FWIW I don't think this is a no brainer help for the college game. The college game is a better product if the Zions, Carmellos, Favors of the world play in it - even if for one year. Yea they mostly go to the blue bloods but that won't change much of anything if/when they go straight to the league. The blue bloods will still be the blue bloods. The college game will simply be less talented than before. And I enjoy seeing Zion for a year - especially iconic scenes where he has a spectacular dunk or blows out a sneaker. I ain't seeing that if he is playing 10 min per game for Sacramento or their G League team.
I don't think this is a no brainer for either the NBA or the players union. While the NBA is already scheduled to be a lot more involved in summer basketball leagues as part of the NCAAs focus on deemphasizing the AAU circuit, this is still a huge scouting and player projection risk for them. And the union - especially the current members of the union - are likely not really excited about the prospect of multiple player spots going to stash development projects rather than experienced role playing veterans. If I am a current role player #9 or so on the roster making a few mil per year and looking to stick around for 4 or 5 more years - no way in hadies I vote for this proposal.
Recognizing I am outvoted by the baying Skip Baylesses of the world who decry the moral outrage of the current system and the inability of the idiot Emmert to be able to put forward even an half arsed credible attempt at defining and justifying the NCAAs stance, this likely will go forward in some form or fashion. Unless the union decides to be the bad boy in this process – which they still may. I hope they do.
Right now, despite the real issues of the AAU circuit and the faux outrage of the sports commentators, we have a system that generally works. The college game gets high end talent that helps create stars and gives it the March headlines it needs. It works as a legitimate screening and development tool for the NBA for those players who have that level of talent and funds the education and fun for those that are 4 year college guys. The NBA gets a better shot at talent evaluation and a somewhat more developed product. Going forward the college product will suffer and the NBA will make a lot of mistakes with their attempts to evaluate and develop earlier and earlier level talent.
The amount of “damage” this proposal does will be determined by how surgical the NBA is in identifying and selecting only those kids who can impact a roster in the short term. A Zion or that level of player. What I am scared of (and expect will happen routinely) is the NBA taking the tact of drafting the 6’6” 180 lb 5 star small forward in late first or second round and stashing him on their G League roster. That is the kid who would make a college team a lot better but instead gets to ride a bus and get pounded by 230 lb 24 year old men desperate to make their last shot at the league work – and this baby boy is standing in their way. I can make a pretty good case that 3 years of paid G League and out is worse for a kid than 4 years of unpaid college. But the NCAA isn’t looking to hire me as the chairman.
Anyway – apologies for the long winded post. The short version is be careful what you wish for. It may not be the panacea you are looking for – for the game or for the players.