"Stay in school." Remember that?
Whether it was fourteen minutes into a convocation in the fifth grade or whether it was during a commercial break of the "Power Rangers" (don't laugh, you watched it), that has been a phrase to mark the '90s. It's also a phrase that, over the past few years, has been a plea of NBA commissioner David Stern to kids wishing to follow the likes of initialed and one-named wonders KG (Kevin Garnett), Kobe (Bryant), Tracy (McGrady) and now LeBron (James). Certainly these names are familiar to you.
The number of high school seniors applying for the draft every year is alarming to Stern and his clan, so much that he wants to regulate the age limit of possible draftees. There are six players this year who have declared themselves draft-eligible and one withdrew his name.
The premier argument pits high school hopefuls against Stern. Indeed, this is a serious subject to the NBA. It could affect the quality of the talent as well as the image of the league, and Stern wants to avoid the negative one.
However, one thing that bothers me about the current direction of the drafts is the lack of interest given to upperclassmen -- those athletes who remain loyal to their teams and schools by touring for all four years. From the big names surrounding the draft, the only one that is connected to the term "senior" is Mr. Number One Pick himself, high school SENIOR LeBron.
The other probable top-three picks are Darko Milicic and Carmelo Anthony. If you aren't aware, Milicic is an international early entry candidate headed to Detroit while Anthony, the 2003 NCAA Tournament Champion, just finished his freshman year of college. My college career is twice as long as his.
But I'm not upset with the players taking advantage of the greater attention paid to those who opt early. If it's there, get the money. Learn from those who decided to "stay in school" only to see their stock drop the next year.
I take my issue with NBA personnel and the media.
Let's examine Indianapolis' own Jason Gardner, senior from Arizona. As a freshman, he was a part of the team that was deemed by a teammate to reach "greatness." Surrounded by future NBA players Loren Woods, Gilbert Arenas and NBA finalist Richard Jefferson all leave that season and get drafted. Arenas was a freshman, just as Gardner was, but the media kept publicizing his bad performances in camps. He decided to stay the next year and test the NBA waters again. Same response of the media, same response of Gardner.
Now he is through with college and ready for the big time. And no one seems to really care. LeBron and other early entries get the headlines while Gardner, teammate Luke Walton, and former Ball State player Theron Smith among others are drowned out from getting the highest possible selection to just making being picked.
This trend promotes "get out of school" to those with the ability. I think of how Theron first tested the NBA waters. His draft status was high, with projections having him going at the latest in the second round. This time around, he could either go mid to late second round or be picked up by free agency. Its sad.
This is what the NBA personnel, in heavily pursuing high school and underclassmen, are promoting. "We know we told you to stay in school, but you don't have as much value as we thought you all would. Eddy Curry may not be as developed as you are now, but he has much more upside. Good luck in the second round."
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