Zagoria: Imagining an NBA Draft with No Age Limit

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no speed limitThis year will mark the 10th anniversary of LeBron James’s grant entrance into the NBA, when he wore an all-white suit (perfect garb for a Savior) to Madison Square Garden and was chosen No. 1 by the Cleveland Cavaliers out of St. Vincent-St. Mary High School in Akron, Ohio.

Two years later, the NBA and the players union instituted the so-called “one-and-done” rule mandating that players had to be 19 years old and a year removed from their high school graduation class in order to enter the draft.

While this year’s NBA Draft is considered to be “historically weak” by various NBA executives, the 2014 draft is projected to be especially strong because it will likely feature current high school seniors Andrew Wiggins, Julius Randle, Andrew and Aaron Harrison, Jabari Parker and Aaron Gordon.

But what if those players were all allowed to come out this year, the way King James did?

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Kotoch: Top 20 NBA Draft Prospects, Pre-March Madness

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March Madness is right around the corner, so it’s time to circle the wagons and look ahead to the NBA draft after breaking down each position the past five Saturdays.

Since the last Big Board, draft stocks have soared or tanked based on performances, injuries, and inconsistencies. As the NCAA Tournament approaches, the lives of NBA scouts will be consumed by the names on this list as they dissect every wrinkle or wart of each prospect.

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2013 NBA Draft: Top Power Forwards

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Think back to the days of Karl Malone, Charles Barkley, and even Kevin McHale and what a power forward meant to teams. For the most part this position was filled by players with low-post games who were very good rebounders.

Flash forward to the new generation of superstar power forwards, and you see an aging group led by champions Tim Duncan, Dirk Nowitzki, and Kevin Garnett. The major difference between these newer stars and those Hall of Famers is the versatility the younger generation brings to the court.

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Kotoch: 2013 Draft a Strong Year for One and Done Players

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The NBA draft is all about projections and potential.  A generation ago, most NBA executives’ strategy was to compare prospects based on their collegiate careers. Then the Fab Five arrived at Michigan, and suddenly the process was flipped upside down.  Underclassmen were scrutinized, analyzed and scouted thoroughly by NBA clubs who wanted to get the next big-time prospect.

While prospects with high upside are intriguing, they come with more risk than upperclassmen.  The lottery is annually dominated by underclassmen, primarily freshmen.

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Kotoch: Who will be No. 1 in Draft? No clear leader

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One isn’t the loneliest number when it comes to the 2013 NBA Draft.

After several years in which consensus top picks such as Anthony Davis, Kyrie Irving, and John Wall were the obvious choices for whichever team won the lottery, 2013 appears as though it will be different.

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