Mark Cuban has an idea

[Doctorindy]

Why would the NBA or anyone else want to start a league that is unlikely to make money when they can have the current system of college basketball which is hugely popular and doesn't cost them a dime to run. Doesn't a minor league already exists or are they unable to sign players right out of high school?

The problem is, the system in basketball isn't working as well-oiled as the system does in football or baseball. College does provide the bulk of players to the NBA, but not necessarily as efficient as they could.

Right now for the NBA, players have to have 1 full year out of high school before they can enter the draft. So they can play one year in college, use it as a 12-month stop gap, quit college, and head for the NBA draft. Not a lot do that, but the top prospects can and do.

In football, it's clear cut...high school->3-4 years college->enter draft->NFL. If you fail at the NFL level, you fall down to the arena league, one of the obscure leagues, or perhaps CFL. In baseball, young prospects can enter the farm leagues, and work their way up A, AA, AAA, and majors. I'm really not sure how many players skip college these days.

But the NBA D-League right now is more of a "fall-back down" league like the arena football league. Players don't work their way up from high school->college->D League->NBA. And there's no incentive for them to do so. So I don't know where Cuban is coming from here. To make the D-League a step in the journey would be a huge money loser. Basketball I think is a little unique compared to football/baseball in that a very "young" player can excel right out of the box. He doesn't necessarily need that 4 years in college to hone the skills. At the same time, owners are too anxious to snatch up the next great prospect, and too often jump the gun.

It was mentioned yesterday by someone, a high school grad has a choice...play a year at prestigious college...play in a huge arena in front of 15-20K, get attention, newspapers/magazines, huge TV exposure, play in March Madness. Or...go to the D-league (Sioux Falls, Dover, Erie PA, or some other invisible town), play in front of 500 people, with no media coverage outside of its own local beat writer.

[jkeener24]

Have designated NCAA clearing houses where the tests are taken....administered by NCAA investigators....It'd be kinda like "Spies Like Us".

Guys that didn't belong at a D1 university would have plenty of other options, and guys that belonged in school, and wanted to play, and represent their school while they earned their degree, would have a spot.

What do we have now? Basically a system where I root for kids that probably wouldn't have gotten into my school, just because they now represent it? I mean, why even make them go to class then? Just make it an all out bidding war where college buy the best talent they can to represnt their school....so alum can one up each other?

At least at 1500 SAT, you would know that the kid could POTENTIALLY qualify for school there (depending on the school).

If you want to see "almost ready for NBA guys that need some seasoning" (you cheer for the name on the back)....you watch the NDBL.

If you want to see student athletes, that without "strings" could have gotten into their school, then representing their school (you cheer for the name on the front)....watch college basketball.

I agree with the principle. I just think that as long as college sports are high stakes/big money events, you're always going to have cheating. Even if they are NCAA clearinghouses, some booster is going to be paying off the NCAA investigator or something.

We're on the same page with things, I think. Having them meet the same standards as the rest of the enrollment sounds fair to me, though. Just make them stay there for a while (and stay academically eligible) rather than do a one-time standardized test to get in.

[mattndallas]

I have a feeling that there will be ways to cheat that system, too. Derrick Rose, anyone?

IMO, the "problem" takes care of itself when you have a viable system for people with the skills to get paid actually getting paid and college basketball for those who do not. The real problem is that we don't want what's best for the athletes/students. We want what's best for us (preserve the system of highly competitive college basketball with elite athletes that we have known for years) and our entertainment. If you made the choice to play college ball an actual commitment, you'd find a lot of people playing who simply want to keep playing, and those who wanted to get paid would find alternate routes (Europe, D-League, whatever). I have no problem with someone making either choice. YMMV.

Have designated NCAA clearing houses where the tests are taken....administered by NCAA investigators....It'd be kinda like "Spies Like Us".

Guys that didn't belong at a D1 university would have plenty of other options, and guys that belonged in school, and wanted to play, and represent their school while they earned their degree, would have a spot.

What do we have now? Basically a system where I root for kids that probably wouldn't have gotten into my school, just because they now represent it? I mean, why even make them go to class then? Just make it an all out bidding war where college buy the best talent they can to represnt their school....so alum can one up each other?

At least at 1500 SAT, you would know that the kid could POTENTIALLY qualify for school there (depending on the school).

If you want to see "almost ready for NBA guys that need some seasoning" (you cheer for the name on the back)....you watch the NDBL.

If you want to see student athletes, that without "strings" could have gotten into their school, then representing their school (you cheer for the name on the front)....watch college basketball.

[jkeener24]

1500 minimum SAT for D1 sports....simple.

As in "Office Space", the "problem" would then just take care of itself....for simply introducing a rule that leans more towards having kids play/represent the schools, that actually could have gotten into the school in the first place.

Since minimum standards differ among D1 schools, just set it at a "standard" 1500 (which would equate to a 1000 for those of us from back in the day).

I have a feeling that there will be ways to cheat that system, too. Derrick Rose, anyone?

IMO, the "problem" takes care of itself when you have a viable system for people with the skills to get paid actually getting paid and college basketball for those who do not. The real problem is that we don't want what's best for the athletes/students. We want what's best for us (preserve the system of highly competitive college basketball with elite athletes that we have known for years) and our entertainment. If you made the choice to play college ball an actual commitment, you'd find a lot of people playing who simply want to keep playing, and those who wanted to get paid would find alternate routes (Europe, D-League, whatever). I have no problem with someone making either choice. YMMV.

[mattndallas]

1500 minimum SAT for D1 sports....simple.

As in "Office Space", the "problem" would then just take care of itself....for simply introducing a rule that leans more towards having kids play/represent the schools, that actually could have gotten into the school in the first place.

Since minimum standards differ among D1 schools, just set it at a "standard" 1500 (which would equate to a 1000 for those of us from back in the day).

[jackinbox]

Bob Knight was on ESPN's Mike & MIke this morning... his proposal (if you want to call it that) is for a minimum of 3 yrs of college prior to entering the NBA draft.

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/

I would have loved to have been a fly on the wall during that meeting he talked about with himself, Coach K, and David Stern. That would have been entertaining.

[jkeener24]

Do you think it is fair to say that many college scholarship athletes would not have gone to college with their respective sports did not provide them with a free ride?

"according to the four-year federal numbers, only 47 percent of men's basketball players and 58 percent of FBS football players graduated. Football Championship Subdivision players came in at 56 percent. Of the 35 sports that were measured, only three others -- baseball (48 percent), women's bowling (53 percent) and wrestling (56) -- had grad rates lower than 60 percent." ~~ESPN, October 2013

Yes, I think that is fair to say. However, whether they would have gone on to college or not is a different issue from whether they are smart enough to attend college. Many of the kids who drop out/leave early are smart enough for college, but they have other priorities or obligations which prevent them from attaining their potential in school.

[MoparsRule]

Do you think it is fair to say that many college scholarship athletes would not have gone to college with their respective sports did not provide them with a free ride?

"according to the four-year federal numbers, only 47 percent of men's basketball players and 58 percent of FBS football players graduated. Football Championship Subdivision players came in at 56 percent. Of the 35 sports that were measured, only three others -- baseball (48 percent), women's bowling (53 percent) and wrestling (56) -- had grad rates lower than 60 percent." ~~ESPN, October 2013

Without a doubt.

[comfortably numb]

Do you think it is fair to say that many college scholarship athletes would not have gone to college with their respective sports did not provide them with a free ride?

"according to the four-year federal numbers, only 47 percent of men's basketball players and 58 percent of FBS football players graduated. Football Championship Subdivision players came in at 56 percent. Of the 35 sports that were measured, only three others -- baseball (48 percent), women's bowling (53 percent) and wrestling (56) -- had grad rates lower than 60 percent." ~~ESPN, October 2013

[jkeener24]

Throw in the words 'some' or 'many' or 'a number of' and you have a very true statement.

Some. I don't know if you can go as far as to say "many." I would suspect that approximately the same percentage of athletes are not smart enough to be college students as that of the non-athlete population. Though it's not that hard to be smart enough to be a student at most colleges these days.

That's what I don't get either. Brandon Jennings did it but I can't think of anyone else. Maybe playing overseas in a foreign country is a bit too intimidating for most kids. Talk about getting homesick.

That's the only thing I can think of, also.

[mattndallas]

1500 minimum SAT to play D1 sports.

Problem solved.

[MoparsRule]

Bob Knight was on ESPN's Mike & MIke this morning... his proposal (if you want to call it that) is for a minimum of 3 yrs of college prior to entering the NBA draft.

http://espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/

[midtown]

What actually surprises me is we haven't seen more kids to play pro internationally for a year and skipping college.

That's what I don't get either. Brandon Jennings did it but I can't think of anyone else. Maybe playing overseas in a foreign country is a bit too intimidating for most kids. Talk about getting homesick.

[comfortably numb]

The problem is that kids that are really really good are used to being adored, are used to packed houses and exciting games. They want the "showtime" aspect of college but they aren't really smart enough and serious enough to be real students.

Throw in the words 'some' or 'many' or 'a number of' and you have a very true statement.

[jkeener24]

Why would the NBA or anyone else want to start a league that is unlikely to make money when they can have the current system of college basketball which is hugely popular and doesn't cost them a dime to run. Doesn't a minor league already exists or are they unable to sign players right out of high school?

To my knowledge, they aren't allowed to draft out of high school. There is a D-League, but it seems to be made up of fringe players rather than a true minor league where prospects are groomed. What actually surprises me is we haven't seen more kids to play pro internationally for a year and skipping college.