NBA & Union Need To Act, Let's Keep These Kids In School

bucksinsider.com

As Kentucky was crowned King of NCAA basketball for the 2011-2012 season, hardly had the dust settled when college freshmen and sophomores across the country started announcing their intentions to leave school and head for the NBA payday.  Our NCAA champion Wildcats face the prospect of losing five underclassmen to the NBA draft including their superstar, Anthony Davis, a freshman.  The One And Done is alive and well and only hurting these young men and the universities they attend. 

The NCAA has no control over the young men who attend their schools to play basketball and then leave to head to the NBA after one or two years in school.  The NBA does have control over this situation and should put forth some new rules and guidelines encouraging these young men to stay put and earn their degree.  The big schools all have experienced the short-term student-athlete and for all practical purposes, the basketball programs at these schools are nothing more than farm systems for the NBA.

The NBA does have alternative programs for young men wishing to develop their game and should encourage these players to pursue these alternative development programs rather than taking away scholarships for young men who want to attend college to receive a degree and play basketball as part of the college experience.  The NBA Union must step up also with the NBA and create new guidelines that encourage college players to stay in college and earn their degree.  So many of the young players who opt out early from college to join the NBA are unable to make it professionally.  Their quick payday is gone along with the cash they received for signing.

Minimally, the NBA and the Union should put forth some standard mandating at least three years of college for those who choose to be student athletes.  Use the development programs for those not wishing to attend college.  The NFL has done better with their program with universities and it has not hurt their game at all.  Kentucky potentially stands to lose five players from the recent national championship team including Anthony Davis, Terrence Jones, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist, Doron Lamb and Marquis Teague. 

Our Buckeyes have experienced the same over the last five years losing outstanding players to the NBA early.  Sullinger being the most recent having announced only a week ago that he would be leaving to begin his NBA career.  One cannot fault the young men wishing for the payday.  Striking when the opportunity arises makes all the sense in the world.  Why risk potential injury or some other calamity and find yourself without an NBA payday.  At the same time, the development leagues would answer this dilemma. 

The college experience is an important one for those young men wishing to have it.  It provides a clear path once one's playing days come to an end.  It just does not seem fair to provide a full-ride scholarship for young men who will only attend one or two years of college taking away the opportunity for someone wishing to earn a college degree and participate in basketball while doing so. 

As long as the rule is in place, young men and their respective college coaches will take advantage of it.  Why not change the eligibility requirements and reestablish the real reason one chooses higher education.  It will never change without the NBA and the players Union making the change.