How ditching one and done helps BC Basketball

The NBA seems ready to rescind its one and done rule. That is good news for BC.

Since the NBA creatied the one and done, BC hasn't enrolled a single one and done recruit. We've never even been in serious consideration for any one and done recruits. Whether it is admission's expectations, coach's philosophies or recruits' perspectives on BC, it hasn't happened and seems unlikely to happen in the near future. Unfortunately many of our conference rivals have had success with one and dones (Duke primarily). That puts us at a disadvantage in those critical conference games.

The very best players are relatively easy to identify (bigger, stronger, faster, etc.). With those four or five best guys not coming to college, the talent disparity between that next level of recruit (call them Tier 2) and Tier 3 (the guys BC usually gets) is not as wide. This empowers programs who can develop and scheme to success.

But we don't need to just project what might happen. We have evidence. From the 1995 Draft Class with Kevin Garnett to the 2006 Draft Class (the first with one and dones), BC had some of its most successful years. Just look:

BC between (95-96 season and 05-06 season)
-- Seven NCAA Tournament appearances
--  Two Conference Tournament Championships
-- Two Conference Regular Season Championships
-- Eight winning seasons
-- 99 conference wins, 85 conferences losses

Watching the best players skip college for high school doesn't mean BC will instantly start winning again. But it does shift things enough, that a coach who has good schemes and good development can thrive. Is Jim Christian that guy? That argument is for a different post.