Knight slams NBA’s draft eligibility rule

Texas Tech men’s basketball coach Bob Knight blasted the NBA rule that forbids high school seniors from declaring for the league’s draft.

“I think it’s the worst thing that’s happened to college basketball since I’ve been coaching,” Knight said during Monday’s Big 12 conference call.

Knight’s rant against the rule, which first applied to the current freshman class, had nothing to do with the Red Raiders’ road game tonight against Texas and Kevin Durant.

Durant, the Longhorns’ freshman phenom who had 37 points and 23 rebounds in a Jan. 31 win at Tech, probably would have been a lottery pick if he had been allowed to declare for last year’s draft. Ohio State freshman center Greg Oden and Durant are considered locks to go first and second in this year’s draft if they declare.

Knight did not mention Durant or any other player when he answered a reporter’s question about the impact of the rule. Knight focused on the problems the “ridiculous” rule presents.

“Now you can have a kid come to school for one year and play basketball, and he doesn’t even have to go to class,” Knight said.

Knight suggested high school seniors should be allowed to declare for the draft and could be required to play in the NBA Development League until they meet the NBA’s age requirement.

Knight was adamant that players who attend college should not be eligible for the draft for two years.