olivecourt
Well-Known Member
Do you think Perry Jones is going to go to college for three years when he knows he can play professionally right now? If the NCAA forces them to stay in college, then tons of HS stars will go overseas. That situation harms both the NCAA and the NBA.
The 1-and-done guys aren't doing a thing for the NCAA except for making a mockery of the idea of student-athletes. For every Kevin Durant who electrifies crowds and helps get strong TV ratings there are 5 (or maybe even 10) guys like Perry Jones, who aren't particularly compelling from a fan's perspective, don't do much for the schools they sign with, and obviously have zero interest in being a student.
From the NBA's perspective, I realize one example doesn't mean much, but I think Brandon Jennings shows that you can tell just as much if not more about a prospect from playing in Europe than you can from them playing in the NCAA. Barring a rule change, I wish more guys would have the stones to do what Jennings did. It works better for everyone involved (NCAA, NBA, and the athlete himself). I completely fail to see how the NCAA is worse off if Perry Jones, Jared Sullinger, or even Harrison Barnes is playing in the Spanish league right now. Who cares? People watch NCAA basketball because of the schools and the tourney. The specific players themselves are not really relevant.
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