USC's Jazzy Davidson Talks 'Outdated' WNBA Eligibility Rules in Video, Potential Rule Change

USC star Jazzy Davidson labeled the WNBA's draft eligibility rules "a little outdated" as she approaches her sophomore season with the Trojans.

Davidson told Front Office Sports she'd "have to think more on that" because she enjoys playing college basketball and sees the benefit of earning a degree:

The WNBA has long had more stringent eligibility standards than the NBA, which allows players to enter the pros after just one year of college ball or a comparable level.

Under the terms of the collective bargaining agreement , players based in the United States basically have to meet one of three criteria. They need to have graduated from college or have plans to graduate, be four years removed from high school, or be at least 22 years old during their draft year.

The rules aren't really a reflection of whether a player is talented enough and physically ready to enter the WNBA straight out of high school or after one year of college. Instead, they stemmed from the scarcity of roster spots in the WNBA and the lack of long-term financial security for players.

It wasn't that long ago that even the top stars in the league were barely breaking $100,000 in salary. There was more value in obtaining a college degree when the vast majority of players would have to pivot to a second career when their time in the W ended.

In addition to that, opening the door for even more college players isn't necessary when a handful of draft picks don't even make it out of camp in a given year. Latasha Lattimore was a second-rounder (No. 21) this past spring, and the Chicago Sky waived her before opening night. Only four of the 15 players picked in the third round have made their WNBA debut.

Throw in the lack of an NBA G League equivalent and it's almost impossible to draft a player and stash them away until they've had time to develop.

Davidson led USC in the five major stat categories as a true freshman. She put up 17.9 points per game and shot 40.0 percent from the field.

Trojans teammate JuJu Watkins had the second-best scoring average (27.1 points) in the country as a true freshman in 2023-24.

Either would make an immediate impact in the WNBA right now if afforded the opportunity. Given the factors at play, it could still be a while before the league makes it easier for underclassmen to declare.