The State of the NBA: Is the Talent Level Watered Down? Let’s Look at the 2017 Playoffs
One-and-Done Players
By Derrick Clyburn and Derrick Isaiah Clyburn
Eastern Conference
Here are the Eastern Conference series outcomes.
Quarter-finals:
Boston defeats Chicago 4-2, Washington defeats Atlanta 4-2, Toronto defeats Milwaukee 4-2, and Cleveland defeats Indiana 4-0.
Semi-finals:
Boston defeats Washington 4-3 and Cleveland defeats Toronto 4-0.
Finals:
Cleveland defeats Boston 4-1.
Western Conference
Here are the Western Conference series outcomes.
Quarter-finals:
Golden State defeats Portland 4-0, Utah defeats LA Clipper 4-3, Houston defeats Oklahoma City 4-1 and San Antonio defeats Memphis 4-2.
Semi-finals:
Golden State defeats Utah 4-0 and San Antonio defeats Houston 4-2.
Finals:
Golden State defeats San Antonio 4-0.
I think that there is a talent shortage from my observation watching these playoff series. We know that between Golden State and Cleveland they have 7 All-Stars. The rest of the teams in the league are struggling when it comes to talent at the highest level. The games are not as competitive and it’s easier to predict who will be in the NBA Finals.
Here are a few reasons that come to mind.
- The Top Players are teaming up to win titles. Bosh, Lebron, and Love are examples. Durant is chasing a title this year with Golden State.
- The One-and-Done players have not panned out, when it comes to competing for titles. Kevin Durant is the only player to at least play in the NBA Finals, but not win a title, since the 2005 Collective Bargaining Agreement allowed One-and-Done players to compete in the NBA. Anthony Davis, John Wall and Demarcus Cousins haven’t been able to get their teams over the top.
- Teams haven’t been as fortunate in the draft as Golden State over the last decade in getting budding talent to grow together like Curry, Thompson, and Green.
- The One-and-Done players are coming out of college too early when they are not NBA ready and struggle to help improve NBA teams instead of staying in college more years to fully develop their game and then declaring for the draft.
- Money is the biggest culprit behind this current One-and-Done phenomenon.
Below is data on the success of One-and-Done Players since 2016.
Share your thoughts.
| One-and-Done Players Since 2006 | |||||||||
| PLAYER | COLLEGE | DRAFT YEAR | Still in the NBA | TEAM | STARTER | Current PPG | ALLSTAR | YRS ALLASTAR | NBA TITLES |
| Dejounte Murray | Washington | 2016 | Yes | San Antonio | No | 3.4 | No | None | 0 |
| Skai Labissiere | Kentucky | 2016 | Yes | Sacramento | No | 8.8 | No | None | 0 |
| Malachi Richardson | Syracuse | 2016 | Yes | Sacramento | No | 3.6 | No | None | 0 |
| Malik Beasley | FSU | 2016 | Yes | Denver | No | 3.8 | No | None | 0 |
| Henry Ellenson | Marquette | 2016 | Yes | Detroit | No | 3.2 | No | None | 0 |
| Marquese Chriss | Washington | 2016 | Yes | Phoenix | Yes | 9.2 | No | None | 0 |
| Jamal Murray | Kentucky | 2016 | Yes | Denver | No | 9.9 | No | None | 0 |
| Jaylen Brown | California | 2016 | Yes | Boston | No | 6.6 | No | None | 0 |
| Brandon Ingram | Duke | 2016 | Yes | Lakers | Yes | 9.4 | No | None | 0 |
| Ben Simmons | LSU | 2016 | Yes | Philadelphia | No | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Kevon Looney | UCLA | 2015 | Yes | Golden State | No | 2.5 | No | None | 0 |
| Chris McCullough | Syracuse | 2015 | Yes | Washington | No | 2.3 | No | None | 0 |
| Tyus Jones | Duke | 2015 | Yes | Minnesota | No | 3.5 | No | None | 0 |
| Rashad Vaugh | UNLV | 2015 | Yes | Milwuakee | No | 3.5 | No | None | 0 |
| Kelly Oubre | Kansas | 2015 | Yes | Washington | No | 6.3 | No | None | 0 |
| Trey Lyles | Kentucky | 2015 | Yes | Utah | No | 6.2 | No | None | 0 |
| Devin Booker | Kentucky | 2015 | Yes | Phoenix | Yes | 22.1 | No | None | 0 |
| Myles Turner | Texas | 2015 | Yes | Indiana | Yes | 14.5 | No | None | 0 |
| Justin Winslow | Duke | 2015 | Yes | Miami | Yes | 10.9 | No | None | 0 |
| Stanley Johnson | Arizona | 2015 | Yes | Detroit | No | 4.4 | No | None | 0 |
| Jahlil Okafor | Duke | 2015 | Yes | Philadelphia | No | 11.8 | No | None | 0 |
| D’Angelo Russell | Ohio State | 2015 | Yes | Lakers | Yes | 15.6 | No | None | 0 |
| Karl Anthony Towns | Kentucky | 2015 | Yes | Minnesota | Yes | 25.1 | No | None | 0 |
| Tyler Ennis | Syracuse | 2014 | Yes | Lakers | No | 4.3 | No | None | 0 |
| James Young | Kentucky | 2014 | Yes | Boston | No | 2.3 | No | None | 0 |
| Zach LaVine | UCLA | 2014 | Yes | Minnesota | Yes | 18.9 | No | None | 0 |
| Noah Vonleh | Indiana | 2014 | Yes | Porland | No | 4.4 | No | None | 0 |
| Julius Randle | Kentucky | 2014 | Yes | Lakers | Yes | 13.2 | No | None | 0 |
| Aaron Gordon | Arizona | 2014 | Yes | Orlando | Yes | 12.7 | No | None | 0 |
| Joel Embiid | Kansas | 2014 | Yes | Philadelphia | Yes | 20.2 | No | None | 0 |
| Jabari Parker | Duke | 2014 | Yes | Milwuakee | Yes | 20.1 | No | None | 0 |
| Andrew Wiggins | Kansas | 2014 | Yes | Minnesota | Yes | 23.6 | No | None | 0 |
| Archie Goodwin | Kentucky | 2013 | Yes | Brooklyn | No | 7.3 | No | None | 0 |
| Shabazz Muhammad | UCLA | 2013 | Yes | Minnesota | No | 9.9 | No | None | 0 |
| Steven Adams | Pittsburgh | 2013 | Yes | Oklahoma City | Yes | 11.3 | No | None | 0 |
| Ben McLemore | Kansas | 2013 | Yes | Sacramento | No | 8.1 | No | None | 0 |
| Nerlens Noel | Kentucky | 2013 | Yes | Dallas | No | 8.7 | No | None | 0 |
| Anthony Bennett | UNLV | 2013 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Anthony Davis | Kentucky | 2012 | Yes | New Orleans | Yes | 28.0 | Yes | 2014-2017 | 0 |
| M. Kidd-Gilchrist | Kentcky | 2012 | Yes | Charlotte | Yes | 9.2 | No | None | 0 |
| Bradley Beal | Florida | 2012 | Yes | Washington | Yes | 23.1 | No | None | 0 |
| Andre Drummond | UCONN | 2012 | Yes | Detroit | Yes | 13.6 | No | None | 0 |
| Austin Rivers | Duke | 2012 | Yes | Clippers | No | 12.0 | No | None | 0 |
| Maurice Harkless | St. John’s | 2012 | Yes | Portland | Yes | 10.0 | No | None | 0 |
| Tony Wroten | Washington | 2012 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Marquis Teague | Kentucky | 2012 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Quincy Miller | Baylor | 2012 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Kyrie Irving | Duke | 2011 | Yes | Cleveland | Yes | 25.2 | Yes | 2012-2017 | 2016 |
| Enes Kanter | Freshman | 2011 | Yes | Oklahoma City | No | 14.3 | No | None | 0 |
| Tristan Thompson | Texas | 2011 | Yes | Cleveland | Yes | 8.1 | No | None | 2016 |
| Brandon Knight | Kentucky | 2011 | Yes | Phoenix | No | 11.0 | No | None | 0 |
| Tobias Harris | Tennessee | 2011 | Yes | Detroit | No | 16.1 | No | None | 0 |
| Cory Joseph | Texas | 2011 | Yes | Toronto | No | 9.3 | No | None | 0 |
| Josh Selby | Kansas | 2011 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| John Wall | Kentucky | 2010 | Yes | Washington | Yes | 23.1 | Yes | None | 0 |
| Derrick Favors | GA Tech | 2010 | Yes | Utah | Yes | 9.5 | No | None | 0 |
| DeMarcus Cousins | Kentucky | 2010 | Yes | Sacramento | Yes | 27.0 | Yes | 2015-2017 | 0 |
| Xavier Henry | Kansas | 2010 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Eric Bledsoe | Kentucky | 2010 | Yes | Phoenix | Yes | 21.1 | No | None | 0 |
| Avery Bradley | Texas | 2010 | Yes | Boston | Yes | 16.3 | No | None | 0 |
| Daniel Orton | Kentucky | 2010 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Hassan Whiteside | Marshall | 2010 | Yes | Miami | Yes | 17.0 | No | None | 0 |
| Lance Stephenson | Cincinnati | 2010 | Yes | Indiana | No | 6.8 | No | None | 0 |
| Tyreke Evans | Memphis | 2009 | Yes | Sacramento | No | 10.3 | No | None | 0 |
| DeMar DeRozan | USC | 2009 | Yes | Toronto | Yes | 27.3 | Yes | 2014, 2016-2017 | 0 |
| Jrue Holiday | UCLA | 2009 | Yes | New Orleans | Yes | 15.4 | No | None | 0 |
| Byron Mullens | Ohio State | 2009 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Derrick Rose | Memphis | 2008 | Yes | New York | Yes | 18.0 | Yes | 2010-2012 | 0 |
| Michael Beasley | K. State | 2008 | Yes | Milwuakee | No | 9.4 | No | None | 0 |
| O.J. Mayo | USC | 2008 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Kevin Love | UCLA | 2008 | Yes | Cleveland | Yes | 19.0 | Yes | 2011-2012, 2014, 2017 | 2016 |
| Eric Gordon | Indiana | 2008 | Yes | Houston | No | 16.2 | No | None | 0 |
| Jerryd Bayless | Arizona | 2008 | Yes | Philadelphia | No | 11.0 | No | None | 0 |
| Anthony Randolph | LSU | 2008 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| J.J. Hickson | NC State | 2008 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Kosta Koufos | Ohio State | 2008 | Yes | Sacramento | Yes | 6.6 | No | None | 0 |
| Donte Greene | Syracuse | 2008 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| DeAndre Jordan | Texas A&M | 2008 | Yes | Clippers | Yes | 12.7 | Yes | 2017 | 0 |
| Bill Walker | K. State | 2008 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Greg Oden | Ohio State | 2007 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Kevin Durant | Texas | 2007 | Yes | Oklahoma City | Yes | 25.1 | Yes | 2010-2017 | 0 |
| Mike Conley Jr | Ohio State | 2007 | Yes | Memphis | Yes | 20.5 | No | None | 0 |
| Brandan Wright | UNC | 2007 | Yes | Memphis | No | 6.8 | No | None | 0 |
| Spencer Hawes | Washington | 2007 | Yes | Milwuakee | No | 6.2 | No | None | 0 |
| Thaddeus Young | GA Tech | 2007 | Yes | Indiana | Yes | 11.0 | No | None | 0 |
| Javaris Crittenton | GA Tech | 2007 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Daequan Cook | Ohio State | 2007 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Tyrus Thomas | LSU | 2006 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
| Shawne Williams | Memphis | 2006 | No | N/A | N/A | N/A | No | None | 0 |
The NBA is all about the super-teams. Just take a look at who won the last 5 or 6 championship
The Superteam won the gold belt tonight. Maybe if Kawhii Leonard hadn’t have gotten hurt things might have been a bit more interesting, but the Superteam is the new normal!!
It’s sad but you’re right. The One and Done players have watered down the league. They come in not developed and with low basketball IQ’s. They don’t make the impact that the NBA needs to have parity with quality talent to compete for titles. Look at Philly, Minnesota and New Orleans to name a few. The are not near sniffing an NBA Title.