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Why is the NBA eligibility policy called the one-and-done rule?

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Taking flight — Basketball Michael Jordan of the Chicago Bulls leaping into the air during the slam-dunk competition at NBA All-Star weekend in Chicago, February 6, 1988.

The term "one-and-done" refers to an NBA eligibility policy implemented in 2006 that requires players to meet two specific criteria before they can be drafted into the league: they must be at least 19 years old during the year of the draft, and at least one year must have elapsed since their high school graduation.12

Because these requirements effectively prevent players from entering the NBA directly out of high school, many top prospects choose to attend college for a single season to satisfy the eligibility rules before turning professional. This practice of spending exactly one year in college before leaving for the NBA earned the name "one and done."12

The policy was established following concerns that allowing players to jump directly from high school to the professional level—a trend that grew after Kevin Garnett was drafted in 1995—was negatively impacting the quality of college basketball and that many young athletes needed more development before transitioning to the professional game.3