NBA Lockout: School Top 25 Players Should Attend If NCAA Granted Eligibility

With the NBA now set to miss the entire 2011-12 season, what if the NCAA granted professional players one year of eligibility? 

The idea first came to mind when I saw Dan Wetzel, a writer for Yahoo!, tweet the following string of messages on November 14, which I've combined into one quote since I don't have a 140 character limit:

"

NCAA should offer open enrollment waiver for players w eligibility (kidding, but would be awesome) Kobe to Duke, LeBron/DWade/Bosh to Canes? Would be a one-time greatest NCAA tournament ever. I think LeBron would sign at Akron, where old HS coach is, over Ohio State or Miami. Kentucky would have a shot tho. Recruitment of pros would be cleaner than HS All Americans. Most legit NCAA champ ever. You can't "buy" LeBron.

"

Even if I don't agree with his choice of colleges for each of those players, Wetzel's idea is incredibly intriguing even if it most likely isn't going to happen. 

So, if all players, even the ones who have already used up the normal four years of eligibility, were going to either return to school or go for the first time, where would the top 25 go?

For the sake of simplicity and to place the focus solely on the choice of schools, I'm going to be using ESPN' s rankings of the top current players in the NBA. 

25. Al Horford: Florida Gators

Once you've won two championships with a school, as Al Horford did in 2006 and 2007 with the Florida Gators, it's awfully difficult to abandon them for a different one. 

Horford left Gainesville after his junior season but did end up finishing his degree right after he completed his rookie season with the Atlanta Hawks. 

Now he gets to go back and play his senior season with the Gators alongside Kenny Boynton, Mike Rosario, Brad Beal and the rest of the talented young squad. 

24. Chris Bosh: Texas A&M Aggies

Chris Bosh only spent one year with the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets before jumping to the professional ranks in the 2003 NBA Draft. As a result, he probably didn't build up enough loyalty to the program to ensure a return.

Also, as a Georgia Bulldog, I don't want him going back to make Tech better. 

Bosh was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up around the state. He still does charity work both in Dallas and Toronto, but obviously I'm not going to have Bosh play his college ball in Canada. 

I'm also guessing that Bosh would prefer to spend a little time under the radar after the intense hatred he faced during his first, and so far only, season with the Miami Heat.

For that reason, I've got him staying close to home and joining forces with Khris Middleton in College Station to make the Texas A&M Aggies a top-tier team. 

23. LaMarcus Aldridge: Texas Longhorns

LaMarcus Aldridge, just like Chris Bosh, was born in Dallas, Texas and grew up in the Lone Star State. 

After receiving advice from Shaquille O'Neal that he should play a bit of college ball before going pro, Aldridge committed to the Texas Longhorns and spent two years there before declaring for the NBA draft. 

I see no reason why he shouldn't go back there once more. 

22. Kevin Garnett: Kentucky Wildcats

One of the reasons that Kevin Garnett went prep-to-pro was that his academic record and test scores weren't up to par and may have prevented him from being eligible throughout his freshman year. 

As Derrick Rose proved, John Calipari doesn't actually care about test scores.

Therefore, we're going to have KG joining forces with the young Kentucky Wildcats in Lexington.  

21. Paul Pierce: Kansas Jayhawks

Paul Pierce played for Roy Williams at the University of Kansas for three seasons before he went pro. I see no reason why he shouldn't return to the same school and play for Bill Self this time. 

It's really just a gut feeling, but I can't picture Pierce in any jersey but a Boston Celtics or Kansas Jayhawks one. 

20. Zach Randolph: Purdue Boilermakers

Zach Randolph spent just one season in college at Michigan State before he went pro and was drafted 19th overall in 2001 by the Portland Trail Blazers. 

Maybe it's just his gritty style of play, but I feel as though Z-Bo is a perfect fit for the tough Purdue Boilermakers. He'd fit right in with head coach Matt Painter and star forward Robbie Hummel. 

19. Tim Duncan: Wake Forest

Since I'm the one writing the article, I get to come up with the rules. Here's a new one: if you attend a school for four years and you're granted an extra year of eligibility, you are required to use it at the same school you played all four years for. 

Tim Duncan spent four years with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons and is now required to return to the team. 

18. Manu Ginobili: Baylor Bears

If there's any place in the United States that feels like home to Manu Ginobili, it would have to be San Antonio. After all, the Argentinian guard has spent his entire career playing for the Spurs. 

Austin, Texas might be closer to San Antonio than Waco, but for some reason, I have a tough time picturing Manu in a Longhorns jersey. It's much easier to see him playing for the Baylor Bears. 

His finesse and tenacity would be the perfect addition to the youth and athleticism of Perry Jones, Quincy Miller and the rest of the Baylor team. 

17. Rajon Rondo: Kentucky Wildcats

Rajon Rondo was born in Kentucky and chose to play his two years of college basketball with the Kentucky Wildcats. 

He's come a long way since then, but now he'll be able to be a veteran presence for a Kentucky team full of talented young players.

Having an experienced All-Star point guard would do wonders for a team starting two sophomores and three freshmen. 

16. Kevin Love: UCLA Bruins

After Kevin Love decided to play for the UCLA Bruins instead of the Oregon Ducks, for whom his father had played, he was absolutely hated by fans of the latter team. In fact, at one game in Eugene, he had to endure plenty of obscenities and even some death threats. 

If he overcame all that and remained a Bruin, then he's going to go back and become a Bruin once more. 

15. Russell Westbrook: UCLA Bruins

Russell Westbrook spent two years playing for the UCLA Bruins and he's from Long Beach, California. 

Everything lines up perfectly for him to return, pair up with Kevin Love and create a dynamic duo just like he did in 2007-08. 

14. Steve Nash: Arizona Wildcats

The city of Phoenix absolutely loves Steve Nash. He's won two MVP awards with the Suns, demonstrated unmatched loyalty to the organization and really helped make his presence felt throughout the state of Arizona. 

There's a reason that Nash hasn't requested a trade to a contender even in the waning stages of his career: Arizona is home now. 

The only college that makes sense for Nash to return to (other than his original school: Santa Clara) is Arizona, so the All-Star point guard will now become a Wildcat. 

13. Amar'e Stoudemire: Kent State Golden Flashes

I've researched a lot of crazy things in my career with Bleacher Report. I've learned about mimic octopi so I can compare them to the Indiana Pacers' Danny Granger, for example.

But I never in a million years thought that I would spend time researching the top fashion schools in the United States.

Amar'e Stoudemire is one of the most stylish men both on and off the basketball court. He prides himself on his nose for fashion and has even created his own clothing line.

I've got Stoudemire attending Kent State simply because it's the best school for a combination of basketball and fashion on fashionista.com's list of the top 20 fashion schools in the country.  

12. Carmelo Anthony: Syracuse Orange

Everything is set up perfectly for Carmelo Anthony to return to Syracuse. 

He was born in Brooklyn, New York; now he plays professionally for the New York Knicks. It just makes sense for him to return to his old school and stay near the fans that love him. 

Plus, Melo led the Orange to a title in 2003. 

11. Pau Gasol: Stanford Cardinal

Pau Gasol doesn't have ties to many places in the United States, but I'm sure that most fans in California like him right now since he's helped lead the Los Angeles Lakers to two titles in the last three years. 

In addition to the California connection, Pau is also quite possibly the smartest player in the NBA. He was once in medical school at the University of Barcelona and has been invited to sit in on surgical procedures.

He also knows five languages and has a diverse set of interests. 

Not only is Stanford a great basketball school, but it's also one of the better academic institutions in the entire country. 

10. Blake Griffin: Oklahoma Sooners

Even though he spent just two seasons in Norman, Blake Griffin was so dominant that he will always be remembered as a member of the Oklahoma Sooners. 

As a sophomore, Griffin torched the opposition for an average of 22.7 points and 14.4 rebounds per game en route to being named the Naismith College Player of the Year. He basically won every award possible. 

There's no other team that the reigning Rookie of the Year could possibly return to. 

9. Deron Williams: Illinois Fighting Illini

After three years with the Illinois Fighting Illini, two of which were completely dominant, Deron Williams has to return to the team he's already played for. 

The point guard averaged 12.6 points, 3.6 rebounds and 6.8 assists per game as a junior, but something tells me he'd average a hell of a lot more in all three categories now that he's a bona fide NBA star. 

8. Derrick Rose: Kentucky Wildcats

Derrick Rose played his one season of collegiate basketball with the Memphis Tigers. Well, I guess he technically didn't since that one season has been entirely erased from the record thanks to the invalidated SAT scores that Rose submitted. 

Something tells me that Rose wouldn't be welcome back on a Memphis squad. 

But I know someone who would find a way to get Rose on a collegiate team once more, and he just happens to coach the Kentucky Wildcats. 

7. Kobe Bryant: Duke Blue Devils

The following is an excerpt from a 2007 article that appeared on GoDuke.com about this very subject: 

"

Despite not winning the National Championship, Duke’s 1998-99 team that finished 37-2 is arguably one of the best in both Duke and NCAA history.  The team’s 37 wins matched the NCAA record, which was held by Duke’s 1986 team and matched by UNLV in 1987 and Illinois in 2005.

Often times Duke fans wonder if Kobe Bryant had not gone directly to the NBA out of high school if he “maybe” would have attended Duke and been a part of that team.

“There’s no maybe about it,” Bryant says.  “Every time I turn on the TV and see Cameron Indoor Stadium, see everybody in Krzyzewskiville and see the Crazies jumping up in down with the intensity and the building almost shaking,  I wonder what it would have been like to play there with Corey [Maggette] and Elton [Brand] and all those guys."

In fact, Bryant would’ve been a junior on the 1999 team that featured two future National Players of the Year in Brand and Shane Battier along with Maggette, William Avery, Trajan Langdon and Chris Carrawell, among others. 

Instead, Bryant entered the NBA via the No. 13 pick of the 1996 draft and went on to earn his first trophy as winner of the Gatorade Slam Dunk Championship at the 1997 All-Star Weekend.  By 1998 he had started an All-Star game and by 1999, he had become the youngest player in NBA history named to an all-NBA team and in 2000, he was the youngest player ever to earn all-defense honors, as well.  Ten years into his career he has won three NBA Championships and was also the MVP of the 2002 All-Star game.

But if you ask Coach K what it would’ve been like to coach Bryant in college, he responds by saying, “I don’t day dream.  I have enough to think about with my current team than to think what might have been.”

Assistant coach Chris Collins believes Bryant would’ve fit in well as a Blue Devil.  Collins has known Bryant since he was a baby because his and Bryant’s fathers played together in the NBA with the Philadelphia 76ers alongside the likes of Dr. J and the father of another future Blue Devil, Mike Dunleavy, Sr.

“He’s well educated, well spoken, he’s the kind of guy who would have excelled at Duke,” Collins said.  “Certainly the fans would’ve enjoyed watching him out there flying around.  It’s fun to joke around with him, we consider him part of the family even though he never suited up.”

 

"

6. Kevin Durant: Duke Blue Devils

Now that Kevin Durant has established himself as one of the best basketball players in the NBA (see the two scoring titles for confirmation), he could pick any school in the country to go to. 

Even though he spent one season with the Texas Longhorns, I don't think that Durant would be able to return to Austin now that he has roots in Oklahoma with the Oklahoma City Thunder. The rivalry that stretches across the Red River is just too intense. 

I think that Durant would choose to go to an elite basketball program where he could be surrounded by talent and learn from the greatest coach alive. That program would be Duke. 

5. Dirk Nowitzki: Texas Longhorns

Can you imagine Dirk Nowitzki in any place besides Texas? 

Ever since he was drafted in 1998, Dirk has only played for the Dallas Mavericks and has developed an impressive connection with the city he's spent so much time in. 

There's not a chance that he plays for any team other than the Texas Longhorns. 

4. Chris Paul: Wake Forest Demon Deacons

Chris Paul spent two seasons with the Wake Forest Demon Deacons, but he was so good that it's hard to imagine him playing anywhere else. 

3. Dwyane Wade: Marquette Golden Eagles

Like I've said a few times already, when you lead a team for three years at a dominant level, it's hard to go anywhere else. 

Dwyane Wade was by far the best player for the Marquette Golden Eagles when he played collegiate ball from 2001-2003. In his final season with the team, he led them to a Final Four appearance in a tournament capped off by his triple-double against the top-ranked Kentucky Wildcats. 

He'd be a very old senior for the Golden Eagles, but a senior nonetheless. 

2. Dwight Howard: North Carolina Tar Heels

It was such a foregone conclusion that Dwight Howard would go directly from high school to the NBA that no one ever really established a hierarchy of the schools on his list. 

To be honest, I have absolutely no idea where D-12 would end up going for his one year of eligibility. I'd like to think that he'd go to Georgia because he's from Atlanta and I refuse to believe that he'd go to Georgia Tech. 

For the purposes of this article, I'm going to settle for North Carolina because that was the only school he officially visited during the recruiting process.  

Also, how awesome is that facial hair?

1. LeBron James: Marquette Golden Eagles

I bet you didn't see this one coming. 

Everyone always assumes that LeBron James would go to one of three schools: Miami, Ohio State or Akron. 

I don't think that Miami is an elite enough basketball school for King James and there's no way he's subjecting himself to a full year in Ohio at this point in his career. The hate would be off the charts. 

That leaves us with 342 other options. 

Why not Marquette? He'd get to join forces with his friend and current teammate, Dwyane Wade, and create a duo that would be unmatched across the country. 

Adam Fromal is a syndicated writer and Featured Columnist at Bleacher Report. Follow him on  Twitter.

All-Time NBA Mock Draft

Steven Jackson: Dark Horse Commercial of the Year Candidate

Brian Wilson vs. James Harden: The Battle of the Beards 

Coolest Players in NBA History

100 Most Exciting NBA Stars Ever