Thursday, 6/5/97 Leaving early not always the right answer for
undergrads COMMENTARY: Many players jump into NBA lured by empty
promises
On June 25, NBA teams will have the opportunity to select from
among 47 early entrants into the draft. As Sports Illustrated’s
Alexander Wolff reports, it seems a few of these people might have
a hard time playing in the CBA or Europe, let alone compete with
the best. Ian Folmar, Slippery Rock University’s (a real
powerhouse) walk-on who averaged almost 20 points and nine rebounds
per game, gets the Bill Murray Impersonation Award. "I’m big, I’m
mean, and I can score and dribble," he told Wolff. "I know if I
played basketball every day for a living, my game would be amazing.
It’s funny to think of some of the things I could do. I’ve got a
great eye for talent, and I know I’ve got it." At 6 feet, 5 inches,
270 pounds, I wonder if Folmar follows Murray’s example of bringing
a juicer on road trips. He also forgot to mention that he boxes out
real well and he never loses in the video game. All jokes aside, it
is no new story that too many athletes are leaving school early for
a false hope. But the situation is getting worse. Back in 1993, 12
underclassmen decided to leave school early. Something happened
between then and now that made 35 more basketball players think
they are ready. With players like Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant
jumping straight from high school to the pros, the mystique of
making it into the NBA seems to have been broken for some athletes.
In truth, the expansion of the league to 29 teams has opened the
door to more players. Add to this the mix of a 19-year-old’s "I can
do anything" mentality and the lure of money and fame, and it
becomes clear why this change is occurring. For most, however, the
"lure" of money and fame amounts to nothing but an empty promise by
a smooth-talking agent. It’s like what happens in the modeling
industry when a young girl gets told that she’s the next
supermodel. If she’s insecure enough, she’ll take her shot. "These
kids need money," Marty Blake, the NBA director of scouting, told
Wolff. "They don’t like school. And they think they’re ready."
Players who are on the bubble are more likely to be persuaded by
talk that strokes their ego. They all want to make it, and they’ve
all been taught to believe they are the best. Realistic or not,
dreams are powerful motivators. Both UCLA’s J.R. Henderson and
Arizona’s Miles Simon would have been drafted if they had declared
themselves eligible, yet neither jumped at the opportunity. While
it is true that the prospect of winning a national championship
probably was a decisive factor for both, it is still interesting
that no agent was able to get the ear of either one. If the talent
is there, there is no need to rush it. Many of college basketball’s
top players come from families that are in tough economic
situations, but the smartest bet is to wait. Although it’s somewhat
of a cliche, it’s true that leaving school leaves almost nothing to
fall back on. While Danny Fortson, Ron Mercer and Tim Thomas are
shaking hands with their new general managers at the NBA draft,
others will be shaking their heads. Zucker is a former Daily Bruin
sports editor and columnist. He can be reached via e-mail at
bzucker@media.ucla.edu.