[HitsterParticipant]

With the Mavericks drafting Bernard James this summer after he had completed his college career and entered the draft. I wondered if all US players have to effectively go through the draft to get a shot at the NBA or if someone like Bernard could have just left college and been signed by a team.

I’m not saying that say Shabazz Mohammed could skip the draft and goin the Lakers next year for examole but wondered how it affected say people like Bernard who had already had an armed forces career prior to going to college and declared for the dradt of his own free will. I just wondered if he had to go down this channel.

The overseas players rule is you become eligible the year you turn 22, so Splitter was drafted by the Spurs in 2007 although it was uncertain when he would come to the NBA but the Spurs decided to have his rights and it turned out to be a nice pick up.

The reason why I’m raising this is that Jabari Parker is a likely top 3 pick whenever he declares but has said he might spend two years working as a missionary to follow the doctorine of his faith. This could possibly mean Parker spending a year in college and then going on his "faith journey", going on his faith journey and then going to college or even going on his faith journey after he leaves HS. If Parker did not declare and went on his faith journey after a year in college or went on his faith journey straight from HS. What are the rules about him going into the draft or not?

Or even lets say he spent 3 to 4 years on his faith work and then decided to return to basketball and get into the NBA, would he have to go through the draft or could he be effectively regarded as someone who swiched careers and was given a chance in the NBA although we all know he is a top prospect in effect. What stops him completing his work and contacting lets say the Knicks and saying can I play for you or a team contacting him as someone who is religious worker and offering him a chance. It’s not like he is a college guy and an NBA team is tapping him up, he is an adult US citizen carrying out religious work who also happens to be an elir basketball prospect.

[mikeyvthedonParticipant]

Shawn Bradley did indeed go on his own Mormon Mission after playing only one season at BYU (1990-91). He averaged 14.8 ppg, 7.7 rpg and 5.2 bpg (this dude was a shot blocking machine) as an 18 year old kid before deciding to go on a two year mission. After his mission was over, I believe he did contemplate a return to BYU, but instead decided to enter the NBA Draft. Seeing that he was 7’6 and had done so well two years prior, he went #2 overall in the 1993 Draft after Chris Webber.

I think what makes one eligible is actually giving intent that you are a professional. I think intent to the NBA is either:

• A player entering his name in the draft (duh)
• A player graduating from school (hence, David Robinson being the first pick in 1987 despite fulfilling his Naval obligation which would not allow him to play until 1989)
• A player leaving university to play professionally somewhere else (Reeves Nelson being auto-eligible this year)
• A player being 22 within the year of a draft if you are playing internationally (all players born in 1991 playing internationally and not at a NCAA institution are automatically eligible for the 2013 draft)

There were a few players besides Bernard James who were older than 22 in this years draft (I know Miles Plumlee was at the least), but I think seeing that Bernard James was still getting his college degree, he was able to wait until his NCAA eligibility was complete. For Jabari Parker, my guess is that he will choose to forego his Mormon Mission (like Danny Ainge, Steve Young and numerous other Mormon athletes before them). If he does choose to go, he could technically enter whenever he wanted. For instance, he could enter in 2014 (his likely freshman year), 2015 or 2016.

I would think if he did choose to go on the mission, he more than likely would do what Bradley did. I really am not sure what Bradley’s draft stock looked like in 1991 (just guessing he would not go ahead of Larry Johnson, Kenny Anderson, Billy Owens, Dikembe Mutombo or Steve Smith), nor what it looked like in 1992 if he were to enter (Shaq, Zo and Laettner were not moving, Gugliotta probably not either). Just seems like 1993 was the right time for him, he was considered a prospect with a lot of upside and he would be going to the team right away.

Jabari Parker is a great prospect, but I do not think he would have the ability that lets say a David Robinson would in having a team wait two years to take him as the top pick (if he even is the top pick). My guess is that Bradley’s model is probably a good one to follow. Play a year, if you want to, do the mission, than if you feel you are ready, apply for the draft with thoughts of playing in the NBA that season. Who knows what happens by 2016, just guessing Parker would be a very high pick regardless unless he develops a serious injury. Still, odds would be on him entering the 2014 Draft, just hope this gives some perspective on what might go down if he were to go on a Mission.

[HitsterParticipant]

Thanks for the feedback, I agree that a team would unlikely draft Parker at number one and then wait two years especially with Andrew Wiggins in the mix. But he would not fall that far as sooner or later a team would take a shot at him or stash him maybe via a trade up.

It will be interesting to see how it all develops.

[Author]

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