Should They Stay Or Should They Go: Are One and Dones Ruining The Game?

Remember how great college basketball was when people took pride in playing for their schools and weren't worried about having a good season so they could go to the NBA and make money?

It was nice to see guys like Tim Duncan, Ray Allen, Steve Nash and Alonzo Mourning go to school and build a legacy that still stands at their universities until this day.

Even though guys like Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady and Kevin Garnett chose to go straight to the NBA, it didn't affect the college game whatsoever, but if that was the case, then why is there an issue now?

I appreciate guys like DeMarcus Cousins and John Wall for the excitement they bring to the game and the many people they bring to fall in love with basketball, but at what expense?

For one year and then they're off to the NBA?

Well that just sucks.

I want guys to show me that they chose to play for the Kansas Jayhawks because they feel at home at the school, or because it felt completely right, not because the NCAA and NBA say that they have to attend college for a year before they can start making the big bucks.

Why is the one and done rule stupid, Bobby Knight put it in a simple way that all of us can understand.

He said, a player only has to go to class at the beginning of the semester, so that he isn't dropped from classes.

Since he didn't show on the first day, then he never has to go to class again, and by the end of the first semester he will be on academic probation. By the end of the  second semester, he would have already withdrawn from school and enlisted his name in the NBA Draft.

The NCAA claims that their main concern is to educate their players but can you please tell me, how in the world an athlete can be educated in just less than one year, in which they aren't required to attend class let alone do well?

Any other athlete has to stay in school for at least three years, including football and baseball players.

They give all these educational excuses to why things can't be fixed in college sports, but they are also trying to expand the NCAA tournament to 96 teams, a primary example of why this is nothing short of false.

The fact of the matter is the NCAA's main concern isn't educating athletes or giving them a better chance at succeeding in life.

I don't know about you, but I remember the NCAA's concern with having a playoff system in FBS football, was that it would extend the football season, but don't all FCS teams have an extended season because of a playoff system?

And don't baseball, basketball, tennis, lacrosse, softball and hockey players have an extended season due to a playoff system.

How about we just say, if you want to go to college then go to college. If you want to go to the NBA then go to the NBA. But if you choose to go to school, you must stay for at least three seasons.

If everyone is required to go to college and stay at least three seasons,  then players like Lebron James and Kobe Bryant, could show us a little school pride and  then we can argue who had the greatest college career of all time.

I'm not saying my idea is perfect, I am looking at the futures of the players, so that they can see past their hoop dreams and become good citizens instead of guys who go up to the rec center and talk about their glory days in high school and AAU.

Did we not learn our lesson with Sebastian Telfair?

Yes he is in the NBA, but did he turn out to be what everyone thought he would be?

Definitely not!

Just imagine how much greater the game would be if Lebron James would have been playing for Ohio State or Duke, bringing down the house with his nasty dunks.

Not to mention how much better he could have been under the tutelage of Coach Krzyzewski or Thad Matta.

I mean, I may be able to except the fact that James is the best player in the NBA, even though Bryant is better and Anthony is a much better shooter than James, but don't get me started on that topic.

If you don't believe me, I have the support of Dwyane Wade, a junior at Marquette when drafted,  then believe that everyone can improve their game by going to school and perfecting their craft.