For some, the path to the NBA Draft passes through Springfield.
As the 2017 Bass Pro Tournament of Champions approaches, some of the premier high school basketball players in the nation will visit for Springfield for three days of hoops at JQH Arena from Jan. 12-14. Fifteen players in this year’s field of eight teams are committed to play for NCAA Division I basketball programs.
In the past two seasons, more than half a dozen future NBA players have appeared in Springfield as part of the tournament.
In the NBA collective bargaining agreement (CBA) ratified in 2005, players must be at least 19 years old and one year removed from high school before becoming eligible for the NBA Draft.