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The end of the one and done era is coming, but not for a few more years at least.
For much of the past year, there’s been rampant speculation that the NBA would finally end the one and done rule, and now we know when they plan to do so by.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski, the league and it’s player’s association is targeting 2020 for the end of one and done:
The NBA and NBPA conversations on eliminating the one-and-done draft rule -- which would allow high school seniors to enter the NBA -- are centered on the 2020 Draft as the earliest possible date for change, league sources tell ESPN.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) April 25, 2018
This is significant for the Kentucky Wildcats, who annually have several players that wind of being one and done. Guys like Anthony Davis, Karl-Anthony Towns, DeMarcus Cousins, John Wall, Julius Randle, Jamal Murray and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist could have easily bypassed college altogether and been high NBA Draft picks.
But instead, they had to attend college for at least a season due to the current rule that players must be a year removed from their graduating high school class before being eligible for the draft.
There had been some thought the rule could be wiped out in time for the 2019 draft to have high school seniors jumping to the NBA, which would have included guys like James Wiseman, Vernon Carey and other Class of 2019 UK targets.
It’s far too early to project who in the 2020 recruiting class could end up being good enough to jump from high school to the pros, but you can bet John Calipari will be more careful of who he recruits in 2020 if he thinks they could ultimately spurn college and jump to the NBA.