One of the biggest issues the NBA is currently facing isn’t tanking or injury load management; it’s a developmental one. Young players, often still learning the game’s fundamentals, are thrown into the pros and expected to contribute immediately. In fact, more often than not, lottery picks are expected to lead franchises as rookies, something Charles Barkley isn’t a huge fan of.

And that’s why, during his recent appearance on the GO BLUE HOOPS podcast, the former NBA superstar vented his frustration with the current “one-and-done” landscape, which was introduced back in 2006, to stop teams from drafting players directly from high school. However, in reality, it has only widened the gap, as now players use college as a pit stop before heading to the NBA.

“I’ve always believed the kids should stay in college for at least two years. Just going to college for one year, you’re not going to get a lot better in six months, but in two years, you can get a lot. I tell people, there’s a big difference in six months and two years,” Barkley said. “And number one, mentally, but also physically, because when you go to the NBA, you’re going to be playing against grown men.”

“One of the reasons I like the young kids stand is that you’re going to go to a crap team and to get beat up mentally and physically every single day, it takes its toll on you mentally and physically,” the Hall of Famer further emphasized. There’s no doubt that several players have successfully leaped after just a year, such as Jayson Tatum or Anthony Davis. Moreover, players like Cooper Flagg have even gotten lucky by getting drafted by a competitive team.

Still, more often than not, players drafted into the league go to a tanking team, which this summer could come from the 8 teams losing purposefully to get better odds in the draft, such as the Utah Jazz or maybe even the Washington Wizards. These players fail to make an immediate impact and then spend the majority of the time in the G League or on the bench.

There are plenty of such examples, like Marvin Bagley III or Jahlil Okafor, who failed to adapt to the professional stage. That’s why Charles Barkley is advising players like AJ Dybantsa to spend at least two years in college and hone their skills before making the transition to the NBA. Nonetheless, this isn’t the first time the former Phoenix Suns star has shed light on this concern, as he previously even used legends to establish his point.

Charles Barkley urges NCAA stars not to rush to go to the NBA, using Michael Jordan as an example

“It didn’t hurt Magic Johnson to stay in school a couple of years, did it?” Barkley said. “It didn’t hurt Larry Bird to stay in school for three years? It didn’t hurt Michael Jordan to stay in school for three years. Think about this, the five greatest players in my opinion, Michael, Oscar, Kareem, Wilt, and Bill Russell. All five of those guys stayed in school for a minimum of three years. It didn’t hurt them, did it?”

Barkley’s point is backed by history. Playing in college for over a year not only didn’t impact the careers of these legends, but it also helped them be NBA-ready when the time came. Yes, there are always exceptions like LeBron James or Kobe Bryant, but for most players, it seems like staying in college will do them more good than harm, especially with the new NIL system in place.

With the new NIL system, some top college players can now potentially earn more than they would on an NBA rookie contract, removing a key financial incentive to leave early. So, why do players still prefer to declare for the NBA Draft after just one year in college? Perhaps, it’s just the excitement of turning pro and realizing their dreams.