A year ago, when Bruin freshman Trevor Ariza was contemplating
whether to declare early for the NBA Draft, perhaps the biggest
proponent of Ariza staying in school was UCLA head coach Ben
Howland.
Howland advised Ariza prior to the draft that he needed to stay
at least another year in college to hone his skills and elevate his
draft status. Apparently, Howland did not get his message across to
either Ariza or anyone else.
Not only did Ariza turn pro, but a new NBA collective bargaining
agreement requires athletes to be at least 19 years-old or one year
out of high school to be eligible for the draft.
The agreement does not do much to change the current status of
the college game, which has allowed elite prospects like Ariza to
use the college level as a mere stopping gate before moving onto
the NBA.
Instead, the new agreement simply continues the trend. Coaches,
who in past years have overlooked top tier recruits because they
were going straight to the NBA, still have to make the tough
decision whether to recruit a top prospect for only one year or go
after a player who’s likely to stay at the program for all
four years.
Aside from Syracuse’s Carmelo Anthony, recent history has
shown that having elite freshman for only one season does not
translate into postseason success.
Thus, coaches such as UCLA’s Howland and Arizona head
coach Lute Olson feel the agreement has little meaning.
“There are not a whole lot of guys (freshmen) who can lead
teams to national titles,” Olson told Scout.com.
More important than the recruiting aspect, however, is the fact
that the policy further dilutes the idea of the
student-athlete.
Freshmen who know they will be around for only one season have
no incentive to attend classes after their season finishes, knowing
they will soon be out of school and preparing for NBA Draft camps.
This makes the academic responsibilities of a highly scouted
basketball prospect even more of a joke than it already is.
The UCLA basketball program alone has had numerous problems with
athletes failing to meet academic standards, resulting in
probation.
And the new agreement does not change the problem. Athletes who
used to file for the NBA Draft because they did not academically
qualify for universities will now attend prep schools, where they
stay in oblivion for one more season before being eligible for the
NBA Draft. While an additional year in a prep school has some value
in preparing kids for the NBA, it does not compare to the college
game, where athletes are constantly scrutinized and exposed on a
national level.
These prep schools are greatly enhanced by NBA scouts and
general managers, who would much rather draft a promising athlete
out of prep school instead of an accomplished four-year college
senior.
Just look at UCLA graduating senior and NBA prospect Dijon
Thompson. He represents everything that is right about the college
game and everything that is wrong about the NBA. He fulfilled his
four-year commitment to his university and gradually improved each
season.
But his status is hurt by the principles of NBA scouts, who feel
that he should have blossomed earlier and has less to offer the NBA
game than high school kids with raw potential.
That notion is what keeps driving younger and younger
high-school students to think they are ready for the professional
level.
Until the NBA works with its players’ union to make sure
that they have a system in place similar to that of the Major
League Baseball Draft system, which requires players to be either
in high school or out of school for three years to get drafted,
there will be no progress made in the college game.
Just don’t be expecting any LeBron James or Tracy McGrady
caliber recruits to be coming to Westwood very soon.
E-mail Parikh at sparikh@media.ucla.edu if you also think
that NBA should stop recruiting pre-schoolers.