OT: Basketball Prospects Skipping College To Play In NBA..School Is A Waste Of Time

[sawchuk1971]

Why are hoops prospects like R.J. Hampton skipping college? 'These guys don't want to be in school'

In the grand stratosphere of college basketball, the news of top-10 recruit R.J. Hampton deciding to play professionally in New Zealand instead of at Kansas, Texas Tech or Memphis doesn’t mean a whole lot. It’s not going to cost anyone in college basketball their job, sell less season-ticket packages or prompt a ratings drop.

Think of Hampton’s decision not as some paradigm shift where dozens of players will follow him overseas. Instead, with the 2022 draft likely the first one where high school players will be able to go directly to the NBA, consider it the start of a flood of players following their hearts and wallets. Hampton didn’t have academic issues like Ferguson and he wasn’t forced to Australia with NCAA issues like Brian Bowen last year.

He’s the poster child for the reality that college coaches — and some media — don’t want to hear. The allure of playing college basketball has dipped precipitously in the past decade. And there’s no uptick in sight.

“The singular difference from now and when this track was open a long time ago,” said an NBA scout, referencing the direct-to-NBA route, which ended in 2005, “is the absolute deterioration of the value of a college scholarship in the eyes of the players and their families. These guys don’t want to be in school and don’t care. The carrot of education has been devalued.”

There’s a good guess why the priorities of prospects have shifted. The parents have followed the money. Consider that since 2005, high-end coaching salaries have nearly tripled to as much as $10 million annually, the NCAA television contract has skyrocketed into the billions and a boom in conference-specific cable content has poured tens of millions annually into leagues like the SEC and Big Ten. For the players, they get a few table scraps like cost of attendance and some more charter flights and nicer gyms. But the alleged draw to college is still the scholarship. And it’s going to become increasingly clear when the NBA rule changes back, just how stale that carrot is for top prospects.

“Everyone thinks LaVar Ball is a one-in-a-billion parent,” said Rivals.com national recruiting analyst Corey Evans. “But that mentality and thinking to get paid right now is in play with a lot of the parents of these elite prospects.”

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[alko]

Is that bad? I dont think so. Not everyone is ripe for a college. And if he is making good money right now, why not?

 

[OKOptimistic]

This issue has been around for a while, if Kobe and Lebron did it then they can choose to do it.

 

[gstommylee]

skipping college is a bad thing imo. It allows you to have a backup in case career is cut short due to injuries and what not.

 

[TheTotalPackage]

skipping college is a bad thing imo. It allows you to have a backup in case career is cut short due to injuries and what not.

I'm of the opposite mindset. School will always be there and you can always go later on in life, whether it be a year or 20 years from now. Your potential pro career however is finite.

 

[LeHab]

skipping college is a bad thing imo. It allows you to have a backup in case career is cut short due to injuries and what not.

For high visibility prospects, going outside of NCAA can be very lucrative. Not only are they paid a salary in a pro league but can already sign sponsorship deals.

Sure injuries can happen and they may not pan out as expected but they can always go back to school with more money than what a scholarship is worth.

 

[Tawnos]

skipping college is a bad thing imo. It allows you to have a backup in case career is cut short due to injuries and what not.

I got my first college degree at an age where most pro athletes are now already retired or at least on the downswing of their careers. There’s absolutely nothing to stop someone from going back to school in their 30s or 40s. Meanwhile, if they go to college, they’ve lost out on some lucrative earning years for a pro basketball player. From my perspective, the choice is a no brainer. If you can get a decent salary now, get it now.

 

[mouser]

I got my first college degree at an age where most pro athletes are now already retired or at least on the downswing of their careers. There’s absolutely nothing to stop someone from going back to school in their 30s or 40s. Meanwhile, if they go to college, they’ve lost out on some lucrative earning years for a pro basketball player. From my perspective, the choice is a no brainer. If you can get a decent salary now, get it now.

Yeah. The quirk with basketball players is that most of them would receive significantly better coaching, weight training, overall support, and even nutrition in a college program vs. the various non-NBA basketball options like New Zealand where Hampton is headed.

 

[No Fun Shogun]

skipping college is a bad thing imo. It allows you to have a backup in case career is cut short due to injuries and what not.

For all intents and purposes, most top tier slam dunk first round prospective players don't actually get an education. Okay, maybe they do at a very prestigious institution, but loads of even good schools like UNC and USC have been caught red handed with absolute joke course loads for the top tier guys to the point that their degree would really be only worth the paper it's printed on if a pro career doesn't work out. Not to mention that with the grind of training and traveling demands, even midtier guys and lower barely have time to focus on studies while staying on the team and keeping up any kind of narrow social life.

I love NCAA sports, but they've long since stopped caring about the student athlete. I couldn't fault anyone for not wanting to go to college for only a year or two if alternative options to make money were available. Not really possible in football yet, but basketball and hockey? Oh yeah, I'd recommend going over to Europe in a heartbeat if a player had realistic pro ambitions. I'm actually surprised we haven't seen a post-Matthews deluge of players forgoing no pay in the NCAA or limited pay in the CHL for hockey, for instance.

Playing down in Oz/NZ is only really a surprise that he did that versus wanting to go to a higher-tier Euro league, unless having an immediate out if he gets drafted wasn't possible in Spain or Greece or the like. Even with that in mind though, is this league really the focus of a lot of attention to the point that getting good numbers there would attract much NBA scouting? Dunno.

 

[Tawnos]

Yeah. The quirk with basketball players is that most of them would receive significantly better coaching, weight training, overall support, and even nutrition in a college program vs. the various non-NBA basketball options like New Zealand where Hampton is headed.

That's a good point. I bet that stuff improves over time like it has in the KHL, but it would be something to consider.

 

[David Dennison]

skipping college is a bad thing imo. It allows you to have a backup in case career is cut short due to injuries and what not.

CHL and MLB teams have deferred scholarship programs, isn't this he best of both worlds? Big sport college athletes are often pigeonholed into unattractive degrees (comm or athletic sciences) so they are able to balance school and sports. Athletes would have more freedom and ability to fully focus on their degree without trying to balance a near full time job with school.

Basketball is the one sport I am surprised someone hasn't tried to start a league for college age kids as an alternative to the NCAA where they can get paid. You don't need that many players/teams, so the talent level wouldn't be any worse than top 25 teams beating up on Emporia State for half of the season. Focus full time on training, theoretically giving you a better shot at an NBA career.

 

[joelef]

not everyone needs college. This whole "college for everyone" is sending kids down the wrong path.

 

[joelef]

For all intents and purposes, most top tier slam dunk first round prospective players don't actually get an education. Okay, maybe they do at a very prestigious institution, but loads of even good schools like UNC and USC have been caught red handed with absolute joke course loads for the top tier guys to the point that their degree would really be only worth the paper it's printed on if a pro career doesn't work out. Not to mention that with the grind of training and traveling demands, even midtier guys and lower barely have time to focus on studies while staying on the team and keeping up any kind of narrow social life.

I love NCAA sports, but they've long since stopped caring about the student athlete. I couldn't fault anyone for not wanting to go to college for only a year or two if alternative options to make money were available. Not really possible in football yet, but basketball and hockey? Oh yeah, I'd recommend going over to Europe in a heartbeat if a player had realistic pro ambitions. I'm actually surprised we haven't seen a post-Matthews deluge of players forgoing no pay in the NCAA or limited pay in the CHL for hockey, for instance.

Playing down in Oz/NZ is only really a surprise that he did that versus wanting to go to a higher-tier Euro league, unless having an immediate out if he gets drafted wasn't possible in Spain or Greece or the like. Even with that in mind though, is this league really the focus of a lot of attention to the point that getting good numbers there would attract much NBA scouting? Dunno.

aybe because you don't have a language barrier

 

[Marmoset]

College/university isn't for everyone in regular society. Why should it be any different for aspiring professional athletes?

Add in the NCAA making billions off the 'student' athletes, and I think we will see more and more of this in the coming years, although things are changing in the NBA too.

 

[AdmiralsFan24]

For high visibility prospects, going outside of NCAA can be very lucrative. Not only are they paid a salary in a pro league but can already sign sponsorship deals.

Sure injuries can happen and they may not pan out as expected but they can always go back to school with more money than what a scholarship is worth.

Not only that but these are one and done guys. It's not like they're staying and getting a degree. They're there for one year, taking the easiest classes possible to stay eligible and then they're gone. Just skip that and get paid.

 

[LeHab]

Basketball is the one sport I am surprised someone hasn't tried to start a league for college age kids as an alternative to the NCAA where they can get paid. .

One is about to be launched.

Summer hoops league to offer a paid alternative to NCAA in 2020, two-time NBA champion David West says

 

[alko]

Btw. How good is basketball in New Zealand?

 

[sawchuk1971]

not everyone needs college. This whole "college for everyone" is sending kids down the wrong path.

you got that right..

i'm living proof....a degree and no job...

 

[BJNT]

If the NCAA would allow “student” athletes to profit from their own image and likeness without risk of losing their scholarships then maybe more kids on Hampton’s level would see college as a viable option.

 

[Number 57]

I'm actually surprised we haven't seen a post-Matthews deluge of players forgoing no pay in the NCAA or limited pay in the CHL for hockey, for instance.

Alexis Lafreniere was rumoured to Switzerland last month, but has since confirmed he would stay in QMJHL for his draft year.

When you think about it, it does make sense for late-birthdays top prospects like Matthews, Eichel and Lafreniere to go earn 200k + sponsorships overseas. This is worth more than a scholarship, ESPECIALLY in Canada.

Reading this thread, I'm actually surprised Lafreniere didn't go.

 

[joelef]

If the NCAA would allow “student” athletes to profit from their own image and likeness without risk of losing their scholarships then maybe more kids on Hampton’s level would see college as a viable option.

they should get rid of sport scholarships entirely

 

[StreetHawk]

Alexis Lafreniere was rumoured to Switzerland last month, but has since confirmed he would stay in QMJHL for his draft year.

When you think about it, it does make sense for late-birthdays top prospects like Matthews, Eichel and Lafreniere to go earn 200k + sponsorships overseas. This is worth more than a scholarship, ESPECIALLY in Canada.

Reading this thread, I'm actually surprised Lafreniere didn't go.

Comes down to development. They will make more than enough over their nhl careers barring serious injury.

Will he get better coaching overseas? If yes then that could be the better option for him.

 

[StreetHawk]

Yeah. The quirk with basketball players is that most of them would receive significantly better coaching, weight training, overall support, and even nutrition in a college program vs. the various non-NBA basketball options like New Zealand where Hampton is headed.

That should be a consideration for players.

NBA appears to be going back to allowing HS players to opt into the draft when they do their next CBA.

Be interesting to see how the careers of these kids who opt for an overseas pro league fare in the nba.

 

[KevFu]

If the NCAA would allow “student” athletes to profit from their own image and likeness without risk of losing their scholarships then maybe more kids on Hampton’s level would see college as a viable option.

But this exact instance - high school talent going to the pros instead of college - is exactly why the "pay college athletes!" argument completely falls apart: Players have a choice.

When you decide to go to college, you're WILLINGLY FORGOING your profitability for the college experience. Playing professionally out of high school IS AN OPTION (and the fact that the NBA doesn't offer that option isn't the NCAA's fault).

 

[PCSPounder]

Yeah. The quirk with basketball players is that most of them would receive significantly better coaching, weight training, overall support, and even nutrition in a college program vs. the various non-NBA basketball options like New Zealand where Hampton is headed.

How long will that last?

If the college model gets driven down by lack of interest, at some point it'll be better money to enter whatever development program (or upgrade of the current G-League) the NBA provides. That's perhaps what should happen anyway.

BTW... I shudder to think that Bol Bol got superior weight training at Oregon this year. He ended up missing the conference season because he was a one-and-done stick figure. I really think he'd have been better off in a professional weight training program.