Stern message

Commissioner discusses imminent changes, state of NBA

Stern: "We have got to stop the whining, stop the complaining and play the game." AP

ATLANTA (AP) -- NBA commissioner David Stern delivered two pieces of news Saturday night, announcing that Darko Milicic of Yugoslavia will be eligible for the 2003 draft and that the first round of the playoffs will be changed from best-of-5 to best-of-7 this season.

Both agreements came after talks with the NBA players' union, whose director, Billy Hunter, joined Stern on the dais for his annual All-Star Weekend news conference.

The owners and players also agreed to meet this summer to begin discussing an extension of the collective bargaining agreement that will expire after the 2003-04 or 2004-05 season.

"We are feeling pretty good about the state of the NBA in a very difficult economic time and in a very turbulent world," Stern said.

The change in draft eligibility rules will allow international players to declare for the draft in the same year in which they turn 18. Previously, the league said a player needed to turn 18 before the draft application deadline, which comes 45 days before the draft.

Eligibility rules for American players will not be changed.

Milicic, 17, has been projected as the possible No. 2 pick in next June's draft after high school phenom LeBron James.

Milicic cleared to enter draft ATLANTA, Feb 8 (Reuters) -- Yugoslav Darko Milicic will be allowed to enter this year's NBA draft, league commissioner David Stern declared on Saturday. The NBA initially ruled the 17-year-old ineligible for the draft because he would not have turned 18 before officially declaring for the June 26th draft, and he threatened to take the league to court. However, after meeting with the NBA Players Association on Saturday, the league determined that Milicic will be eligible as long as he is 18 by the draft. The seven-foot forward will sneak in just under the deadline, turning 18 just six days before the draft. "In Darko's situation, there was ambiguity in the collective bargaining agreement," said NBA Players Association president Billy Hunter. "It said you have to be 18 at the time you were petitioned as opposed to when the draft occurs. "We discussed his situation and the players overwhelmingly support his application. "Here is a kid who is playing professional ball in Yugoslavia. Here is a kid who hasn't gone to college. So it doesn't make sense as far as I'm concerned to keep him out." With his path to the NBA now cleared of hurdles, Milicic is widely expected to be the second player chosen behind high school player LeBron James. A slick ball handler with a great outside shot and a solid grasp of the game, Milicic has also drawn rave reviews from scouts for his toughness and a mean streak.

"He's thrilled. He's going to get a chance to live out his dream," said Marc Cornstein, the U.S.-based agent for Milicic.

The union agreed to expand the first round of the playoffs in exchange for an increase in postseason bonus money and some additional time off for veterans at the start of training camps.

A source within the league with knowledge of the agreement, speaking on condition of anonymity, outlined the terms of the deal to the AP: