Testing the On-Court Efficacy of the NBA's Age Eligibility Rule

Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports. Volume 8, Issue 2, 2012

23 Pages Posted: 25 Aug 2012

See all articles by Ryan M. Rodenberg

Ryan M. Rodenberg

Florida State University - College of Education; Florida State University - College of Law

Jun Woo Kim

Florida State University

Date Written: June 2012

Abstract

The NBA’s age eligibility rule is controversial. To examine the on-court efficacy of the NBA’s age eligibility rule, we test the effect of age of entry on NBA career performance. Our data set comprises the 332 players selected in the first round of the NBA draft from 1989 to 2000. Using censored normal regression models, we found that players drafted at a relatively younger age have more successful NBA careers across three different metrics. To explore a beneficial effect of one year in college, group selection bias tests were conducted by comparing differences in career success between “one and done” players and players who entered the NBA straight out of high school. The results were consistent with our main analyses – players who moved into the NBA directly from high school generally perform better than players with a single year of college experience. We find no systematic evidence in support of the on-court efficacy of the NBA’s age eligibility rule.

Keywords: NBA, age eligibility rules, censored normal regression

JEL Classification: L83

Suggested Citation

Rodenberg, Ryan M. and Woo Kim, Jun, Testing the On-Court Efficacy of the NBA's Age Eligibility Rule (June 2012). Journal of Quantitative Analysis in Sports. Volume 8, Issue 2, 2012, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2135568

Ryan M. Rodenberg (Contact Author)

Florida State University - College of Education ( email )

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HOME PAGE: http://education.fsu.edu/faculty-and-staff/dr-ryan-rodenberg

Florida State University - College of Law ( email )

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United States
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850-644-0974 (Fax)

HOME PAGE: http://education.fsu.edu/faculty-and-staff/dr-ryan-rodenberg

Jun Woo Kim

Florida State University

Tallahasse, FL 32306
United States

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