Rasheed Wallace spent two years in college before declaring for the draft in 1995. Despite that, he feels for the high school players who want to skip college and jump straight into the pros.
In 2005, the NBA introduced the so-called “one-and-done” rule, which requires players to be at least 19 years old and one year removed from high school graduation before turning pro. For Wallace, this rule sounds good on paper but is unfair, mostly for young Black players.
Advertisement
The NBA is supposed to be a platform for talented players who want to take advantage of opportunities to improve their lives. With the one-and-done rule, Wallace thinks the league is taking that chance away from them.
“Not really disrespected, just ashamed,” he said of the NBA’s one-and-done rule. “They done sat up here and prevented a way for the majority of young black kids to get out of messed-up situations, by putting that age limit on there. So you tell me, read between the lines.”
The NBA’s age limit has been bothering Sheed
Wallace has been bothered by the NBA’s age limit rule since it took effect. Years later, in a separate discussion, he expressed his dismay over the rule once again.
Advertisement
According to Wallace, he has begun to think that the rule hides some racial undertone in it. To him, it’s quite baffling how the NBA would push the age limit rule, knowing that most players who would want to come out of high school are Black people.
“Why is it just because a majority of the league is African American players, black players, why can’t we come out of high school?” he said on “That’s What Sheed Said.” “They come out of high school in baseball, they come out of high school in hockey. Soccer, I remember the young fella Freddy Adu, turned pro at, what, like 14 or something crazy. But why we can’t do it in basketball?”
Wallace even stated that if he were the NBA commissioner, this would be one of the things he would change.
Advertisement
“I would bring it back, not to try to be looking for the next Kevin Garnett or Kobe or Jermaine O’Neal or Moses Malone, but that talent is still talent,” he pointed out.
It’s always gonna be a controversial issue
Most high school players who would want to skip college would do so with the hope of making the most of the opportunity to help their families and finally get out of their tough situations. Meanwhile, the NBA also presented a strong case to prevent teams from drafting or signing players who are not mature enough and mentally and emotionally prepared for professional basketball and everything that comes with it.
Advertisement
Many NBA personalities have already expressed their opinions on the subject. Some favor it, while others, like Wallace, believe it makes no sense.
As it stands, Amir Johnson was the last NBA player to enter the league straight out of high school, and LeBron James was the last NBA player to succeed — and then some — in the league after doing the same. Should high schoolers get the same chance as guys like Johnson or James got? Perhaps. But it doesn’t seem the NBA will give them that opportunity anytime soon.
This story was originally reported by Basketball Network on Sep 7, 2025, where it first appeared in the Off The Court section. Add Basketball Network as a Preferred Source by clicking here.