There is absolutely no doubt that b-ball players learn their game best at the college level. The way the NBA is set up, there is simply no room or time to teach fundamentals. They are supposed to have learned that already.So as far as saying that an NBA player who skipped college is as good as the same player who went to college, it's silly. Of course it's beneficial to a player to learn more about the game, and college is easily the best place to learn it.There has been all sorts of tremendous success stories of players going straight from high school. From Moses Malone to Kevin Garnett, the list includes current players like LeBron, Kobe and McGrady. No question such a list is impressive. Others, like Magic, left college early, and that list is equally impressive. But whether or not some players happen to have both the maturity and/or previous learning necessary to thrive on the NBA level is irrelevant. As a whole, you would be hard pressed to find an NBA exec, scout or top evaluator that does not agree that the number of high school players coming straight into the game has damaged the overall play. Sure, there are many that have been hugely successful. Ironically, it's because of those players that the influx of others coming straight into the NBA has grown so rapidly.So would the players be better off having to play in college first? No, not if you look at their financial situation. Whether they ever become a star or not, they will become rich beyond their dreams just by being drafted. Would they become better ball players by learning more of the fundamentals of the game? Of course. That stuff is not teached or even tolerated on the professional level. Staying in college also helps them grow as humans, maturing from their late teens to their early 20's. Those of you that don't think you matured much during that period in your lives, please raise your hand.How about the NBA? Would they be better off if players stayed in college at least a couple years. Absolutely, positively, no doubt. Sure, it might have meant that guys like Garnett, Kobe, McGrady and LeBron might have had to wait another two years before they came into the league, but that loss would be more than supplanted by the increase in overall maturity and fundamental skills of the rest of the players coming out.The NBA would be better off players had to go to college for at least a couple years before making it into the NBA. I certainly understand a player believing he has the right to make a living at 18. But if you're asking what's truly best for the game? C'mon.
Seriously, though, how do you know Clarett is NFL caliber? A lot of people thought Ryan Leaf was NFL caliber & found out differently - especially SD.
an exclusion would be if they never let them in.
