Why not stay in college for 3 years?

You don't get paid to play in college.

On top of that, it is a rule that American players have to wait 1 year post graduation to enter the draft so many players go 1 year to college just because they have no other option to develop their game. And especially since it is also a business decision, I think that rule should not be there.

If Skal Labissiere had decided to enter the NBA without going to college he would have been picked much higher (unlikely, since he is very raw and on the contrary I think he should have stayed more, but just saying). Also, Ben Simmons pretty much gained nothing from his college year.

Leaving business aside, from a player growth standpoint indeed many players need more growth to be ready for the NBA (Ivan Rabb was right in my opinion to stay in college for more) which is why rookies have a pretty low standard these days in terms of the rookie of the year competition. However, the question you have to ask is: Would Kris Dunn for example be better if it was his 3rd NBA year now or will he be better now as a rookie that stayed 3 years in college? Hard to say.

All that said, in a world where every player had to go for 3 years in college, the college competition would be much more legit and closer to the NBA level so it would prepare college players better and the NBA teams wouldn't have to be faced with less difficult decisions like how much time they should give to their rookies, if they should throw them in the D-league to develop e.t.c.

There are arguments for both sides.

/r/nba Thread