“They were trying to get the next Kobe Bryant, right? Or they were trying to get the next LeBron James” – NBA analyst advocates to reduce the age limit for NBA draft, says kids have a right to join a pro league

The NBA is a pro sports league that is always open to making changes in hopes of improving the product. Just recently, reports emerged of talks regarding lowering the draft age from 19 to 18.

In the past, players were able to skip college and enter the draft straight out of high school. Some of the more notable names to do so include LeBron James and Kobe Bryant. However, the league then decided to up the eligible age to 19, forcing young prospects to have at least one year of college under their belts.

This minor tweak created what has been coined the "one and done" era of college basketball. Instead of staying for all four years, players have simply completed one year of service and then made the jump to the NBA.

During a recent episode of "The Odd Couple" podcast, Rob Parker opened up on the league's idea of lowering the draft age back to 18. He said players should have the chance to earn a living right out of high school if they have the talent to do so:

"That's not on the kids. That's on the general managers and the owners who decided to go out because they were trying to get the next Kobe Bryant, right? Or they were trying to get the next LeBron James. That's on them.

"They've made mistakes, but the kids should have a right to earn a living and get a job after they finish high school."

Should the NBA lower the draft eligibility age back to 18?

NBA Commissioner Adam Silver during a press conference.

Knowing what we know now, there is no reason why the NBA shouldn’t lower the draft age back to 18. With so many top prospects leaving college after a year, there is no sense in delaying the inevitable. At the end of the day, there isn't much difference between a 18-year-old prospect and a 19-year-old.

Rob Parker also brought up a valid point. Kids should not be punished for the wrongdoings of general managers in the past. Just because someone is entering the draft at 18 does not mean they have to be selected. The change would be primarily for gifted talents who have the chance to make an impact on Day 1.

The NBA is a booming business, and players are making more money now than ever. Because of this, prospects are looking to enter the ranks as fast as possible. Players have made the jump from high school before, and should be able to do so again.