There was no rule against it, but with rare exceptions high school players were not taken in the NBA draft. Then 1995 happened. Kevin Garnett exploded onto the scene and for the next ten years prep stars invaded late-June. It only lasted a decade before the NBA instituted an age limit. Still, the ramifications are still being felt all over the Association. The Charlotte Hornets will always be linked with this time. They drafted Kobe Bryant out of high school in 1996. They helped change the narrative of the first prep star ever to be taken with the 1st overall pick, Kwame Brown.
Hive Talk Live: Guest Jonathan Abrams, Author of Boys Among Men
