‘One And Done’ Basketball Players Who Attend College for Only One Year Before Entering the NBA Draft, Put Their Financial Security at Risk
Many talented college basketball players are only attending one year of school before entering the draft for the NBA. Is this really the best move for them or even for the NBA? Their talents and skills could be sharpened further by at least an extra year with their college team and coaches yet the advantages of going pro sooner means more money for them and for the family they will most likely be supporting.
The NBA should consider encouraging at least two years removed from high school before players can enter the draft. Otherwise the players won’t learn the skills they need to transfer over to professional basketball. Coaches also don’t have enough time with the players to teach them how to survive in a world of competitive sports.
“The case for creating a two-and-done rule has merit, as college coaches would prefer two years with top players as opposed to just one. The most logical thought is that if a player is a top prospect coming out of high school or after his freshman season, it stands to reason he still will be after his second year, just with more basketball knowledge and, theoretically, more physical and emotional maturity to handle the rigors of the NBA,” (NCAA Tournament 2014 Stay or Go Pro, One-and-Done Stars Have Nothing to Lose: Bleacher Report, March 25, 2014).
“This is a tough call for the NBA to make,” says Frank N. Darras, America’s top disability insurance lawyer to the pros. “We all want to see these young men succeed in their careers with the NBA and they are adults capable of making their own decisions on how soon they want to play in the pros. My one concern is if they’ll recognize the risks inherent with any sport regarding injuries. Disability insurance is one of those necessities for athletes that they should purchase before they even participate in the first practice with their new NBA team.”
One-and-Done can also be a phrase applied to players in the NBA since their first practice or even their first game can result in a disabling injury. What if they are injured in their first game in the NBA? Are they “done” with their career? Do they have a disability insurance policy to cover their living expenses and support their family? Players won’t have a college degree to fall back on if they rush into the NBA and are injured early in their career (John Calipari on Lakers Rumors, One-and-Done, Dan Patrick Show, April 14, 2014).
“The risk of injury is not something to be trifled with. I recommend all current and future NBA stars talk with an expert insurance agent or a top disability insurance lawyer regarding what they need to do now, to protect their income when the unexpected happens. Everyone succumbs to an injury at some point so prepare yourself now for the time you might be on the disabled list,” says Darras.