April is a critical month for many of the top college basketball
players in the country. Underclassmen have until April 29 to
declare for the NBA Draft.
The decision is much more complex than just declaring. The NCAA
allows basketball players to declare for the NBA Draft without
losing their eligibility only if they don’t hire an agent.
But the players can only do that once. If they declare again, agent
or not, they are gone.
I have always been a strong supporter of athletes leaving school
early to pursue a professional career ““ if they can make good
money.
But in basketball, more than any other sport, there are
student-athletes who make the wrong decision and turn pro a year or
two too early. In the 2005 NBA Draft, 110 underclassmen made
themselves eligible, but only 38 were drafted. The NBA Draft
consists of only two rounds, which is not nearly as many as the
other two major sports (NFL has seven rounds, MLB has 50).
So college basketball players have to be much more careful when
making the decision.
Arizona sophomore Mustafa Shakur declared for the NBA Draft just
this week but did not hire an agent.
While this might seem like the safe way out, there is the
possibility that Shakur can face the same problem a player at his
school faced only a few years ago. Jason Gardner declared for the
NBA Draft after 2001, but pulled out and went back to school, only
to go undrafted after his senior season in 2003.
“Every weakness he had was exposed, and those (NBA) guys
didn’t forget about it,” Arizona coach Jim Rosborough
told the Arizona Daily Star. “That may have hurt him more in
terms of his pro career than anything. So the risk is immense. But
I don’t say that in regards to (Shakur). I say that in
regards to Jason and anybody thinking about doing that.”
And Rosborough’s words also apply to two UCLA sophomores
who are reportedly thinking about declaring for the NBA Draft
““ Jordan Farmar and Arron Afflalo.
If they can be assured they would be drafted in the first 20
picks, they should go pro. It would be better for their futures to
leave early, and I won’t be one of the Bruin fans who will
inevitably hold a grudge against them for going.
But if they can’t be 100 percent sure of being selected in
the top 20, they should stay in school and avoid workouts in front
of NBA scouts.
Only first-round picks are guaranteed contracts in the NBA.
That’s only 30 players who are certain to get contracts. I
would hate to see Farmar or Afflalo be drafted in the second round
and not make an NBA roster, or for their NBA value to plummet after
some pre-draft workouts, even if they came back to school because
of it.
If Farmar and Afflalo, and any other college basketball players,
can be sure of a top-20 selection before predraft camps, they
should definitely leave school early. If not, stay in school for
another year, and give yourself a chance to boost your draft
status. Just be careful.
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The announcement this week that UCLA is getting a new aquatic
center is great news for the athletic department. A new facility is
exactly what the water polo and swimming teams ““ programs
consistently among the nation’s best ““ need to help
them compete in the future.
I’ve been to many big water polo games at the Sunset
Canyon Recreation Center ““ games where it was clear UCLA
needed an upgrade.
People fill the limited stands at Sunset Rec even for only
mediocre conference opponents ““ and for games against
Stanford and USC, fans often have to crowd around each other at
both ends of the pool.
But the biggest boost won’t be the more available seating
but the ability to host major events. Unlike most of the other
teams at UCLA, water polo and swimming never get to host conference
championships, let alone the NCAA or other national championships.
The nation’s top teams hosting these events is a standard in
most sports, and those teams get an advantage in the postseason
because of it. UCLA will soon get that advantage as well.
E-mail Quiñonez at gquinonez@media.ucla.edu, especially
if you thought Bronson Arroyo would have two more home runs than
Barry Bonds at any point this season.