NEW YORK (AP) — The NBA and USA Basketball are dipping their toe into youth sports, recommending guidelines they hope will help with development and enhanced experiences at a young age.The recommendations include lowering the basket and prohibiting zone defense and 3-point shots at the youngest level of competition. They also call for the use of a 24-second shot clock at the high school level and a 30-second shot clock for ages 12-14 in their youth guidelines that were announced Tuesday.“When these kids are getting into the sport at this young age, we want them to get in and have a good experience, have them succeed,” USA Basketball CEO Jim Tooley said, “and we think these rules and standards help them do that, help them develop as young people and overall improves the sport.”The guidelines were developed over a two-year period by a working group that included former players and coaches, and representatives from high school, the NCAA and AAU basketball. They were divided into four segments: ages 7-8, ages 9-11, ages 12-14 and grades 9-12.Most of the standards can’t be enforced, because the NBA and USA Basketball don’t operate leagues or tournaments at the early ages.