Interesting Comments From Bobby Knight on the One-and-Done Rule

Tech's Knight is No Fan of One-and-Done: Coach Says NBA's Ruling is 'Worst Thing' for College Game i

Feb 20, 05:29 AM

By Terrance Harris, Houston Chronicle

Feb. 20--While most college basketball coaches would jump at the chance for a one-year player like Texas freshman sensation Kevin Durant, Texas Tech coach Bob Knight said Monday he would not do so.

In fact, the coach said Monday that he thinks the NBA's mandate of at least a year of college for high school graduates is bad for the college game.

"I think it's the worst thing that's happened to college basketball since I've been coaching," Knight said Monday.

A year ago, the NBA made the decision that players have to attend college for at least one year after graduation from high school. That decision has exposed players such as Ohio State freshman center Greg Oden and Durant -- two players who would have been lottery picks last year and will likely be the first two players chosen in this year's draft if they decide to leave after one year -- to the college game for what seems to be just one year.

Knight's primary concern seems to be that the NBA's mandate allows student-athletes to get around being true students in college.

"Because now you can have a kid come to school for a year, play basketball and he doesn't even have to go to class," Knight said. "He certainly doesn't have to go to class the second semester. I'm not exactly positive about the first semester, but he would not have to attend a single class the second semester to play through the whole second semester of basketball.

"That I think has a tremendous effect on the integrity of college sports. I think what should happen is a kid can come out of high school and go to the NBA and if they chose to put him in the developmental league, fine. But if he goes to college there has to be an agreement that he is not eligible for the draft until after two years of college. That way the kid has to obtain eligibility and then he has to retain eligibility and at least for those two years he is a college student. Now the kid is simply like a hired player."

Knight said there would never be a scenario where he would knowingly recruit a player who intended to play college basketball for one year. Texas coach Rick Barnes also said he would not, citing the issues it would create for program's academic rating.

Barnes has said all season there has been no discussion about Durant being only a one-year player for the Longhorns.

Most observers believe the 6-9 Durant, who leads the Big 12 in both scoring and rebounding, will be gone once this season is over.

"No, I wouldn't do that," Knight said of recruiting a one-year player. "But I don't fault those that have because it's within the rules. But the rules are just ridiculous the way the thing is set up. But there can't be any fault to the people that have those kids because it's within the rules. It's just a tremendous disservice the way it's structured to the integrity of college sports."

terrance.harris@chron.com

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