NBA Draft: The future of the one-and-done; how it affects the Cavs

Around this time last year, many around the NBA were wondering when, not if, the NBA was going to abolish it’s “one-and-done” rule. Since that has happened, there have been some major changes in college athletics that have seemingly stalled the elimination of the rule. The most important change obviously was the passage of the NIL rule in the NCAA.

Now, college student-athletes can benefit from their name, image, and likeness. For example, now when Jalen Duren is playing for the Memphis Tigers next year, he can sign autographs that he will be compensated for.

This has been a long time coming in the NCAA, whose leadership has been disheartening, at best. NCAA president Mark Emmert has mishandled hundreds of different cases over his tenure in that role. On top of that he may go down as one of the worst leaders in NCAA history because of his mishandling of the March Madness television deal, as Pete Thamel of Yahoo! Sports emphasized.

Last year, multiple college athletes were not allowed to play shows with their bands, because they would be receiving improper benefits. Over time college athletes have realized how poorly the NCAA handles their careers. The push to pass the NIL rule was supported by nearly every college athlete, present and past. As archaic as the NCAA and it’s rules were, now there is a new era in college athletics.

However, does that mean that the one-and-done rule will be eliminated? Or, could the NCAA possibly change their draft rules to align more with college football? Let’s take a look at how the one-and-done rule could change in the coming years, and eventually, how that could affect the Cleveland Cavaliers, from there.