Truth And Concequences Of The Nba Draft — страница 2

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because a team took a gamble, and a bad one at that, on him in the draft. NBA commissioner David Stern says that it is inevitable for kids to try their lick at a shot at the pros. He cited many other sports where the superstars are young, often teenagers. However, unlike baseball, which signs many, many more players out of high school and college that basketball, there are multitudes of minor leagues of baseball where players cam develop their game for the next level or realize that their dreams of playing pro are only that; dreams. Stern has asked the players union to implement age restrictions on draft choices, but so far, nothing has come of it. There are steps that can curb this trend, though they would be difficult. Firstly, everyone involved has to start taking some of the

blame for this. There are not increasingly more kids entering the draft prematurely because of the smooth talk of some prop scouts. There are more people that the pros to blame here. Colleges need to take some responsibility in their evaluations of their prospective players instead of waving their fingers at the press conferences of their underclassmen announcing their future plans. Most hotshot players know that they are going pro and say they are going pro at an early age, most before or while they are in college. If colleges are going to be upset about players leaving early, then they should not offer scholarships to kids that say they plan to leave early. Some universities are very good at this, like the Kansas Jayhawks, whose coach, Roy Williams, has had only one player in

his tenure at Kansas leave early for the draft. On the other hand, you have another one of America’s best loved teams, University of North Carolina, which was coached by one of the all time greats, Dean Smith, continually have their squad decimated at the end of every year. UNC has had many young stars leave early, most notably Michael Jordan, and it hurts the team and the university. Unfortunately, the underlying principle behind this whole situation is money. Successful programs bring in tons of money and gain tremendous amounts of exposure from having a star athlete on their teams. At the same time, athletes are not using the college game for what it was intended and instead as a time for them to display their skills and improve their stock in the NBA. Either way you look at

it, athletes use college and get used by colleges simultaneously. The best piece of advice for future NBA stars and potential failures alike is to build your future and your lives around education, not basketball. The level of competitiveness is almost cutthroat and it is easy to be trampled over and forgotten. A good quote comes from former Maryland star Len Elmore, who said, “if a guy has a need to help his family, he needs to pursue his education. This (leaving early) is just a total indulgence of a childhood fantasy.” Although it is probably the most common clich? ever, it still rings true today and will continue to into the future?STAY IN SCHOOL! Bibliography 1. Eisenberg, John. Early exodus to NBA is a pathetic pattern. 6/2/96. World Wide Web.

http://www.sunspot.net/couumnists/data/eisengerg/0602eisenberg.shtml 2. CNN/SI. 1998 NBA Draft Underclassmen. 6/18/98. World Wide Web. Http://www.cnnsi.com/basketball/nb..ws/1998/06/18/early_entries_draft/ 3. Shah, Simit. Marbury’s decision exposes dilemma. 4/5/96. World Wide Web. http://www.cyberbuzz.gatech.eud/ni?spring1996/apr5/editorials3-s.html 4. ESPN. Early entries to 1998 NBA draft. 1/8/98. World Wide Web. http://espn.go.com/nba/features/00647040.html 5. Scripps/McClatchy. Young players continue pathetic march toward NBA draft. 5/8/96. World Wide Web. http://www.nando.net/newsroom/spor?/feat/archive/050896/nba74107.html 6. CPS. NBA gives young players advice on early exit from college. 4/15/97. World Wide Web.

http://www.mankato.msus.edu/depts/reporter/reparchive/04_15_97/exit.html 7. Anonymous. NBA stars that stayed in school. World Wide Web. http://www.uwsp.edu/acaddept/comm/391sum/20/dewey2.htm 355