I have a background in law, business, economics, and common sense. Allow me to walk you through a simple logical process that will show you why David Stern and Brandon Jennings are geniuses—and why Myles Brand can thank the Lord for college football.
First of all, the NBA has the legal right, as a taxpaying corporation in the USA, to arbitrarily determine the age requirements of its employees. Therefore, the commish was able to flash his financial genius by raising the age limit.
This not only saves NBA franchises money, as they no longer have to scout so many high school games and add a year to the lifetime earning potential of new draftees, but it also increases the overall talent level and professional readiness of NBA players. No longer do teams have developing 18-year-olds wasting roster spots.
So the quality of the product increases, and the cost of operation decreases. Genius.
Secondly, in the USA, we are legal adults come age 18. We can vote, we can get drafted. We can incorporate a business, we can wait tables. We can invent new technology, we can play professional tennis.
Brandon Jennings is 18, and he is looking to maximize his earning potential to support himself and his family, as any rational adult should do. The NBA is no longer an option.
The next best option is the European League—and I have 300,000 reasons why.
The NCAA is a scholarship-based corporation and has the legal right to deem its athletes amateur, under the umbrella of providing them a free education.
This is a farce.
If what goes around comes around, Brandon Jennings should begin a wave of payback as elite NBA prospects ditch a year of no earnings for a year of six-figure income playing against superior competition.
The farce is the fact that the same unpaid athletes generate billions in revenues for the NCAA.
While this is technically legal, it disobeys the spirit behind the protestant ethic and has left a foul taste in my mouth. When I watch athletes like Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley, O.J. Mayo, or Greg Oden, I tell myself, these men are getting hosed.
Ever wonder why O.J. Mayo didn't have the most spectacular of collegiate seasons and spent a lot of time on the perimeter? Just remember—one injury could cost him tens of millions, and he was merely an amateur at USC.
I don't blame any elite prospect for not risking his body in anticipation of a 15-million-dollar payday.
If you don't believe me, you will after watching an entirely new and refocused O.J. Mayo a few years into his NBA career.
The European League is the perfect antidote for the farce that is the NCAA. Simple laws of economics portray this.
In a free market, quality is commensurate with price. Therefore, higher salaries under an equatable market lead to more talent and better competition. This is why the NBA has the best players in the world and the European League ranks second.
This is also why the NCAA depends on market intervention (the age requirement) to remain competitive: In a free market, elite prospects would all bolt to the NBA because the NCAA does not offer salaries.
Therefore, in a free market, the NCAA would largely resemble the NBA D-League—a low-cost and low-margin enterprise that is in-line with the level of talent of its players.
Anything extra—the TV contracts, the jersey sales, the ticket sales—that the NCAA enjoys today is buoyed up artificially by a few profiteers.
Which leads us back to Brandon Jennings, who is pioneering this new wave of European immigration. He, unlike Demar DeRozan, will earn a fair salary next year.
If the free hand of capitalism runs its course, eventually the NCAA will become like the NBA D-League. In fact, it has already begun this course—everyone is leaving early for the NBA, and its only star players are freshmen.
Look for more and more freshmen to bolt to Europe, leaving the talent pool even more depleted, which will turn off even more college freshmen.
Watch any NCAA game today and you will agree: The talent level is depressing. There are no post moves, no offensive creativity, no team motion—just a bunch of headless chickens running around and hustling.
The European League will get an influx of talent which corresponds to the six-figure salaries it offers. And our very own homegrown NBA will continue to remain at the top as long as loyal fans such as ourselves continue to show love.
comments (49) write a comment »
write a new comment
3 months ago
Well-written article and great read. That said, I disagree completely.
Brandon Jennings will not do well in Europe. And perhaps more importantly, everyone in America will forget about him until the draft, when Bilas and Company post his paltry stats and grainy footage.
I would suspect Jennings may think he is starting a wave, but will instead set a precedent for what not to do when you are 18.
Plus his haircut is terrible. Just sayin.
from 3 months ago
I agree with you Tim. What worries me about players going to Europe is that they won't do well because the Euro game is different than the American game. Now, with that being said, he may actually learn some fundamentals of the game over there and possibly improve himself in the long run.
3 months ago
I agree with your article and its interesting the to me how the age requierment has effected NCAA basketball as well. Big time program often have one and out guys leading there squads while solid mid major programs often are lead by upper classmen and are closing the gap b/t themselves and the elite programs. Its a strange set up to say the least.
3 months ago
Good article and completely agree. Surprised more players haven't made the jump to the Euro leagues before Jennings.
College basketball is taking a hit for sure.
3 months ago
The NBA is not one corporation. It's 30 or so corporations joined together through contract. So no, they're not like every other employer out there. This is probably illegal, notwithstanding that terrible Clarrett decision. What was your background in law?
3 months ago
He's definitely got the right to do it and I can't fault his decision. If I could hardly pass (or not pass) the SATs, I would do the same thing. I wanted to get my education, but these kids dont and for the most part dont have to. I still dont think you can replace winning a national championship, playing in the big dance, or getting sportscenter recognition, but Brandon Jennings will get 6 figures to play against experienced competition. I think he is a phenomenal talent from what Ive seen and will be a top 10 pick either way. He definitely wont be the last to do this and maybe he is changing the NCAA game completely. Or maybe its just a blip on the radar. We wont know for a few years.
3 months ago
The NBA does not have the legal right to block high school kids from entering the league. To summarize, high school kids are not subject to the rules of the NBA because they were not part of the collective bargaining process. Don’t let the awful Maurice Clarett decision fool you.
Also, why so much praise for the Brandon Jennings situation? As a college basketball fan… this sucks! We want to see our best young players performing in an environment where they actually care and we actually get to see them. Did you not enjoy watching Beasley and Rose this year??
from 3 months ago
what makes you think Jennings wont "care" in Europe? He's a basketball player. Yes he has his eyes on greener pastures just like NCAA players but he is a basketball player. I would expect him to play and play hard
from 3 months ago
It's not quite dead on (I'm no lawyer) but I think it legally has something to do with the NBA being a union.
3 months ago
Good article and an interesting read. Keep it up.
3 months ago
Smart article, and I do agree that the college game is suffering, has been suffering, and will continue to suffer.
3 months ago
Going to Europe may get you quick cash but it takes away from your visibility, which in the long run is worth a lot more.
You think if Derick Rose produced slightly better numbers in some European country than he did with Memphis, he'd still be the number one pick?
I think not.
from 3 months ago
there was a European taken number 1 overall 1 year ago. I think he's a bust but he was still the number 1 pick in the draft
from 3 months ago
Kevin - Yeah Bargani was taken by Toronto. I don't recall any guards being taken high in the draft (top 3) in recent years that came from Euro. My point is that the exposure that kids get playing in the NCAA, even for a year, is more than they could ever get in Euro. Stephen Curry this year, for example, became instantly famous amongst basketball fans because we got to actually see him play.
I'd take exposure for one year without pay in the States over a check for one year in Euro any day.
from 3 months ago
Nearly 25% of the picks from the 2001 draft to 2006 draft were international and there were 13 international draft choices this year. Some of these players have played for US colleges (Tim Duncan is technically international despite being born a US citizen). Others are completely international and never played for a US team. Scouts are all over the globe now trying to find another Pau Gasol, Manu Ginobili, Yao Ming etc. Brandon Jennings would have been drafted if he could have come out as it was, you really think because he spends a year playing in an actual professional league, NBA teams are going to ignore him and forget about him?
3 months ago
Nice work here.
I agree. We're going to see more college aged kids going to Europe than in previous years. The peculiar thing is that there will be significantly less than would declare for the NBA before the rule was enacted. Basically, the personal costs of going to Europe are much higher than declaring for the NBA was. If a kid declared for the NBA and get drafted (which Jennings probably would've under the old system), then he'd get to stay in the country and make a good salary.
Now he has to undergo the cost of going to Italy or Spain (the two countries with top leagues, I think - I am relatively unfamiliar with European B-ball): a strange environment for a 18 year old kid.
I'm fascinated to see how this plays out.
3 months ago
Totally support what Jennings is doing. It will end this little NBA rule once enough players go overseas. Stern doesn't want to lose a year's worth of earnings from these guys to European teams. If that's the norm rather than the exception this rule is done.
I'm pretty sure LeBron, Amare, and Superman were ready out of high school.
from 3 months ago
I agree to an extent with your last sentence here, David. But more often than not, these high schoolers don't pan out (calling Kwame Brown). Now the question is: do we let these kids screw up on their own?
I say yes. But the Jennings decision won't impact the NBA rule. Stern isn't going to ruin a year of free player scouting and marketing over one player. I've seen enough of Jennings to know he ain't exactly LeBron, Amare or Superman. He is very talented, though.
The fall-out over one-and-done and subsequent public discourse may eventually sway the NBA. But not this one player.
3 months ago
Nice article, I was interested in this story as I think that it could lead to a lot of these 18 year old prospects making the transition to Europe over College. The question I have is this, will some athletes ultimately lose money by going to Europe? If Jennings' draft stock falls as a result of this year, he may be costing himself a lot more than he will make in Europe...
I think the NCAA has to work with the NBA and find some way to compromise, there is too much money at stake, even March madness would be diminished by the loss of players such as Oden, Durant etc.
How does everyone think the European Leagues compare to the NCAA in terms of player development? it seems that players from outside the NCAA are looked at with scepticism come draft time...
3 months ago
European player development is far superior to American player development, most of the damage is already done before kids even step foot on an NCAA campus.
Who cares if we don't get to watch Jennings. Remember, these athletes are human beings with the right to earn cash for what they do. Or, are you all that selfish?
He's going to be scouted just as much overseas than he is in America. Don't let Bilas and their grainy footage fool you. NBA scouts do their job. They're not a bunch of casual NCAA fans who were given silver spoons into broadcasting because of their average NCAA careers...
NCAA=Exploitation. If you don't know this, you've never played an NCAA sport or known an NCAA athlete.
How come people need this explained to them? I don't get it. It is so obvious and so insanely unfair for NCAA athletes...
3 months ago
European player development is far superior to American player development, most of the damage is already done before kids even step foot on an NCAA campus.
Who cares if we don't get to watch Jennings. Remember, these athletes are human beings with the right to earn cash for what they do. Or, are you all that selfish?
He's going to be scouted just as much overseas than he is in America. Don't let Bilas and their grainy footage fool you. NBA scouts do their job. They're not a bunch of casual NCAA fans who were given silver spoons into broadcasting because of their average NCAA careers...
NCAA=Exploitation. If you don't know this, you've never played an NCAA sport or known an NCAA athlete.
How come people need this explained to them? I don't get it. It is so obvious and so insanely unfair for NCAA athletes...
3 months ago
American kids still grow up rooting for certain schools. Plenty of these kids go to school to make their parents happy about getting an education, even if they expect to leave after only one year. For academic casualties, Europe is definitely the answer for a season before making the jump to the NBA. But for every Jennings, I believe there will still be a guy who wants to be Big Man on Campus for a year in an environment they are comfortable in as a growing man, rather than living in a foreign land and having to grow up in a hurry. And don't kid yourself, the college game is more suited for a transition to the pros than the soft, perimeter-oriented game over in Europe.
from 3 months ago
Couldn't agree more. If the Euro leagues are so superior to the college system, how come there aren't even more Euro players dominating the league. Yeah sure, we have a handful of Dirk's. But if Euro players were more NBA ready, you'd see a LOT more of them than college basketball players.
And please, playing at a premier school like Duke or UNC with a full scholarship is hardly exploitation. Don't kid yourselves.
3 months ago
He still hasn't qualified academically. No one seems to want to address this. I wonder what his decision would have been had he qualified during one of his first two tries.
As I understand it, he's still waiting for the results from his third attempt to qualify. I'd be hopping a plane to Europe too at this point.
The one-and-done rule is truly idiotic but being buried in Europe for a year doesn't seem to be the best option either. No exposure. And that is underrated.
3 months ago
I love the NBA one year rule… regardless of the fact that it is not in line with established case law. Actually, I wish David Stern would enact a four year rule!
I don’t care about Brandon Jenning’s current well being. I’m sure he’ll make his millions eventually. I care about our college basketball viewing enjoyment. The more elite players there are in the NCAA, the better the product is. From a spectator’s standpoint, why rush these guys into a league (the NBA) that is terrible to watch for most of the season.
Let’s be clear though, the NCAA (in football and basketball) absolutely exploits the superstars while they are in school. For those “student athletes” who are not good enough to make it to the next level, regardless of which sport they play, the whole scholarship thing is probably a great deal for them! But don’t feel bad for the superstars; they almost always get paid down the road.
3 months ago
The good thing about Jennings playing in Europe is he will learn how to be team player. Guys drafted right out of high school especially at the guard position are ball hogs. They take too long to develop right out of high school, so maybe its a good thing for his career in the future.
3 months ago
if this guy struggles on the SAT three times, he better hope to god he makes it in basketball. I also like how him and his agent said they were going to Europe before the third SAT score came in. Making it seem like it was already decided. You need a 980 to get into U of A and you get 150 for putting you damn name on the paper.
3 months ago
All I know is that if Jennings chooses Europe, the floodgates will open...very wide.
3 months ago
Even as a diehard Arizona fan, I can't blame him for his decision. He was honest about the fact he wasn't going to school for education and just wanted to play pro basketball. I may not like his motives but at least he didn't string us along for a year while he's just improving his draft stock. That said, I thought he could have handled it a lot better from a PR standpoint. He has his lawyer read some statement and didn't even face the media himself. Also I think if he had apologized to the U of A and its fans for breaking his promise, it would show some more class on his part.
3 months ago
Couldn't agree more!
3 months ago
Great article here. 29 comments will always get my attention.
3 months ago
Great job! I was going to write something along these lines myslef, but I think you covered it well enough. What's amazing is reading some of the comments I've read from people who are now talking trash about the kid because he DIDN'T go to college. When if had of went to school and got under the table money, then everybody would've thrown him under the bus for that. Finally one of these kids decided to strike back and work the system for themselves instead of being worked by it. Now I wonder what Miles Brandt thinks of the NBA's age limit? Can you imagine if Beasley, Rose, Mayo, Durant, Oden...etc had all decided to go this route? Now that Jennings has done it more will follow. One thing you didn't touch on however is the way his decision will affect future NBA drafts. If kids can make six figures overseas, then if they don't like the team that drafted them they can just hang out overseas longer or force a trade before they even get here. This is a milestone decision by Jennings on so many levels.
from 3 months ago
Great point about the income...also consider the strong Euro vs. a weakening dollar. There's still a certain prestige that comes along with being in the NBA. Those types of intangibles are harder to put a dollar amount on. But excellent point.
3 months ago
hmmm...another article reeking of racial bias, that the author will swear doesn't exist, as he simultaneously plugs his nose as well.
Par for the bleacherreport course, no doubt.
And it's just too too bad that David Stern decided to fall prey to *Covetous-Caucasoid-Capers* which seem to only focus on the one sport where Blackfolk are those who predominantly reap the benefit of 'pre-adult professional paydays' in America.
And considering the extremely-small ratio of flops? It makes things look, that much more peculiar.
Especially since predominantly-Caucasoid sports like Golf, Tennis, Baseball, etc...seem to go year after year after year "peculiarly" avoiding sports-columns of abuse/downtalk/scrutiny for allowing adolescents, to go pro, and ruin their lives most of the time.
hmmmm...
Then again, whats new? Welcome to bleacherreport.com folks!
from 3 months ago
Sorry, but there is absolutely not a hint of race in this article, just economic and legal theory mixed in with common sense.
3 months ago
OOOOOOOOPS, I forgot to add the Caucasoid sport called H-O-C-K-E-Y to my above veracious opinion.
oh yey:
And Maurice Clarett is inapplicable to this scenario. And that simply being the element of *continual high-velocity & bone-crushing, contact* in a sport that an 18-yr.-old body JUST CAN NOT be thrown into, without some kind of prep. That reality transcends any skill-level, minus 18 year-olds weighing 240 lbs. or greater.
3 months ago
Josh,
In my eyes, you're the only one talking sensibly here, and therefore...I can't wait until that first Court date! When David Sterns finds himself being sued, in a Capitalist-Democracy, for his choice to deny folk the opportunity to
*get paid, for their trade, when it's of the skill-level we crave, but forced to disengage ---simply via, their AGE!*
from 3 months ago
I'd be all for a player suing the league over the matter...the only problem is they'll need some DEEP pockets.
I'm more of a college hoops fan. I watched it even when it was "weakened" by high schoolers entering the draft early. And while a lot of high schoolers haven't panned out (and admittedly, a lot have), I think they should be given an opportunity to succeed or fail.
You're right--this isn't football, where a guy right out of high school may be setting himself up for a serious life-threatening injury by taking on a Shawn Merriman or Ray Lewis.
3 months ago
Greg, I hear you.
But consider this, I believe (correct me if I am wrong) you collect an NBA-pension for Life, if you get in 7 or 8 years...correct?
So in my eyes, if a player logs 70-75% of that, he should be viewed as a success to had reached the league and made a admirable-living, then went on to other endeavors in Life.
So, if you look closely at the percentage of high-schoolers who went to the NBA ---and failed/didn't play at least 4-5 years--- versus those that do play, at least, that many seasons and longer, then...
You'll find such a minute discrepancy, versus predominantly-Caucasoid sports like Hockey/Tennis/Golf/Baseball, until...the racial inequity ---to handcuff Black males--- should become very clear re: this decision to bar high-schoolers.
I honestly feel that this decision was more motivated by the fact, that Caucasoid players aren't EVER GOOD ENOUGH to be considered draft-worthy, coming out of high school. Kevin Love could've changed everything if he had some worthiness, coming out of high-school, then they wouldn't have tried this racist weak$hit. I can't wait until some ghetto-dweller sues Stern's "corporation" over this.
Although, I would bet that no racist-Court would ever rule in a Black man's favor on this, still...if White players start to become draft-worthy at 17 yrs-old, eventually, this rule will vanish. I gauRONNtee!!
from 3 months ago
I understand what you're saying. I think we both agree that these high school kids (maybe I should be calling them young men now) should be able to make the decision to play in the NBA. I just don't know that I'm willing to bring racism into it. It's not like the white player is going to benefit from a year of college any more than a black player. An individual player's ceiling is his ceiling.
I think the funniest thing that would happen would be if the NCAA threw a real wrench in everything by making freshmen ineligible. How would you like to be in Stern's office when he discovered THAT little nugget traipsing across the newswire!
3 months ago
Greg this is true. But here, is where you have to be more fair to reality:
"...I just don't know that I'm willing to bring racism into it. It's not like the white player is going to benefit from a year of college any more than a black player. An individual player's ceiling is his ceiling..."
1974-2008, or, Moses Malone through Brandon Jennings. Thats how long the league has entertained standout high school players going straight to the NBA. The reality is, in that 34 years, there have been nearly zero-percent, as in nearly none nunca nil nada amount, of White players who stick out that way to = drafted.
And 34 years, is a very long time to validate a hypotheses, into a theorem.
*White hi-school players "ceiling" for their skill set, just doesn't cut it for the NBA, since 1974.
*Complaints about player salaries is increasing no matter how few, or multi-, millions are delved out
* Younger player's off-court woes are being blamed on their "immaturity" being given those millions
*This is a racist-Nation, and becoming moreso, regarding the sports arena.
*The NBA is no longer geared/promoted, to cater to the inner-city element, but moreso the Suburbs
Anyone who follows the NBA, can not hide from the reality that this *peculiar* rule only effects Black players, according to the history of going from hi-school to pro.
So, I think, the top 10th/11th grade players in America RIGHT NOW, should start gearing their families to consider litigation. So when their day comes, this racist-rule will already had been addressed.
from 3 months ago
I know you want to paint this one-and-done rule as purely a racial issue. I respectfully disagree. I think the rule is a response to the quality of NBA basketball in the 2000's--which was absolutely awful up until the last year or two. The league, in my estimation, was concerned about the brand. You can blame it on race...I blame it on the fact that games were scoring in the 80's and low 90's, you had to watch a bunch of masons tossing up bricks on a nightly basis, and there was a commissioner freaking out about the whole mess. This was the Band-Aid solution. I keep saying this, but the rule doesn't work.
However, I should note that the NBA Players Association signed off on the eligiblity rule. It was collectively bargained. If this is all about race, the NBPA is comprised predominantly by the demographic you are saying is being discriminated against.
That said, the main point of the article is that Brandon's going overseas. It's a great way to stick it to the NBA but will it ultimately help him on draft night next June? I'm skeptical that it will.
Thanks for some great discussion. I've had a great time. Take care yungCaucasoid--you have one of the finest names on B/R!
3 months ago
I think we forgot why he's going over to Europe. He's going because he couldn't qualify for college. Yep, that's the guy I want if I'm running the NBA or a NBA team.
3 months ago
I think the one year out of your Senior Year graduating High School class is a crappy rule anyway. Why is it that Baseball, Hockey, Tennis, and even Soccer can sign players as young as 14 (Freddy Adu-Soccer) but basketball and American Football can't??
3 months ago
Good read.
I don't disagree that it is worth it if the money is there in Europe. But I am very interested to see how successful the first wave of imports do in Europe, and how European teams do or don't incorporate young American players. The question becomes is the NCAA exposure worth more than a six figure contract? Either the way in my eyes the NCAA loses, when the players go the NCAA loses the best talent and when the stars come and are open about '1 and done' it shows that the goal is not education but money...
3 months ago
Edmon,
You sound rather hypocritical, pal, as if him qualifying for college is a pre-req for being a superstar on the NBA court.
Here's proof of how clownly you appear;
there was this one kid about 12 years ago, who couldn't qualify for college, so that solidified his best-bet was to jump straight to the NBA. Remember him? Some "unintelligent" nobody, by the name of----- Kevin Garnett!
3 months ago
Kyle,
it's because those sport's PRE-ADULT pros, are predominantly Caucasoid. So, of course, its a-okay to stay peculiarly silent on them. Like you see, from the keyboards of those folk who beat down NBA players going pro straight from high school. Correction ----Black NBA players--- going pro straight from High School.
Racism's doublestandard is reeking loudly, no matter how much the guilty try and deny it.
3 months ago
Greg,
One last ounce of veracity, which, you'll hate to have to think about;
"...However, I should note that the NBA Players Association signed off on the eligiblity rule. It was collectively bargained. If this is all about race, the NBPA is comprised predominantly by the demographic you are saying is being discriminated against..."
As much as we get excited, during NCAA Final Four time, getting to see the top High School cats ---who will likely go NBA from High School--- then, again, on Draft Night when it all comes to fruition, still...
that doesn't change how the greater majority of CURRENT NBA PLAYERS are "haters" for lack of a more veracious term. Period.
They are the ones who vote on the issues for the NBPA.
They are the ones who are pissed that 18-yr-olds are eating up the available monies/without having proved themselves ---whether they deserve that money or not.
So, please Greg, keep in mind that that rule was approved using a rationale that we fans can't relate to, and therefore hate to have to think about, within our beloved NBPA veteran players...who weren't good enough to go pro out of High-school.
3 months ago
The college teams do not take advantage of their student athletes. Most of them give full scholarships, provide expert coaching, and give their athletes every benefit that is allowed.
That said, the NCAA and the Conferences are taking advantage of the athletes. The NCAA makes billions because of the top basketball and football players. Players like Kevin Durant, Carmelo Anthony, and of course, Brandon Jennings put asses in seats. People buy tickets to see them play. People buy jerseys with their names on the back.
The NBA makes more money because people are excited about seeing these players play. How many Sonics fans bought tickets just to see Durant? The NBA is making money off these players before they enter the NBA Draft.
Yet these players get nothing. It is wrong and possibly illegal for the NBA and NCAA to profit from players who are not being paid.
The system is fucking bullshit. An 18 year old can vote or start a business. An 18 year old can join the Army and go fight in Iraq or Afghanistan.
So why can't an 18 year old who is good enough join the NBA?
write a new comment