THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
TUESDAY, APRIL 22, 2014
PAGE 7
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COMMENTARY
NBA rule change could help Kansas basketball
A monumental change could be coming soon to college basketball, and it's one that could boost the success of KU basketball on the court and in recruiting.
NCAA President Mark Emmert discussed the possible change to the age limit with NBA commissioner Adam Silver and the league's team owners during a two-day meeting last week. Other ideas voiced by owners ranged from a new lottery system to abolishing conferences, but Silver's number one order of business was making it known that he is keen on changing the age limit soon.
The NBA is considering moving its age-minimum requirement to enter the draft from 19 years old to 20 years old, a huge leap from 10 years ago when graduating high school players could turn pro and forgo college.
Future lottery picks in 2015 can breathe a sigh of relief, as the earliest this rule would be implemented is for the 2016 NBA draft. This means star recruits Cliff Alexander and Kelly Oubre will still have the option of going pro after their freshman seasons here, but a lot lies between now and that decision.
How this new rule could help KU basketball next year
Over the past five years Self has gotten top-10 recruits Xavier Henry, Josh Selby, Andrew Wiggins and Joel Embid. Place Cliff Alexander on top of that, and it totals five top-10 recruits in six years. A factor that the first four have in common is that they all left for the NBA draft after their freshman seasons, and Alexander could decide to follow that path as well.
Imagine though what could have been for those KU teams in the tournament had those players stayed another year. The combination of Wiggins, Embiid and Alexander alone could have brought a championship back to the Jayhawks next season. Add the other pieces Kansas has coming back, and I don't think we can lose. I'm serious too, even without Wichita State's schedule.
depends on whether our program is able to sign another solid core of top-ranked recruits. We're spoiled here at Kansas from the recruits Bill Self brings in every year, but if he's able to duplicate the phenomenal recruiting he's done in the past, then Kansas may have even better teams in the future.
By Matt Corte sports@kansan.com
Sadly there's no way of capturing what those freshman might have done during their sophomore seasons, but not all was lost from their decision to leave early.
In fact, because of them, players will want to come to Kansas more than ever. Seeing the overall presence of Kansas players grow in the NBA along with Self's ability to transitions players from college to the NBA should entice high school players to choose Kansas for two years.
Pair this with the top-end talent players will compete against for two years not only in games but every day in practice, and the basketball team should have no problem attracting highly-rated recruits for the next decade.
Changing the league's age-minimum requirement to 20 is still not a forgone conclusion, however, knowing the NCAA will have no problem keeping its star players in college for two years means the new rule will no doubt be established.
When the NBA finally does decide to change the league's age minimum, buckle your seatbelt because Allen Fieldhouse will host some of the best teams Kansas has ever had to offer.
- Edited by Emily Hines
MLB
ASSOCIATED PRESS
Cleveland Indians' Jason Kipnis watches his two-run home run off Kansas City Royals starting pitcher Jeremy Guthrie in the sixth inning on Monday in Cleveland.
Indians power over Royals in 4-3 victory
ASSOCIATED PRESS
CLEVELAND — Jason Kipnis and Michael Brantley hit two-run homers, powering the Cleveland Indians over the Kansas City Royals 4-3 Monday night when a fearless squirrel ran around Progressive Field and provided some extra entertainment.
Kipnis connected in the sixth inning off Jeremy Guthrie (2-1), overcoming a 3-2 deficit. Brantley provided Cleveland a 2-0 lead in the fourth.
Jason Giambi went hitless in four at-bats in his season debut. He missed Cleveland's first 18 games with a broken rib.
Zach McAllister (3-0) gave up six hits and overcame three errors — one on his errant throw. Marc Rzepczynski and Cody Allen pitched a hitless inning each, and closer John Axford worked a 1-2-3 ninth for his seventh save.
Nick Swisher led off the sixth with his second double, and Kipnis followed with his third homer, a drive into the seats in right-center. Kipnis is 8 of 13 (.615) with two homers and six RBIs off Guthrie, who except for the home runs pitched effectively for six 1-3 innings.
Alex Gordon and Omar Infante each had two of the Royals six hits.
Indians designated hitter
fore it was shooed into the Indians' center-field bullpen.
The game was momentarily delayed in the second inning when a squirrel ran onto the field. Swisher motioned for the critter to run to him, but it darted past and into the outfield grass. The squirrel was directed inside the Royals bullpen by members of the grounds crew, but the slippery rodent escaped and returned for another scamper to the delight of the crowd of 10,789. The pesky intruder hung around for another inning be-
The squirrel perched on a ledge for several minutes before jumping the wall into the Heritage Park monument area. Helped by McAllister's throwing error, the Royals scored three runs in the fifth to take a 3-2 lead.
Mike Moustakas doubled to open the inning and scored when diving center fielder Michael Bourn couldn't squeeze a sinking liner by Alcides Escobar. Jarrod Dyson followed with a bunt toward third that McAllister fielded cleanly before throwing wildly past first, allowing Escobar to score. One out later, Infante's RBI single put the Royals in front.
Brantley connected in the fourth for his team-leading fourth homer, and second in two days.
Sexual Assault Awareness Month
March for aVOICE.
88% of college campus sexual assualts go unreported Let's Make a Change!
How: Marching for a Voice reporting sexual assault
Where: Stauffer-Flint Lawn
When: April 23rd, 2014, 5:30-6:30 p.m.
5:30-6:15 Free Jimmy Johns and Drinks Make pins and signs for the March Climb into the Consent Ball Pit 6:15 March to the Union
Why: To support reporting Sexual Assault
IOA SpeaK Up We'll Listen