I want to be a psychologist" (Hindo 2004) This seems like an argument to take such a choice away from teen draftees, and prohibit the NBA from recruiting straight from high school. But this is more rhetoric than reality, and although it could be argued that playing professional 'ball' leaves a player ill-prepared for job prospects in the real world, an even worse fate is to play college basketball for four years and leave with no degree, or to leave with a degree but few marketable skills -- and an empty bank account, and no NBA offers.
Ending the 'prep to pro' draft is not simply bad for professional basketball; it is also bad for the players, unless the 'shamaturism' of college-level basketball ends. March Madness is a multi-million dollar enterprise, but everyone profits -- colleges, coaches, networks, even alumni by their school's elevated name and more competitive admission standards -- except the boys sweating on the courts. Forcing the most talented high school athletes to turn away professional contracts would encourage further exploitation of student athletes, as they would have no recourse other than to become NCAA eligible to play at a competitive level. They might even get less heft scholarships as a result.
'Pro to prep' draftees are a rare, gifted breed. And these "teenagers have had a much higher success rate than foreign and collegiate draftees, mostly because they make up a tiny group who have been scouted since the age of 12 for their athletic...
They should be allowed to do what they do best, when their game is still marketable. Of course, colleges should take greater responsibility for the careers of their college athletes, providing much-needed tutoring to bring recruits up to academic speed, so those who do not become professional basketball players graduate with skills and a degree that means something. But that does not mean that the pro-to-prep draft should end. It is the wrong solution to the problem of how to deal with highly competitive college athletes whose schedules make it difficult for them to truly be students, even while they make student life more enjoyable for others on campus. A better solution might be to raise the academic standards of college athletes, to ensure that students who become part of college sports teams graduate and can keep up in their classes, in case they cannot play competitive professional athletics. Many students not talented enough to be part of the 'pro to prep' elite might be better off going to easier and less competitive universities, devoting more time to their classes, and learning more in the classroom than on the courts, while the athletically gifted few should be free to pursue their talent after high school, if that is what they desire.
Works Cited
Hindo, Brian. "The NBA's Youth Squad." Business Week Online. 24 Jun 2004.
17 Feb 2008 http://www.businessweek.com/bwdaily/dnflash/jun2004/nf20040624_4524_db016.htm
