NBA Age to Be ’19′

As I’ve written recently about the Pros and Cons of raising the minimum age limit for entering the NBA, it looks like the increase from 18 to 19 is being met with something less that open arms.

Both Lute Olson and Roy Williams don’t think the change “will have any affect at all.‚Äù Other analysts agree.

The point they seem to be missing is that 19 wasn’t Stern’s target. It was 20. But in the process of haggling with the player’s union I’m sure he thought 19 was a step in the right direction. The move from 19 to 20 is likely to be a goal when this collective bargaining agreement runs out.

If anyone is to blame here it’s the union. Most experts have agreed that there are more early entrants to the NBA who have crashed and burned than there are high-profile players like Kobe and KB who’ve beat the odds so fabulously.