Kentucky has four "one and dones" going to the NBA

Michigan

Why do they keep up the charade of calling them "student-athletes"? Just call it what it is, a short term NBA training camp.

Kentucky is not the only one of course but this farce might be addressed in the next NBA contract talks.

VikaSoy

Bill Gates drops out to make money and is a hero. All athletes should be allowed to do the same.

PowderedH2O

The Ivy League is full of student athletes that have excellent GPA's and superb SAT scores. Anybody watching?

IrishMike

<< <i>The Ivy League is full of student athletes that have excellent GPA's and superb SAT scores. Anybody watching? >>



Some do, but then I don't watch teams like Kentucky who make a farce out of college athletics either. Duke and Butler are both outstanding academic colleges and millions watched, so what is your point?

dirtmonkey

It's the NBA's fault for creating the rental player. This mandatory 1 year of college BS was a dumb idea. Stern, you're a moron.

Estil

<< <i>It's the NBA's fault for creating the rental player. This mandatory 1 year of college BS was a dumb idea. Stern, you're a moron. >>



Believe it or not, I think that rule is stupid, even if it did work to our advantage last year. And BTW, it's not a "mandatory one year of college"; the player just has to wait a year after HS graduation. They are free to do other things such as simply take the year off or play pro ball in Europe or whatnot.

Estil

<< <i>The Ivy League is full of student athletes that have excellent GPA's and superb SAT scores. Anybody watching? >>



The Ivy League is full of students period with excellent GPAs and superb SAT/ACT scores; they'd have no chance of getting in otherwise.

frankhardy

A coach's job is to recruit the best players that he can, as long as they qualify academically. He cannot predict whether or not they will go pro after one year. If a coach does not recruit, he looses his job. Until some rules get changed, I am not going to be critical of a coach just doing his job.

PowderedH2O

<< The Ivy League is full of student athletes that have excellent GPA's and superb SAT scores. Anybody watching? >>

<< Some do, but then I don't watch teams like Kentucky who make a farce out of college athletics either. Duke and Butler are both outstanding academic colleges and millions watched, so what is your point?>>

I would love to have nothing but pure student athletes. But that is a dream. And if you think all of the Duke and Butler players are great students you are kidding yourself. Ever hear an interview with former Duke great Sheldon Williams? He makes Benoit Benjamin sound like a scholar. My point is that most fans want to watch great basketball players.

Stern is not a moron. He is a freaking genius!!! Here's what he gets out of the 'silly' one year rule:

1. Young kids get an extra year of maturity at the expense of someone else.
2. Some of the great high school phenoms that might have holes in their games and flop at the NBA level are exposed in the college game, thereby saving the NBA money.
3. This one might be the most important. Not everyone follows high school basketball. I live near Raleigh, so I knew about John Wall last year. But a lot of casual fans had no idea. I certainly never heard of Kevin Durant before he went to Texas. But after one year at UT, was I anxious to see Durant play pro ball? Yep. This is an easy way to sell tickets by building name recognition. Magic Johnson could have gone to the NBA out of high school. He was that good. But, how many more people bought tickets to see Magic that first year because of what he accomplished at Michigan State? Or what Carmelo did at Syracuse?

Stern's no fool.

billwaltonsbeard

<< <i>Ever hear an interview with former Duke great Sheldon Williams? He makes Benoit Benjamin sound like a scholar.


3. This one might be the most important. Not everyone follows high school basketball. I live near Raleigh, so I knew about John Wall last year. But a lot of casual fans had no idea. I certainly never heard of Kevin Durant before he went to Texas. But after one year at UT, was I anxious to see Durant play pro ball? Yep. This is an easy way to sell tickets by building name recognition. Magic Johnson could have gone to the NBA out of high school. He was that good. But, how many more people bought tickets to see Magic that first year because of what he accomplished at Michigan State? Or what Carmelo did at Syracuse? >>



Two fantastic points.

dirtmonkey

<< <i><< The Ivy League is full of student athletes that have excellent GPA's and superb SAT scores. Anybody watching? >>

<< Some do, but then I don't watch teams like Kentucky who make a farce out of college athletics either. Duke and Butler are both outstanding academic colleges and millions watched, so what is your point?>>

I would love to have nothing but pure student athletes. But that is a dream. And if you think all of the Duke and Butler players are great students you are kidding yourself. Ever hear an interview with former Duke great Sheldon Williams? He makes Benoit Benjamin sound like a scholar. My point is that most fans want to watch great basketball players.

Stern is not a moron. He is a freaking genius!!! Here's what he gets out of the 'silly' one year rule:

1. Young kids get an extra year of maturity at the expense of someone else.
2. Some of the great high school phenoms that might have holes in their games and flop at the NBA level are exposed in the college game, thereby saving the NBA money.
3. This one might be the most important. Not everyone follows high school basketball. I live near Raleigh, so I knew about John Wall last year. But a lot of casual fans had no idea. I certainly never heard of Kevin Durant before he went to Texas. But after one year at UT, was I anxious to see Durant play pro ball? Yep. This is an easy way to sell tickets by building name recognition. Magic Johnson could have gone to the NBA out of high school. He was that good. But, how many more people bought tickets to see Magic that first year because of what he accomplished at Michigan State? Or what Carmelo did at Syracuse?

Stern's no fool. >>




You're right. I guess I'm angry at Stern for putting a rule in place that's going to screw college basketball. Although I'm really no fan of basketball at all, I do enjoy watching college basketball from time to time. I hate the pros. I think the quality of players in the NBA is tragic. I hear people try to compare all sorts of numbers from players today versus 20 years ago, but I've seen the games enough to know that, in my mind, the players can't compare. More athletic? Sure. But that seems to be about it.

One year players hurt universities IMO. Sure, as indicated above, it benefited a school like Kentucky this year to some degree. But, by giving scholarships to these one year guys, they miss out on the opportunity to get a team together that can grow as a unit for a few years. Fans don't get the chance to embrace a player for that long before he's "done his time" and run. Coaches know who's likely going to be staying for only one year. I would just rather see these kids go directly to the NBA and quit wasting scholarship opportunities for guys who actually intend on staying for 4 years.

So I do agree with your points. I guess I just said he's a moron, like a pouting child, because his rule screws college basketball to some degree IMO. Sure, one could argue the reverse but I'll likely not see it otherwise. I got to see Chris Webber come to Michigan and stay for two years. They went to the championship game both years. Had that team stayed together for 4 years, I'd like to think they would have one at least one championship. But I'll never know because he left after his sophmore year. Webber was a good player here, but I guess I'll always be happier with the Glen Rice guys that put their 4 years in and finally get rewarded in the end. Pipe dream... I know.

markj111

How will Wall and Cousins ever be successful in life if they do not get a degree?

Estil

Dunno, Rush Limbaugh and Bill Gates seemed to get by okay without one...

coinkat

Don't under estimate the athletic talent of Ivy League student athletes- many have different priorities in terms of what they want to do with their life- let's not judge -

Bill Gates had talent that is not measured by academics

Rush-No comment based upon what I wrote earlier

mcadams

<< <i>A coach's job is to recruit the best players that he can, as long as they qualify academically. He cannot predict whether or not they will go pro after one year. If a coach does not recruit, he looses his job. Until some rules get changed, I am not going to be critical of a coach just doing his job. >>



Really? You don't think coaches have a good idea of which high school players will go pro after 1 year. Most every coach in the county (and many fans too) knew that D. Cousins and J. Wall would both leave after 1 year. The others were a surprise (maybe).

dirtmonkey

<< <i>Dunno, Rush Limbaugh and Bill Gates seemed to get by okay without one... >>




Please, Limbaugh should never be put in to the same category as Gates. Such an insult to Bill.

Estil

I simply used the first two examples that came to my head of people who succeeded really well (financially and otherwise) without a college degree. I'm sure there's countless others.

Garabaldi

They can always go to school after they make their money.

frankhardy

John Wall says that his goal is to be the first one and done to get his degree. All reports say that he is still going to class even now.

mcadams

<< <i>John Wall says that his goal is to be the first one and done to get his degree. All reports say that he is still going to class even now. >>



Yeah, I'm sure he's taking all the really tough core classes.

dirtmonkey

<< <i>I simply used the first two examples that came to my head of people who succeeded really well (financially and otherwise) without a college degree. I'm sure there's countless others. >>




Yes, but Gates has had success because he is a genius. Limbaugh is successful because other people are not.

Estil

<< <i>John Wall says that his goal is to be the first one and done to get his degree. All reports say that he is still going to class even now. >>



And making really good grades from what I understand. So at least he's keeping his options open.

frankhardy

Brandon Knight and Enes Kanter - come on down!!

Boopotts

<< <i>Brandon Knight and Enes Kanter - come on down!! >>



That coach Cal sure does know how to bring in the student-athletes.

frankhardy

<< <i>

<< <i>Brandon Knight and Enes Kanter - come on down!! >>



That coach Cal sure does know how to bring in the student-athletes. >>




I take it that the above statement is dripping with sarcasm.

Brandon Knight has a 4.3 GPA. He has never had less than an "A" from Kindergarten through the 12th grade. That is pretty impressive. He is quoted at his press conference as saying "I am more concerned with my education because my mind will last longer than my legs." Also, many people think of him as NOT a one and done player and may play multiple years at Kentucky.

frankhardy

One other thing about Brandon Knight - he is entering summer school at UK to get a head start on his academics. Sounds like a "student-athlete" to me.

Estil

I should know all about that! I had to go to three summer school sessions (after HS, after first year, after second year) at the local community college (which used to be UK affiliated) while I went to UK (during the regular school years) in order to get my two BA's on time (four years). Hopefully this will mean Mr. Knight is much less likely to be a one year wonder.