Kentucky's Noel out for the rest of the season

You do realize from 1946 to 1971 the NBA would NOT allow a player to be drafted without 4 years of college or waiting 4 years outside of his Sr. class. The NBA was sued by Spencer Haywood and lost because they would not honor his ABA contract. The NBA has ALWAYS had at least a "1 year removed" policy from the inception of the league. Even under the old policy prior to 2005, you had to sit a year. or you had to "show financial cause" why you could not go to college. You could also play one year in the NBADL or in another league. The "one and done" concept is a myth anyway......the NBA has ALWAYS wanted players to go to college. They want to see them play on a national stage and see them play against talent from other demographics. Taking a bet on a high school kid who has never played out of his home state.......is not good business. In fact it has been VERY bad business; The NBA has had a total of 55 players go from high school to the NBA without playing in college in the 66 years of the league. of those 55, only 23 have made an impact or are currently making an impact on the league. that is .83% of ONE PERSON a year for 66 years that has come out of high school and played pro ball. These kids have "hoop dreams" in their heads because of Kobe (who could NEVER play for a coach anyway,...because he thinks he knows everything and would have never played team ball), and because of Lebron James (who is the exception not the rule), but beyond that, there are very few who have had any championship impact on the game. Kevin Garnett maybe.....Moses Malone. Daryle Dawkins (who never did more than make highlites and become a journeyman. The NBA knows that every time a "one and done" hits the draft board, that pushes another player into the slot behind him, who isn't ready yet........like having a police force or military full of rookies and no senior leadership. Which is why UK struggles so much in the early stages of the season each year....we have no senior leadership. And now we have no season left, because we are not strong enough, assertive enough, or tall enough under the basket to muscle other teams in the tourney. Lets face it. if AD were still here, and he took that injury.......we would have a hungry Nerlens Noel coming in off the bench to save the season....and that is worth buying a ticket for.

As far as Noel's return prospects, NBA All-Star and Chicago Bull guard, Derrick Rose, had the same injury when he tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee during last year's playoff opener against Philadelphia. He has yet to return to the Bulls and says he doesn't know when he will. He may very well have to miss the whole year.

None taken...but I do not see the comparison between the one and done players and a puppy mill. Nobody is being taken advantage of here like those poor puppies. They leave after winning the En - Cee - Double - Ayyy, or come close to it, and become millionaires over night. A tidy win-win situation. Some players stay two or three of 4 years, like Darius Miller did, and then he left to become a millionaire too. He became the backbone of the team in doing so. ........................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... I don't know any Cat fan who would not have liked to see the entire team from last year return for this one...but I don't know any of them who would trade the National Championship for it...do you? But remember, the one and done players would not have won the whole thing if it hadn't been for the returning players. That is a big part of the problem this year, which is why Cal recruited some older guys to supplement the kids. ......................................................................................................................................................................................................................................................... To be honest, the only one and done on this team was Noel, and his chances of doing that went down significantly when he hit that basket support on a spectacular play. Your wishes will be granted for next year. The chemistry will be back again soon...remember that they have another bumper crop coming next year too...and these kids will be a year older!

Daily, I agree 110 percent. Make 'em graduate, or "pay" them when they re-up the following year.

No offense intended to the big blue nation....but does anyone see a comparison with this one and done business and an ordinary puppy mill...? Would it not be nice to have some UK players stay for more than a year for a change. Big blue fans are getting tired of seeing a completely different team on the floor every single year. Last year was an exeptional team, but how many more titles you think UK will win with one and done players ? AH...none.

I just heard that even if Noel's injury is career ending, he is insured for several million $$$, just like some of his other team mates. Although the assistant coach said that they expected a full recovery in 8 months. He added that Noel may keep his name in the NBA draft if he wants to, depending on his recovery. My bet is that he and the rest of the team will all be back next year. Noel was the only one good enough to be a 1st round pick.

Wow! I feel very sorry for this young man. It looked bad at the time it happened.