D-League more beneficial than college

In the words of the Wu-Tang Clan, “cash rules everything around me.”

Everyone wants to make as much money as possible doing something they love.

Professional basketball players are no different.

Every sport has its own rules for an athlete to be eligible to enter its draft process. The National Football League requires players to be out of high school for at least three years. Major League Baseball requires players to be high school graduates and to have never previously signed a contract with MLB.

The current guidelines for a player to be eligible for the National Basketball Association draft are as follows: “the player is or will be at least 19 years of age during the calendar year in which the Draft is held, and at least one NBA Season has elapsed since the player’s graduation from high school.”

These requirements are fairly new. In the 2005 collective bargaining agreement, former NBA Commissioner David Stern instituted this age requirement. Stern justified the decision by claiming that it is necessary to see how players perform against top competitors for a year before going to the NBA.

Typically, an elite player will play in college for a year then enter the draft. This model has led to the age requirement being referred to as the “one-and-done” rule.

While the rule does not require the player to attend college, most players elect this option because college basketball is more watched than other options.

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban recently said he would like to see more players elect to play in the Developmental League (D-League) than go to college for a year.

“If the whole plan is just to go to college for one year maybe or just the first semester, that’s not a student-athlete. That’s ridiculous,” Cuban said.

The D-League is a better option than playing a year of college basketball for reasons on and off the court. Players in the D-League actually get paid, while college athletes do not.

D-League players only make between $13,000 and $25,000 per year but receive housing and insurance benefits as well as a meal allowance for away games, according to ESPN NBA reporter and Cal State Fullerton alumnus Marc Stein.

Most 18-year-olds should be able to live off of $25,000 when housing is covered.

Unlike the NBA, players only have to be 18-years-old to play in the D-League. It makes sense for players to make money off their talent for a year instead of playing for free. Allowing elite 18-year-olds to play in the D-League would make the league more profitable too.

Imagine if a player that was just as hyped j as LeBron James was playing in the D-League. These players would draw bigger crowds and generate higher revenue, leading to an increase in salary for D-League players.

Another reason the D-League is more beneficial for 18-year-olds than the college basketball alternative is the higher level of play. The D-League is currently used by NBA teams to send players to get more playing time and experience. Only the best college players play in the NBA and D-League so 18-year-olds will benefit more from playing against top talent compared to college athletes.

The sports media and fans are notoriously resistant to change. Unfortunately, athletes will likely continue to play college basketball for free instead of making money in the D-League.