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[h1]Will John Wall Even Go to College?[/h1]
[h2]
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by Ryne Nelson
There's been a lot of John Wall talk this year, and this here is its crescendo folks.
The nation's No. 1 prospect wasn't eligible for the McDonald's game due to a bum provision that bars fifth-year seniors for playing. He threw down thunder on The World at this weekend's Nike Hoop Summit. He even managed to indirectly cause NC State's athletic department to violate the First Amendment (more on this later). Oh, and he now might be going to the NBA in a couple months.
Check out Tom Ziller's detailed report for more of the nitty gritties. What ultimately will determine Wall's NBA eligibility is his graduating class. Can he be considered part of the Class of 2008? This article of the Collective Bargaining Agreement is what League officials will have to mull over should Wall apply for early entry into the 2009 Draft.
The player (A) is or will be at least 19 years of age during the calendar year in which the Draft is held, and (B) with respect to a player who is not an international player (defined below), at least one (1) NBA Season has elapsed since the player's graduation from high school (or, if the player did not graduate from high school, since the graduation of the class with which the player would have graduated had he graduated from high school);
If the goal of the one-year out of high school provision is to better prepare players, I'd bet on the League declining Wall's application… and then quickly working to make it two years out of high school/20-year-old age minimum.
From Slamonline.com
CHAD FORD UPDATE ON JOHN WALL PART 2:
John Wall, PG, uncommitted
Pegged as a Derrick Rose clone and a potential No. 1 pick in the 2010 NBA draft, Wall was terrific against the World Team. He showed off his amazing speed, toughness and ridiculous leaping ability on his way to 13 points and 11 assists. While it's clear he needs to work on his jump shot and decision-making in the half-court game, he did about everything he could to get GMs drooling.
After the game a few scouts mentioned to me that they believe Wall is hesitating to commit to a school because he believes he could be eligible for this year's draft. They might be on to something.
Wall is technically in his fifth year of high school -- he had four years of eligibility at a regular high school and played at the Word of God prep school in North Carolina this year. The McDonald's All-American game ruled him ineligible to play because he was a fifth-year senior.
The NBA collective bargaining agreement says an American player is eligible for the draft if:
"The player is or will be at least 19 years of age during the calendar year in which the Draft is held, and with respect to a player who is not an international player, at least one NBA Season has elapsed since the player's graduation from high school (or, if the player did not graduate from high school, since the graduation of the class with which the player would have graduated had he graduated from high school)" -- Article X, Section 1(b)(i).
Wall will turn 19 in September, so he's clear there. The question is: When did Wall's class graduate? If he's truly a fifth-year senior, then it was last year, making him eligible for the 2009 draft.
Since this is a gray area in the NBA CBA, I asked for a comment from the league on Wall's eligibility. The NBA's Tim Frank responded with this:
"Don't have an opinion yet … if he applies, we will then do our due diligence to determine his eligibility."
I spoke with a number of NBA executives who believe, given the facts, that Wall would be eligible for the draft. However, several others disagree.
It will be interesting to see whether Wall applies and forces the NBA's hand. If he is eligible, scouts say he would likely be a high lottery pick, probably somewhere in the 3 to 5 range. And if he goes to college, he has a great chance to be the No. 1 pick in the 2010 draft.