The NBA’s Dropouts, by Oscar Robertson

[MikeInClifton]

Just posted this (http://www.nytimes.com/2007/06/28/opinion/28robertson.html?_r=1&oref=slogin) to the home page of BearcatNews, but thought it might be worthy of discussion too. (I assume the link will work for you)

I was with Oscar until he said - "For every LeBron James or Kobe Bryant, there are hundreds of other teenage athletes who have been mistakenly led to believe they’re ready for the N.B.A."

If he means players who declarded for the draft, but were not slected, there have not been "hundreds", but there have been a few dozen.

And I think he should have left this out -
Athletic scholarships should be guaranteed for four years, instead of renewable year to year by the college. College athletes should also receive a modest stipend and more realistic expense money. If athletes have to struggle to get by, of course they will want to turn pro as soon as possible.
- it will just cause more conversation about those two topics when his primary topic was more than valuable to discuss.

[red_n_black_attack]

You have to know and live by the rules of the game as it is today. All of these kids entering the NBA draft and not making it is sad. Many have been misled. Many have never faced anyone near their talent level and simply have ego. In either case it is sad that theymake these poor choices.

If basketball were like football and baseball, three years after your high school class graduates for both once they step on campus. (I know football doesn't have a minor leagues and basketball is working on one sorta). I hope that football never gets a minor league system as college football is one of the best sports along with college basketball. When will these professional leagues learn that fans want to watch the best of the best, and these kids need to work on their game in college instead of "cashing in" then riding the pine.


As to gauranteed scholarships and paying a stipend, Oscar can express his beliefs if he wants. I personally think both are a bad idea. A better idea is having coaches sit a year if they break their contract, but not if they are fired. Whereever you fall on any of these issues takes away from the main point of the article, though they are interesting to get discussion going...should we start a new thread????

[Big B]

With just one kid being mislead to join the NBA and doesn't get drafted is too many IMO. Any kid that miisses out on a education is a bad thing. I think the best thing that could have happened was forcing these kids to go to school 1st if even for 1 year.

And the NFL does have a minor league, if I'm not mistaken each NFL team allocates 4 players off there practice squad to the European league. And the rest of the players can go play if someone picks them up. It could be categorized as more of a Development League as opposed to minor league.

[MikeInClifton]

With just one kid being mislead to join the NBA and doesn't get drafted is too many IMO. Any kid that misses out on a education is a bad thing.

Technically, they wouldn't miss out on an education. They would miss out on a free education and lose their college eligibility, but an education can still be had.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

Technically, they wouldn't miss out on an education. They would miss out on a free education and lose their college eligibility, but an education can still be had.

Michael Jordan went back to UNC in the offseason and earned his degree. If he can find time to do that, everybody else can, too.

I liked the Oscar article, though I may not agree with every point he makes.

[jplog]

Jason Whitlock had a good take on the NBA age limit and the sucess of college basketball. Amazing how someone without a tainted view of society see's this issue different than the O.

[jplog]

Sorry, forgot Whitlock's link...

http://www.kansascity.com/sports/columnists/jason_whitlock/story/153725.html

[MikeInClifton]

I have to admit, this item in Whitlock's article caught my attention -

Basketball fans are losing passion for the NBA because they haven’t been properly introduced to the league’s players.

LeBron James, allegedly, is a big star. He has a huge shoe contract. He’s featured in clever commercials. His face is recognized around the world. So why didn’t people tune in to see him play in the NBA finals?

Because basketball fans in Lawrence and Bloomington, Ind., and Durham, N.C., and all the other little basketball hotbeds don’t care about LeBron James. He didn’t play their game. Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan built gigantic college followings and brought those passionate fans with them to the NBA.

The converse to Whitlock's statement is that Kobe and Garnett are big stars that draw fans to arenas, yet they didnt attend college either.

If Stern had his way, I think he would want the Lakers and the Knicks in the Finals every year. The size of the hometown fan base talks.

I still think a player has the right to go to the NBA if he can.

[richard k.]

The problem with this is that a number of these kids do have futures in basketball, if not the NBA then overseas. What happens is that they have people around them trying to make a quick buck somehow, push them into a premature effort to go pro and they wind up with nothing - no basketball career and no higher education. They wind up as school yard legends, possibly making a few bucks on weekends, and working at low skill/wage jobs, when they may well have had a reasonable chance to make a significant amount of money playing the game they supposedly love, and if not, perhaps positioned to compete for a job/career at higher levels of earning opportunities.

[cpawfan]

Jason Whitlock had a good take on the NBA age limit and the sucess of college basketball. Amazing how someone without a tainted view of society see's this issue different than the O.

I hope that was sarcasm, because Whitlock has a very tainted view of society and is quite the *******. He generally plays the race card multiple times a year in articles

[jplog]

I disagree. I've heard Whitlock numerous times on the radio and usually find that if you listen to his arguements he makes sense. The race card is rarely used, in fact, I think he despises it. On the other hand the O seems to have one always at the ready.

[The real Bearcat Fan]

I like Jason Whitlock and I think this is an interesting take on the NBA. I also like the fact The "O" speaks his mind. I do not always agree with Whitlock or the "O". The "O" brings up segments of Bearcat history that a lot of Bearcat fans would prefer that it remain hidden, but it did happen. I think UC dealt with it better than most schools at that time. Let's face it and move on. I don't believe you will find a more passionate UC supporter than The "O". He wants what is the best interest of UC Basketball.

[Bearcat Fan Since 1958]

I like Jason Whitlock and I think this is an interesting take on the NBA. I also like the fact The "O" speaks his mind. I do not always agree with Whitlock or the "O". The "O" brings up segments of Bearcat history that a lot of Bearcat fans would prefer that it remain hidden, but it did happen. I think UC dealt with it better than most schools at that time. Let's face it and move on. I don't believe you will find a more passionate UC supporter than The "O". He wants what is the best interest of UC Basketball.

Oscar himself was part of the reason UC was hit with NCAA infractions in 1956 (tryouts) and 1959 (co-op program for athletes). He may not bring that up.