Why Do We Care If An Athlete Opt Out Of College To Enter Pro And Make Millions?
If it was your child and he/she has a chance to make millions, you would say show me the money. Oh well if they don’t stay in college and help your alma mater win a national title, it’s the their choice. More power to these kids who opt out and take the money. If there someone willing to pay you millions to do something you love, you would take it and run with it right?
August 15th, 2009 at 12:36 am
From a legal standpoint, I don’t have a problem with the NBA mandating one year of college in order to be NBA-eligible; there are a lot of jobs where you must have a college degree or some sort of license in order to be hired. Although guys like Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, and Dwight Howard show that it’s not necessary to go to college in order to succeed in the NBA (James and Howard show that they can possess maturity without college as well), it wouldn’t hurt them to have gone to college for a year. Going to school for a year can only help, not hurt. The only possible scenario where it hurts is if a guy goes to college, gets a severe injury, and has his career ruined. But that’s very unlikely.
Plus, it helps the college game with all of these great players in the NCAA who otherwise would not have gone. Some guys probably find out that they weren’t good enough for the NBA yet afterall and will stay 3 or 4 years. Hopefully they’ll learn more about the world and become more generally educated with a year or two of college as well.
I think the general argument is that the players should have the right to go to the NBA when they want; as I have argued, this can easily be contested by the fact that companies and leagues can set any requirements they want, the NBA included.
August 15th, 2009 at 2:54 am
The only problem with this is the kids who opt out early are rarely ready to play. Kobe and Lebron are the exceptions to the rules, and these players aren’t ready to compete at the next level. But that is the fault of the NBA, you can’t hold these kids responsible. If the money is there they would be stupid to risk getting hurt and passing up on it. Any of these kids could use this money to improve life for themselves and their family.
August 15th, 2009 at 5:41 am
“None of these ‘basketball brains’ realize the mistake they’re
making when they do ‘opt out’ of college.”
“Take a look at two of my examples, Michael Jordan and
Isaiah Thomas.”
“Mister JORDAN.
A person doesn’t invest all of his savings [then ask for other
investors to help], to purchase a National Basketball
Association franchise, because they’re well off and
financially secure. (Hard to believe, shouldn’t be).”
“Mister THOMAS.
Has had a head coaching JOB at the highest level of pro’
basketball. (Only to be called a failure by his critics).”
“Please understand, at the level where they are now, (picking
and choosing elite basketball players to hire, fire, and trade),
they both are at their END OF THE ROAD as far as ever
working again for another N.B.A. franchise.”
“Also realize, with both of their financial exploits (in salary and
endorsements), neither one of them come close to OWNING
an N.B.A. franchise.”
“A lot of good their QUALITY EDUCATION does them now
when their PLAYING DAYS are over. They still have to send
in a resume`, go to an interview, and still ASK FOR A JOB
like any other regular person.”
“One person I will never forget, John Lucas. He made it all
possible for the incoming rookie high school graduates to be
given a class on professionalism, upon entry into the N.B.A..”
“Me, I’ll dominate college basketball, then stay at my atma
mater to help others achieve their goals of playing top-level
professional basketball.”
“Even if that means going into some mid-major regional
conference, like the Big Sky Conference.”
August 15th, 2009 at 8:49 am
You damn skippy!!! The way I look at it is you go to college to get a better payn job so why wouldn’t you pass that up if you had the chance to get mills without college!!! Get the money then go back to college if you feel like it!!!
August 15th, 2009 at 2:14 pm
More than likely that athlete is in college because of a scholarship…which could have been used by someone who actually wanted to go to school and get an education but could not afford to, and would not choose to leave early.