players coming out of the woodwork

[stuckinbig11]

Every day, there is an announcement that some unknown college basketball player is opting for the NBA draft. Are these kids flunking out and have no other choice, or is somebody giving them bad advice? There are limited numbers of draft choices to begin with, and foreign players use some of them. Many second-rounders never see a minute of NBA action--ever. A remedial course in simple arithmetic might help some of these kids make better choices.

 

[Melancer46]

Every day, there is an announcement that some unknown college basketball player is opting for the NBA draft. Are these kids flunking out and have no other choice, or is somebody giving them bad advice? There are limited numbers of draft choices to begin with, and foreign players use some of them. Many second-rounders never see a minute of NBA action--ever. A remedial course in simple arithmetic might help some of these kids make better choices.

Some guys definitely fall into the "college just isn't for them" category (see: Vander Blue last year). Who are the unknown guys that have declared so far this year though?

 

[joct]

Every day, there is an announcement that some unknown college basketball player is opting for the NBA draft. Are these kids flunking out and have no other choice, or is somebody giving them bad advice? There are limited numbers of draft choices to begin with, and foreign players use some of them. Many second-rounders never see a minute of NBA action--ever. A remedial course in simple arithmetic might help some of these kids make better choices.

To me that is the under-discussed part of the underclassmen topic, as most of the discussion is on guys that most people are sure will be pros, but a matter of when is the right time to go.

Last year, 46 underclassmen came out early; 20 went in the 1st round; 8 in the second. Past years were very similar. That leaves 26 out of the 46 not going in the first round, to make a team with a non-guaranteed contract, get cut, D-League, or Europe. Probably a variety of factors, as how many were given bad advice and thought they were 1st round locks, just didn't want to be in school, figured they were good enough to make it as a 2nd rounder, or what? If even half of these guys stuck around, they'd make quite an impact on college basketball. CJ Leslie out of NC State was one last year...coming on strong, leaves, undrafted, barely in the d-league.

 

[Fly Rodder]

CJ Leslie out of NC State was one last year...coming on strong, leaves, undrafted, barely in the d-league.

Considering the train of transfers out of NC State and that Leslie was only missing his senior season, he probably felt he was better off risking an NBA shot and a pro-career over transferring and sitting out a year.

 

[MikeSU02]

Every day, there is an announcement that some unknown college basketball player is opting for the NBA draft. Are these kids flunking out and have no other choice, or is somebody giving them bad advice? There are limited numbers of draft choices to begin with, and foreign players use some of them. Many second-rounders never see a minute of NBA action--ever. A remedial course in simple arithmetic might help some of these kids make better choices.

Yes and yes.

Both.

It's very easy to persuade a young adult with the potential for millions of dollars.

 

[dollarbill44]

Yes and yes.

Both.

It's very easy to persuade a young adult with the potential for millions of dollars.

Or even $100k, probably.

 

[kuethstheman]

Some guys definitely fall into the "college just isn't for them" category (see: Vander Blue last year).

I think most of them know they're going to end up overseas (e.g. Harris) but figure why not put in for the NBA. Could get lucky.

 

[moqui]

there are worse things in life than dropping out of school and into a $75,000 contract to play a 30 game season on the Adriatic coast

the world is the basketball player's oyster these days - see the world, get paid a solid upper-middle class salary, and play the game you love for a decade or more.


it ain't millions, but it ain't bad.

 

[snowycuse]

One projection I saw was Ennis getting drafted 14th by the Suns. Great!!!

Now I want a system that puts the Suns on the hook for his future education expenses provided he remains in good academic standing.

After participation in workouts and the NBA Summer League if it is determined he would be best served NOT playing on the Suns roster next year he could be sent back to Syracuse as a walk-on (Suns would be paying for his tuition/expenses) and he would be bound to Cuse until the end of that playing season in which he would be evaluated again.

Essentially GM's could begin drafting American players on potential much in the same way they have been storing European players. NCAA is already a minor-league this just helps organize it and I admit much more would go into it as you could point out plenty of holes that need to be plugged up but this is the base idea.

 

[PeteCalvin]

What's funny is I remember when the NBA draft was like 8-10 rounds...and there were less teams then! No Euros or underclassmen either. That's when the draft was fun. You knew all the guys by name, even the last pick.

 

[Garbs]

News Flash: Kids do dumb things.

OP do you live under a rock?

 

[anomander]

News Flash: Kids do dumb things.

OP do you live under a rock?

How is it dumb?

Some of these kids want nothing to do with college. Why stay in school in school and play in some low D1 league when you can go pro to make money to support your family. I'm sure most of these kids don't think they are going to be playing in the NBA, but if you can get paid to play basketball that's good enough for them.

I am sure the argument would be to stay in school to get a degree, but let's face it if you have to be forced to stay in school, and only get passed through because you play basketball then it's likely you aren't going to be working for some bank when you graduate.

 

[Garbs]

How is it dumb?

Some of these kids want nothing to do with college. Why stay in school in school and play in some low D1 league when you can go pro to make money to support your family. I'm sure most of these kids don't think they are going to be playing in the NBA, but if you can get paid to play basketball that's good enough for them.

I am sure the argument would be to stay in school to get a degree, but let's face it if you have to be forced to stay in school, and only get passed through because you play basketball then it's likely you aren't going to be working for some bank when you graduate.

I get what you are saying but dropping out of school (especially when it is a free education) is almost always dumb