Early entry hits the women's game

[Tappan Zee Devil]

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/06/17/sports/ncaabasketball/17ncaa.html?hpw

I guess it was inevitable

[Ignatius07]

Does this really count though? She's skipping her senior season to play professionally in Europe for a year before entering the 2010 draft.

[Duke #33]

I did notice that I have never heard of women collegeb-ball player leaving early, but i must have assumed that it was a rule for the draft. I didn't realize that it was because of the future playing career.

[Bluedog]

I did notice that I have never heard of women collegeb-ball player leaving early, but i must have assumed that it was a rule for the draft. I didn't realize that it was because of the future playing career.

Candace Parker had a year of eligibility left when she left, although she had been at TN for four years and already graduated (similar to Pocius' situation). It's not very lucrative to leave early. What was the huge payout for Parker's stellar college career and #1 draft pick? $44,064/yr. Why leave a full ride, everything paid for, great college experience, for living on you own at that salary? It's certainly not shabby at all for three months of work (or however long the season is), but obviously nowhere near the levels of the NBA. I can understand that over time you gain experience and thus more money, and perhaps somebody might think that the development by playing professional somewhere else is worth it...but until the WNBA becomes profitable enough to warrant high salaries, we're not going to see a lot of early entries on the women's side.

[YourLandlord]

...but until the WNBA becomes profitable enough to warrant high salaries, we're not going to see a lot of early entries on the women's side.

This may never happen. It's not even profitable now -- the NBA loses millions of dollars a year keeping it afloat.

[dukemath]

Anyone wondering why they can justify a 4 year rule for the WNBA, but only a 1 year rule for the NBA? Aren't we denying these women their right to make money? Seems to me if they can do it for the WNBA they should at least be able to get a 2 year rule in the NBA.

[miramar]

Anyone wondering why they can justify a 4 year rule for the WNBA, but only a 1 year rule for the NBA? Aren't we denying these women their right to make money? Seems to me if they can do it for the WNBA they should at least be able to get a 2 year rule in the NBA.

Other than the difference between the 1-year NBA and the 4-year WNBA rules, there is a separate rule of three-years of college/21 years old for MLB, unless you go to a community college, where you can be drafted at any time.

So depending on the sport and college, you can be drafted after one year, three years, or four years, or perhaps at any time. I don't think anyone can justify (or even understand) this nonsense.

[SupaDave]

This may never happen. It's not even profitable now -- the NBA loses millions of dollars a year keeping it afloat.

At least not until Kobe's daughters skip college... :)

[m g]

there is a separate rule of three-years of college/21 years old for MLB, unless you go to a community college

what are you talking about?

[YourLandlord]

what are you talking about?

This is what he is talking about:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_Draft#Procedures_and_rules


Eligibility

In order to be drafted a player must fit the following criteria:

* Be a resident of the United States, Canada, or a U.S. territory such as Puerto Rico. Players from other countries are not subject to the draft, and can be signed by any team.
* Have never signed a major or minor league contract.
* High school players are eligible only after graduation, and if they have not attended college.
* Players at four-year colleges are eligible after completing their junior years, or after their twenty-first birthdays. The exception to this is Division III schools, where players can be drafted before their junior year.
* Junior and community college players are eligible to be drafted at any time.

[brianl]

I'm not 100% sure on this, but I thought I once read that the European leagues (or maybe leagues in Australia) play on different ends of the year and that many WNBA players play in both leagues. I've also heard that the Women's game is much more popular in overseas and they do much better financially.

[SupaDave]

This is what he is talking about:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_Draft#Procedures_and_rules

dang! You just totally explained why some of my classmates picked Francis and Marion when we were in high school b/c a couple of them had been drafted by the Yankees. I could never understand that...

[mgtr]

As an earlier poster stated, the money isn't there in the WNBA, so there is little incentive to leave early.