UNDER THE CURRENT rules, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James would have played at least one season of college basketball before they joined the NBA.

Those two went straight to the pros. Potential had to be evaluated at the high school level.

But when the NBA changed the rules to require at least a year before entry into the NBA, the college game changed.

Suddenly, there were a rash of "one-and-done" players, guys who came into college as highly-recruited prospects and the intention of staying only one year.

The debate rages whether the rule has been good for the NBA and college basketball. College coaches, obviously protective of their sport, would like to see a rule similar to baseball — three years minimum at a four-year college before they can be drafted.

Yet, college coaches know the rule isn't likely to change unless the NBA wants to change it.

Right now there doesn't appear to be many options.

Players such as Derrick Rose and O.J. Mayo are one-year wonders in college basketball. Some, such as Oklahoma's Blake Griffin, could have been one-and-done but opted to stay.

Griffin benefited from college and will be the No. 1 pick in the upcoming NBA draft. He would have been a first-round pick after his freshman season but came back last year and turned himself into the national player of the year.

"Initially, I thought making kids go to school for at least a year was a good thing," said Kansas coach Bill Self, who deals regularly with the nation's most highly-recruited players. "However, I think now there will be a movement to make it at least another year older. I think a move to two years would be good.

"But, to be honest, I don't think anything will happen, except talk, until the NBA is ready to change."

Self knows. The rule changes the game but no one is going to back off a player just because there is a good chance that player will be in college just one year.

"There are a lot of guys who are projected to be one-and-done who end up staying two or three years," Self said. "Guys are going to want the best players they can get. Guys all develop at different times. You never know.

"If the NBA is not on board, I don't know how this is ever going to change. There are plenty of kids good enough to get paid, but there aren't many that are ready for a career."

Heading off for Europe is another option gaining some popularity with players.

There are mixed reviews on how going overseas compares with going to college. Right now, there might be a trend toward more guys going to Europe, but no one knows if it is a good option.

"No question, to me, Europe is an option for players," Self said. "But I don't see a lot of good things coming from it for an 18-year-old kid. I just think there are too many risks going along with it. I think it is a big risk.

"It'll be based on individual cases. It will be based on economic need and other factors."

Until the rule is changed, Self doesn't believe anyone is going to back off a player who publicly says he wants to play one year in college before heading off to the NBA.

There's all kinds of possibilities of abuse in the current system, including players taking a minimum class load in the fall followed by no classes in the spring and then jetting off to the NBA.

It is up to individual schools to police and monitor individual situations.

However, coaches know good players can make a huge difference, even for one season.

"I don't think you'll find many coaches who are going to back off a player that he thinks will be a lottery pick after one year," Self said.

So, don't expect any changes in the near future. If the NBA wants to change, then it'll change.

Until then, one-and-done players will continue to populate college basketball with varying degrees of success.