Go Pro Young Man…
July 9th, 2008 - byAthletic Scholarship or pro contract? That is the question. Recently, Brandon Jennings has made headlines because he is going to play professional basketball in Europe rather than maintain his amateur status and play college basketball. Many people have criticized Brandon for this decision, but I think it’s brilliant. Brandon does not have interest in being a student athlete, he dreams to be a professional basketball player which is exactly what he will be. Why should he spend a year in college in the U.S. simply because the current system requires that?
Basketball is not the only sport that regulates the process of being drafted into the professional ranks. The NFLalso demands that players spend two years in college before they are eligible to enter the draft. While their reasons are quite logical and pertain to the physical difference between the college and pro game, basketball does not have the same argument. Many players have made the leap from high school basketball to professional basketball and found a great deal of success. In fact, two of the best players in the game made that leap and do not seem to be having any problem. Ever heard of Kobe Bryant and Lebron James?
Rather than create a system that requires athletes who have no interest in being students play a year in college before entering the draft, the NCAA should focus on improving its basketball game and making high school athletes realize that playing college basketball will help their transition to the pro game. If the NCAA were able to prove that through its coaching and personal development of its athletes that they have a higher probability of success both in professional basketball and the years following their pro career then more high school athletes will view that as the best option.
If you look at the evolution of baseball, you will notice how this can work. Each year, more college baseball players are drafted very high in the MLB draft because they have proven to have an impact quicker than the high school players who take years to develop in the minors. High school baseball players have seen this and are now considering college baseball as the best option even when they are drafted out of high school.
The reality is that there are a handful of high school basketball players who are actually capable of going straight to the NBA after high school and finding success immediately. I realize that eliminating the requirements to enter the NBA draft will result in many high school players making a poor decision and entering the draft prematurely. However, how many players have spent three or four years in college and still failed to find success in the NBA? The answer is a lot! If the NCAA were able to prove that attending college for even a year or two will result in a better life then maybe those that consider making the leap prematurely will choose college instead of the NBA…This way the problem will fix itself rather than creating a system that hurts the most talented athletes in the world who truly belong in the NBA at age 18.