NBA age-limit rule

Lute Olson, head men's basketball coach
University of Arizona
Los Angeles Times

Discussing an NBA rule that requires players to be at least 19 years old before being drafted:

"I'm disappointed. This is just a stopgap measure. It gives the NBA the ability to say that they did something about the problem, but it doesn't realistically address the problem or the effect it has on college basketball. ...

"I think it's a compromise that accomplishes very little in terms of limiting the numbers of early entrants. ...

"Very seldom does one year of college benefit either the player or the program. But it does create a problem by having to continually recruit behind players and deal with speculation about who might be leaving and who might be staying."

Mike Davis, head men's basketball coach
Indiana University, Bloomington
USA Today

"What's the difference between 18 and 19, except they have to go to school for one year? I think it's going to be hard for some of these young players to get adjusted for one year. I really don't know why they put the rule in. It doesn't make a lot of sense to me."

Roy Williams, head men's basketball coach
University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill
Virginia Daily Press

"It's not the NBA's job to try to solve things for college basketball. And I don't think they try to do that. Sometimes it sounds like they're trying to do good things, but that's just publicity.

"The NBA's not going to do anything to help college basketball -- we're a competitor. The NBA is going to do things to help the NBA. I have no problem understanding that. They really didn't solve anything. I mean, it's just window dressing."

Jim Haney, executive director
National Association of Basketball Coaches
USA Today

Discussing his preference for the Major League Baseball model that permits players to sign contracts out of high school but does not draft players from four-year colleges until after their junior season:

"The baseball model provides a kid with three years to get a college education. Even if he doesn't graduate, he has done enough to be in position to go back and get a degree in a year and a half and use his notoriety and step into the business world."