Column: Increased interest in NBA D-League could help and hurt Oklahoma

Jan 27, 2013; Dallas, TX, USA; Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban yells at referee Brian Forte (not pictured) during the second half of the game between the Mavericks and the Phoenix Suns at the American Airlines Center. The Mavericks defeated the Suns 110-95. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

I just read a story concerning the NBA D-League.

The D…what?

The NBA D-League, or NBA Developmental League, is the “minors” of professional basketball. A lot of NBA franchises have set up farm systems with their affiliates, and it works for some, not so much for others.

Most D-League players are young guys who can’t get an NBA contract or washed-up veterans. Most cities that have a D-League team are very small, and attendance is not the greatest.

Anyway, Dallas Mavericks owner and pop culture icon Mark Cuban believes the D-League is a better option for prospective NBA players. Most kids that are capable of playing in the NBA go to college for a year, sometimes two, and then enter the NBA Draft.

Cuban, however, thinks these players should consider going straight to the D-League.

The minimum age to play for an NBA franchise is 19 and a player must be a year out of high school. The D-League permits 18-year-old players.

"“If the colleges don’t change from the one-and-done, we’ll go after the one. The NCAA rules are hypocritical, there’s no reason for a kid to go [to college], because he’s not going to class [and] he’s actually not even able to take advantage of all the fun because the first semester he starts playing basketball. So if the goal is just to graduate to the NBA or be an NBA player, go to the D-League,” Mark Cuban said. (via ESPNDallas.com)"

It’s an interesting take. Players would definitely be playing better competition. Or at least more seasoned competition. Though, how does this affect a school like the University of Oklahoma?

Well, OU has never been one to get top prospects. By some miracle, a baby boy named Blake Griffin was born in the heart of Oklahoma and chose to stay close to home. There was, also, that Eduardo Najera guy who was pretty good and just so happens to be the head coach of the NBA D-League’s Texas Legends now.

But Oklahoma doesn’t get the Andrew Wiggins of the world. They don’t get Jabari Parker or Julius Randle.

Not to say OU doesn’t have NBA caliber players right now. Buddy Hield definitely could evolve in to one, and so could a guy like Ryan Spangler. OU is, also, fortunate to have Lon Kruger, who seems to get more out of his guys than any other coach.

If the D-League became the more popular route, it would possibly level out the competition. The Kansas Jayhawks may not be as much of a force without guys like Wiggins or Joel Embiid. Kentucky probably would not ever put in five guys in the first round of the NBA Draft.

Duke would probably still be good, but the NCAA would be a coach’s league. Who can develop their players better, and who can win without a superstar.

There’s maybe a negative side to it. Say in this scenario the D-League becomes increasingly popular, because guys like Wiggins and Parker are choosing to “go pro” earlier than expected.

Do fans still want to make the trip to the arena to see guys “not good enough to go straight to the D-League”?

Well, they certainly did before the One-And-Done rule came in to play. Granted, television and exposure was not as big a decade ago.

While I believe it hurts some schools in a big way, I think it increases the amount of basketball players who are within the mindset that there is more to life than basketball.

Cuban makes a great point the article. What’s the point of sending a kid to school for a year, where he may or may not go to a few GenEd classes?

I’d love to live in a world where players had the Tim Duncan mindset. Duncan, four-time NBA Champion for the San Antonio Spurs, was selected first overall in the 1997 NBA Draft. He accomplished it after spending four years at Wake Forest University.

College really needs more like guys Duncan. Guys that have education as a fallback plan.

At the end of the day, there are some players just playing, because they love the game. And those are the type of players you want. Or at least I want.

Personally, you either emphasize D-League or you increase the age limit to 20 and force players to stay in college for two years. That way players can finish their basic classes, and if the NBA does not work out, they can go back to school and focus on a degree.

It’s an interesting debate, and I think if the D-League became profitable, because if it actually had star players, it makes the NBA a lot better. GMs would be able to evaluate players easier right in their own backyard.

However, for now, it’s just a thought from the mind of Mark Cuban.

In the long run you would hope to see the D-League become a more viable business. Though, you would hope it wouldn’t deteriorate the college game.

Tell us what you think in the comments or tweet us at @StorminInNorman.