Abdul-Jabbar says NBA entry age should be 21
 

Based on his comments, I have to agree.

OMAHA, Neb. (AP)—Kareem Abdul-Jabbar says the NBA should raise its minimum age for entry into the league to 21.

The NBA’s career scoring leader and center on the Los Angeles Lakers’ 1980s “Showtime” teams said Wednesday there’s a disturbing sense of entitlement among many of today’s young pros.

“They get precocious kids from high school who think they’re rock stars— ‘Where’s my $30 million?’ ” said Abdul-Jabbar, who was in Omaha to speak at the B’nai B’rith sports banquet. “The attitudes have changed, and the game has suffered because of that, and it has certainly hurt the college game.”

Read the full article.......

Abdul-Jabbar says NBA entry age should be 21 - NBA - Yahoo! Sports

:iagree: It gives them a little bit more time to mature, but on the other side of the coin, 18 is the minimum age to enter into the military. Instead of 30 million we give them guns.

Some people are just flat out immature. If having to deal with media, attorneys, agents, PR, fans, and banks does not aid you in maturing....then I don't think four years in a college environment is going to save you. IMO it is a function of your upbringing.

I'm tired of the "one and done" NCAA players. Kentucky could be the dynasty of the NCAA. Instead, Wall and Cousins decide to jump to the league after their freshman year.

I'm not sure that dealing with these people will help anyone along the way
especially when most of them could care less about you personally.
In fact most of the folks you mention are only thinking of themselves.
IMO that may not be the kind of lesson one needs just coming into
the pro's

Four years in a college environment on the other hand could in fact
provide some needed character direction. Getting away from home
can change the course of one upbringing provided of course one pay's
attention and learns the lessons that are taught. I believe college ball helps to give at least some of those life pointers

Yeah I suppose. I guess I just feel as though having certain monetary responsibilities should make you grow up younger, as it did for me. But I had a very strong upbringing. I can agree that maybe the separation from your home environment, provided it is negative, would be a positive influence. Then again I do not hold much interest in college ball. It is about the money just as much as the nba except they don't pay the players. The universities make a fortune off those programs and the merchandising involved. If I was raised in "working class poverty"(for lack of a better term) and the outcome of my life depended on getting a contract in the nba, I would not be keen on taking my chances at injury in college ball.