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Ready For The Big League?

--By Kathryn R. Satterfield

Minutes after stepping onto the basketball court last Wednesday, 18-year-old LeBron James slam-dunked any doubts about his abilities. The point guard for the Cleveland Cavaliers scored 12 points during the first 12 minutes of his professional career. By the end of the game, James had earned 13 more points--and had managed to live up to the hype surrounding his debut.

Last June, James was chosen as the Number 1 draft pick for the 2003-2004 NBA season. He was only the second high school player ever to be selected Number 1. Three other high school players were also drafted in the first round.

The NBA has attracted young stars since 1971, when Spencer Haywood sued the league for early entry. Until then, high school players had to wait four years before going pro. Still, few athletes were drafted right out of high school until 2001. That year, four of the top 10 picks made the jump from high school to the pros.

Many fans think that drafting younger players provides the league with exciting new talent. Going pro allows players to earn a living. In college, athletes play free and risk getting sidelined by a career-ending injury.

Critics argue that few teenage athletes are mature enough to deal with the mental and physical pressure of the pros. Players also sacrifice the chance to further their education.

The NBA says it would prefer a minimum age requirement of 20. Even Haywood thinks that might be a good idea. "I see some [players] straight out of high school that don't have the fundamentals," he says.

But now that King James is ruling the court in Cleveland, no one is jumping to change the rules. Says Haywood: "You see a guy like LeBron, and you say, 'He's ready!'"

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