High school basketball players cannot head directly from senior graduation ceremonies to the NBA.

They can, however, skip college and sign a professional contract with the NBA's Developmental League, thanks to a new rule that lowers the minimum age requirement to 18 years.

A player must be 19 and one year removed from high school to enter the NBA Draft.

"I don't think it's something in the best interest of college basketball," Kansas University coach Bill Self said of the NBADL's new rule, announced on April 13.

"I think what they are doing is establishing a league that on the surface encourages high schoolers to go to college, but gives them an out. Technically, if you are a big-time guy, you can go straight to the NBADL, play a year and probably sign a big shoe contract and legally make quite a bit of money that way and be eligible for the draft the year after.

"I think there will be kids out of high school test that. I think you'll see some high school kids go that way, unfortunately," Self added.

As an example, if this year's No. 1 player Greg Oden wished, he could sign a contract for about $30,000 in the NBADL, contract with Nike for mega millions, fine-tune his game one year, then enter the draft bypassing Ohio State, where he's decided to play one season.

"The thing that one needs to understand is the NBA is about the NBA and will do what's the best thing for them," Arizona coach Lute Olson told the Tucson Citizen. "I think it could backfire on them because a kid in the NBADL is not going to get the same kind of training, off-the-court discipline, developing leadership skills. It's ridiculous."

Former KU guard Rex Walters, who worked as associate head coach at Florida Atlantic University last season, said the NBADL's 18-year-old rule might be good in one regard.

"I know some kids don't have an interest in going to college. They have not proven they can do the classwork," said Walters, who played seven years in the NBA. "If they can't do the work, they don't belong in college, to be honest. This will at least give them another option."

KU senior associate athletic director Larry Keating, who worked two years as director of basketball operations for the International Basketball League, isn't so sure the NBADL will be an attractive option for hot-shot players.

"A kid makes $20,000 to 30,000 in that league ... by the time taxes are taken out, the kid still has to support himself," Keating said. "A scholarship provides a place to live, room and board. A college scholarship in many cases is worth more than $20,000.

"If you were an agent, you could make a case you'd rather have a kid go to college than the NBADL. In college, you'll get more publicity.

"Those are cut-throat leagues," Keating added. "Everybody in there has one thing in mind - getting to the NBA. An 18-year-old kid who is a star out of high school goes to the NBADL, there's four, five, six, seven guys on the team already four years older than you. They will not try to help you make the NBA. They want to get there themselves. Those guys are all looking out for themselves, which is understandable."

KU, B.C. set for December: The date of next season's KU-Boston College game will be Dec. 23 at Allen Fieldhouse. KU will return the game to B.C. in 2007-08. KU in '07-08 also will travel to Georgia Tech and likely to Southern California, if, as expected, that proposed two-game series with the Trojans is finalized.

KU and B.C. have played just once, the Bob Cousy-led Eagles winning, 78-62, on March 16, 1969 in a first-round NIT contest in New York.

B.C. defeated Oklahoma State, 76-68, last season in the final round of the Las Vegas Invitational in November.

Boston College finished the 2005-06 season with a 28-8 record. The Eagles were ranked seventh in the final Associated Press national poll. KU, 25-8, was ranked 12th in the final poll.

Aldrich to compete here: Future KU player Cole Aldrich, a 6-foot-11, 250-pound junior from Jefferson High in Bloomington, Minn., will compete for the Minnesota Magic in the Jayhawk Invitational AAU tournament on May 12-14 at Allen Fieldhouse and other venues around town.

James to reopen recruiting: Damion James, a 6-8, 225-pound senior forward from Nacodoches, Texas, has asked for his release from his Oklahoma letter of intent. Once he's released, he plans on making three visits and picking a school. Before signing with OU, James, rivals.com's No. 7-rated small forward in the Class of 2006, had been recruited by KU, Arizona, Baylor, Texas, Texas A&M and others.

Huggins checks out Reed: New Kansas State coach Bob Huggins was in Burlington last week scouting Tyrel Reed, a 6-2 junior from Burlington High considering KU, North Carolina, K-State, Illinois, Iowa, Wichita State and others.