Golden State Warriors head coach Steve Kerr has an idea for what the NBA can do to help young players.
Many high school and college players have come into the league early, with some finding success. LeBron James and Kobe Bryant are just two of the players that came directly out of high school into the NBA who became stars.
But far more players who jumped directly from high school, or after a year or two of college, have failed. Kerr thinks that like Major League Baseball, the NBA needs a minor league system where players can learn and grow.
“That’s actually what I think should happen in the NBA given the age of most of these guys coming in, we really should have a system like Major League Baseball,” Kerr said (via KNBR.com). “You get drafted, maybe you get a big signing bonus, and then you go to the G League for two years. Baseball players need 1,000 at-bats or whatever it is where they’re ready to hit big league pitching. It’s the exact same concept, only in the NBA we throw them out there and they’re on the payroll at a huge number.”
Most of the players entering the league now on average are about 19 years old, so maybe Kerr thinks having a more mature player will make him a better player. You also have to wonder if Kerr was referencing Ja Morant, who entered the league in 2019 but seems to lack the maturity to handle the fame right now.
That would be a radical change, if the NBA followed Kerr’s advice and sent top draft choices to the G League to mature. He’s convinced it’s a good idea.
“I think we need to shift our thinking in terms of how the league is operating,” Kerr said.
{KNBR.com}
