwardCenter
^Denotes player who has been inducted to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame
*Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game and All-NBA Team
+Denotes player who has been selected for at least one All-Star Game
#Denotes player who has never appeared in an NBA regular season or playoff game
Draft [a] RoundPickPlayerPos.NationalityDraft teamHigh school (city)Ref.
1975 15 Darryl Dawkins CFlag of the United States.svg United States Philadelphia 76ers Maynard Evans High School (Orlando, Florida) [25]
219 Bill Willoughby FFlag of the United States.svg United States Atlanta Hawks Dwight Morrow High School (Englewood, New Jersey) [26]
1995 15 Kevin Garnett ^FFlag of the United States.svg United States Minnesota Timberwolves Farragut Career Academy (Chicago, Illinois) [27]
1996 113 Kobe Bryant ^GFlag of the United States.svg United States Charlotte Hornets Lower Merion High School (Ardmore, Pennsylvania) [28]
17 Jermaine O'Neal *F/CFlag of the United States.svg United States Portland Trail Blazers Eau Claire High School (Columbia, South Carolina) [29]
1997 19 Tracy McGrady ^FFlag of the United States.svg United States Toronto Raptors Mount Zion Christian Academy (Durham, North Carolina) [30]
1998 125 Al Harrington FFlag of the United States.svg United States Indiana Pacers St. Patrick High School (Elizabeth, New Jersey) [31]
232 Rashard Lewis +FFlag of the United States.svg United States Seattle SuperSonics Alief Elsik High School (Houston, Texas) [32]
40 Korleone Young FFlag of the United States.svg United States Detroit Pistons Hargrave Military Academy (Chatham, Virginia) [33]
1999 15 Jonathan Bender FFlag of the United States.svg United States Toronto Raptors Picayune Memorial High School (Picayune, Mississippi) [34]
29 Leon Smith CFlag of the United States.svg United States Dallas Mavericks Martin Luther King High School (Chicago) [35]
2000 13 Darius Miles FFlag of the United States.svg United States Los Angeles Clippers East St. Louis High School (East St. Louis, Illinois) [36]
23 DeShawn Stevenson GFlag of the United States.svg United States Utah Jazz Washington Union High School (Fresno, California) [37]
2001 11 Kwame Brown FFlag of the United States.svg United States Washington Wizards Glynn Academy (Brunswick, Georgia) [38]
2 Tyson Chandler *CFlag of the United States.svg United States Los Angeles Clippers Dominguez High School (Compton, California) [39]
4 Eddy Curry CFlag of the United States.svg United States Chicago Bulls Thornwood High School (South Holland, Illinois) [40]
8 DeSagana Diop CFlag of Senegal.svg  Senegal Cleveland Cavaliers Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia) [41]
246 Ousmane Cisse #FFlag of Mali.svg  Mali Denver Nuggets St. Jude High School (Montgomery, Alabama) [42]
2002 19 Amar'e Stoudemire *F/CFlag of the United States.svg United States Phoenix Suns Cypress Creek High School (Orlando, Florida) [43]
2003 11 LeBron James *FFlag of the United States.svg United States Cleveland Cavaliers St. Vincent – St. Mary High School (Akron, Ohio) [44]
23 Travis Outlaw FFlag of the United States.svg United States Portland Trail Blazers Starkville High School (Starkville, Mississippi) [45]
26 Ndudi Ebi FFlag of the United Kingdom.svg United Kingdom
Flag of Nigeria.svg  Nigeria [1]
Minnesota Timberwolves Westbury Christian School (Houston, Texas) [46]
27 Kendrick Perkins CFlag of the United States.svg United States Memphis Grizzlies Clifton J. Ozen High School (Beaumont, Texas) [47]
248 James Lang CFlag of the United States.svg United States New Orleans Hornets Central Park Christian High School (Birmingham, Alabama) [48]
2004 11 Dwight Howard *F/CFlag of the United States.svg United States Orlando Magic Southwest Atlanta Christian Academy (Atlanta, Georgia) [49]
4 Shaun Livingston GFlag of the United States.svg United States Los Angeles Clippers Peoria High School (Peoria, Illinois) [50]
12 Robert Swift CFlag of the United States.svg United States Seattle SuperSonics Bakersfield High School (Bakersfield, California) [51]
13 Sebastian Telfair GFlag of the United States.svg United States Portland Trail Blazers Abraham Lincoln High School (Brooklyn, New York) [52]
15 Al Jefferson FFlag of the United States.svg United States Boston Celtics Prentiss High School (Prentiss, Mississippi) [53]
17 Josh Smith FFlag of the United States.svg United States Atlanta Hawks Oak Hill Academy (Mouth of Wilson, Virginia) [54]
18 J. R. Smith GFlag of the United States.svg United States New Orleans Hornets Saint Benedict's Preparatory School (Newark, New Jersey) [55]
19 Dorell Wright G/FFlag of the United States.svg United States Miami Heat South Kent Preparatory School (South Kent, Connecticut) [56]
2005 16 Martell Webster G/FFlag of the United States.svg United States Portland Trail Blazers Seattle Preparatory School (Seattle, Washington) [57]
10 Andrew Bynum +CFlag of the United States.svg United States Los Angeles Lakers St. Joseph High School (Metuchen, New Jersey) [58]
18 Gerald Green FFlag of the United States.svg United States Boston Celtics Gulf Shores Academy (Houston, Texas) [59]
234 C. J. Miles GFlag of the United States.svg United States Utah Jazz Skyline High School (Dallas, Texas) [60]
35 Ricky Sánchez #FFlag of Puerto Rico.svg  Puerto Rico Portland Trail Blazers IMG Academy (Bradenton, Florida) [61]
40 Monta Ellis GFlag of the United States.svg United States Golden State Warriors Lanier High School (Jackson, Mississippi) [62]
45 Louis Williams GFlag of the United States.svg United States Philadelphia 76ers South Gwinnett High School (Snellville, Georgia) [63]
49 Andray Blatche FFlag of the United States.svg United States
Flag of the Philippines.svg  Philippines [2]
Washington Wizards South Kent Preparatory School (South Kent, Connecticut) [64]
56 Amir Johnson FFlag of the United States.svg United States Detroit Pistons Westchester High School (Los Angeles, California) [65]

^  1: While Ndudi Ebi was originally born and raised in London, England , he also holds Nigerian nationality due to his parents being born and raised there.
^  2: Andray Blatche was born and raised in Syracuse, New York and holds American nationality, but he had become a naturalized Filipino since June 2014 and has officially represented the Philippines since.

Controversy

Despite the success of some high school players drafted, the entry of high school players into the NBA remains controversial. Critics say that high school players are not mentally and physically mature or prepared enough to handle the pressure of professional play; thus, they are less likely to develop properly and reach their potential. [15] [66] Instead, they believe that colleges are useful at filtering out players who can dominate against weak competition in high school, but cannot succeed at a higher level of play. They also think that the influx of high schoolers bypassing colleges in favor of the NBA caused collegiate play to deteriorate. Universities are wary of spending time recruiting, as many players are financially motivated to turn pro fresh out of high school. [66] [67]

On the other hand, proponents argue that there is no valid reason to exclude high school players. Michael McCann, writer of law article "Illegal Defense: The Irrational Economics of Banning High School Players from the NBA Draft", contends that players drafted straight out of high school can do as well as any other players in the NBA. The article finds that "on average, these [high school] players perform better in every major statistical category than does the average NBA player". [68] Others instead believe that the problem was due to the lack of established farm system in basketball until recently. In other major sports, such as baseball and hockey, it is common for young players to develop in their minor league systems. [66]

Discourses on the validity of high-school players entering the NBA directly, bypassing college, have also been impacted by the recent legalization of name, image and likeness deals by the NCAA, which allow collegiate athletes to profit from sponsorship deals. This has effectively reduced the financial incentives that basketball players have to move directly to the NBA from high school by allowing colleges and their boosters to compensate players. [69] In addition, it has decreased some players' propensity to enter the NBA as soon as possible after playing one year in college, leading to them staying in school for multiple years to capitalize on NIL deals they make money from. This trend is especially noticeable in players who do not project as well to the NBA but are collegiate stars, such as Drew Timme of Gonzaga, who stated that his NIL earnings were comparable to the NBA two-way contract he was likely to sign once he turned professional. [70]

See also

Notes

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