So why did Joakim Noah stay when he would have been #1 overall? Why did Marcus Smart stay when he could have been a lottery pick? Why did Jared Sullinger stay? Why did the big white dude at Michigan stay (McGrary?)? They all could have chased the $, but they enjoyed college. You only get a few years to play college ball and have that intensity that the pro's don't have when it comes to gameday atmospheres. You aren't going to get 30+k going nuts over you with fatheads in the crowd at a home game at any arena in the NBA. Sometimes it is nice to be "THE DUDE" as opposed to "a dude". There are a ton of cases where players stay another year when they could get guaranteed millions. Why do they do it? I'd assume it has to do something for their love of the game and the college atmosphere vs the colder business-like approach of the pro's, but I could be way off on this. So to summarize this, it's not ALWAYS about the money. Yes, money is great. It makes life easier and helps you do fun things, but it doesn't make you happy. I feel bad for people that think money = happiness.
<Sigh> Just for added effect. <Sigh again>
1) Never said or implied anything remotely like money = happiness. Money does allow one to eat though, including one's family and some of these player's family's could use some eating money. You have a problem with them getting something to eat?
2) The examples Jared Sullinger and Mitch McGrary are incredibly bad examples for making your point. Both lost millions because they stayed and almost certainly both regret the fact that they did now.
3) Joakim Noah wasn't a #1, but he was financial more secure that 99% of other collegiate players. That almost certainly made a difference for him in his decision process.
4) Marcus Smart wrote the following when interviewed about his decision: "It took me a long time. I actually cried about it. It’s a hard decision for an 18-year-old kid, seeing that much money thrown at him, able to turn it down," Smart told DeCourcy. "It’s unthinkable. It’s unheard of. Nobody’s ever done that: a top-five draft pick turning that much money down, guaranteed, to come back to school for another year." Time will tell whether he comes to regret his decision or not. If he gets hurt between now and the end of this college basketball season, you better believe he'll regret it.
5) Is it nice to remain a kid? Sure it is. In some regards, there's still a big kid in me and I'm twice the age of any of these college players. So just because one goes pro, doesn't mean they have to stop all aspects of being a kid. Heck, your best example would be Tim Duncan. He stayed 4 years at Wake even though he didn't have to. I've also heard he's still an avid video game player. Guess he didn't loose all of the kid in him either.
6) You are right in one thing, it's not ALWAYS about the money. Just the vast majority of the time it is. And if JB wants to continue recruiting great players he has to tell the parents, "When the time comes, I will advise you and your child wisely and honestly about where I think they will be drafted based on my sources and how much money they will get, if drafted where my sources indicate. Then you can accurately assess if that is the right thing to do for you and your child." That is exactly what I would want to hear as a parent of a prospective future NBAer. Getting your hopes up that a projected first rounder at SU might stay is fool's gold at best.
7) Although you didn't write about this, plenty of guys do improve their games in the NBA. There are many examples of this. Was Lebron his rookie year the same Lebron we see today? Of course not. How about Roy Hibbert? I remember when he was drafted thinking at best he'd be a journey man player and have a 7 or 8 year backup center type career. Now he is literally one of the best centers in the NBA. What about Meta World Peace? He played a couple seasons at St. Johns and was a solid player there when deciding to leave school. Drafted with the 16th pick in the first round. Think he regrets leaving school early? He's had a 14 year NBA career at this point and is still going. One could go up and down NBA rosters and find guys who improved a great deal either in the NBA or via D-league and then getting into the NBA. Main reason I write this and some posters seem to think, once one leaves college, they have no chance of improving their game. That is a patently false concept.
8) If one is projected to be drafted outside the first round, they would be a fool to leave school early. Not simply for reasons that one is getting free room and board to work on the game, but also, and even more-so, a college education is worth something and giving up on that is foolish because as a non-first rounder, you might need something to fall back on in case major pro dollars never come your way. Yes, projected second rounders can often make money overseas, but nothing is guaranteed with that so it is best to get the degree and then pursue a Pro basketball career.
