LeBron James is one of many’s favorite basketball player. But as he reaches 40, he is nearing retirement. Lucky for him (and fans), he has two sons hoping to follow in his footsteps. In 2018, LeBron signed a $153.3 million contract with the Lakers, meaning his contract will expire in 2022. Is it a coincidence that this is the year his son, LeBron James Jr., will graduate high school?
For the first time in NBA history, LeBron James and LeBron James Jr may team up to become the first father-son teammates. However, since 2006, the NBA teams and players union added a minimum age requirement bargaining agreement. Potential NBA players are required to wait a full calendar year after graduating high school before being drafted. This would mean LeBron’s contract with the LA Lakers would expire before LeBron Jr. had the chance to sign with a team. This rule could potentially be challenged under antitrust law, however he would have to be a lot more than a standout high school star. It is possible that the NBA may make a change in draft rules which would open a possibility for LeBron Jr. to enter the league directly out of high school, and cut the current necessary time by one year.
This shows how the Haywood Decision has made a huge impact on basketball today. If the Supreme Court had not allowed him to stay with the Sonics then it would not be possible for high school students to make the NBA Draft without competing four years in college. This would mean that LeBron James and his son would have no possibility of playing together since LeBron’s contract would end while his son would not be eligible for the NBA.
Sources:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/marcedelman/2018/07/03/could-lebron-james-jr-theoretically-challenge-the-nba-age-requirement-in-2022/#7c55fd7d6f1e
https://theundefeated.com/features/will-lebron-james-and-his-son-bronny-play-in-the-nba-together-like-ken-griffey-jr-and-his-father-did-on-the-seattle-mariners/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Haywood_v._National_Basketball_Association
It's really interesting to see how the NBA still has not removed the rule requiring players to be at least a year removed from graduating high school before entering the league, as removing such a rule could generate significant media coverage, boosting revenue generated by the league. For instance, seeing LeBron James play alongside his son would be a first in NBA history, and would generate a great deal of attention for the league. Furthermore, removing the one and done rule also has the chance of benefitting players, as for instance, if a standout player has a career ending injury while playing in their one season of college basketball, then they would miss out on large earnings in the NBA.
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