After hearing the latest news that Jeremy Tyler, a 17-year old San Diego High School student, has decided to drop out of school in favor of heading overseas to play basketball professionally in Europe, I was almost sick to my stomach. Not that many months ago my colleague Doc J-Water considered the fact that the lure of the NBA was wearing off for international players. Then American professional players such as Josh Childress decided to seek greater monetary compensation by choosing pro Europe ball over the NBA. Shortly thereafter Doc Browntorious let you know his thoughts on Brandon Jennings last year being the first player on the NBA track as a High School grad to opt not to play College Basketball where players do not get paid, and instead deciding to play in Europe until he could be drafted to the NBA. Now this….now players like Jeremy Tyler are willing to jeopardize their future for a quick buck.
Sure, Tyler, like many other high profile High School basketball players in the US, has a chance to one day develop into an NBA caliber player. But to turn down your right to a proper education during that development process in my opinion is like playing Russian Roulette. Basketball is just too damn risky to think otherwise. On the drop of a dime you often see career ending knee, ankle, back, and neck injuries in this sport, the type that would negate any hope Jeremy Tyler has of ever becoming an NBA player. And then what? Will he go back to High School and start over again? Maybe….but unlikely. Here is what Tyler had to say about his decision:
“Nowadays people look to college for more off-the-court stuff versus being in the gym and getting better,” Tyler told the Times. “If you’re really focused on getting better, you go play pro somewhere. Pro guys will get you way better than playing against college guys.”
So, is Tyler going to start a new trend where the top high school players in the country drop out to play for money in Europe until they are old enough to be drafted to the NBA? David Stern, NBA Commissioner, thought he was doing ‘the right thing’ for the development of young ball players when he introduced a new rule a couple years ago forcing draftee’s to have played at least one year of college basketball or be at least 19 years of age to be eligible for the NBA Draft. But has that rule backfired? Are players now just finding innovative ways circumvent the intent of David Sterns new rule?
Personally, I hope other top high school prospects do not follow in Jeremy Tyler’s footsteps and drop out of high school. And as far as Tyler’s comments about “Pro guys will get you way better than playing against college guys”, that’s just hogwash. The development that Stern and other NBA officials were seeking for players by forcing them to play college ball was not just about the level of competition. It was about being able to develop and learn the fundamentals of the game, and principles of teamwork that you just don’t always get in a “business environment” like pro basketball, whether it be the NBA or Europe.
Seems like some young players, are missing the point, and now ultimately the experience.
