So Sonny Vaccaro has finally grabbed the NCAA by the balls, like he's been plotting in some Mafia den to do for years now. Ridiculously skinny yet talented point guard Brandon Jennings, the next BIG THING in college hoops, has decided to not attend the University of Lute Olsen, and instead sign a pro contract in Europe for a year, before entering the 2009 NBA Draft.
Ever since the NBA instituted its one year policy, we've been waiting for this moment. Everyone thought it would be Orange Juice Mayonnaise and Billy Walker (both close friends of Vaccaro) to be the pioneers of this continent-hopping way of going pro straight out of high school, but they instead joined the One Year of College Class of 2008 (or, an awkward sorta year and a half in Bill's case) that produced one of the greatest, strangest years of college ball to date.
For Jennings himself, it's hard to say how it will play out. College or pro, the boy needs to put on weight at some point. His game right now is Steve Nash-esque, but with dunking and other more uh, exciting facets. But regardless...he needs strength for when he'll face the bigger guards that he'll inevitably face in the NBA, and now, probably in Europe too.
I have mixed feelings on this issue for Jennings. I think he's stupid to pass up a chance to work with Lute Olsen, one of the greatest basketball minds alive. There is no guaranteeing his European coach will click with him, or even speak English. Arizona is also a hell of a lot closer to LA than uh, Europe. Even if his family moves with him, will cultural changes still bother him? The longer schedule is probably nothing. He's been at Oak Hill for 2 years, which plays longer schedules than teams in the Final Four. But it's the little things. What if this demoralizes him, stumps his basketball growth, or just exposes weaknesses that turn GMs off? And it can't be about the pay. He's not gonna get a million dollar contract. Hell, NCAA boosters will probably do him better.
I just worry about the kid because I like his game and attitude, but I don't think this path is as glorified as it seems, and unfortunately, Vaccaro might ruin Jennings' life.
It sickens me because this is about punishment to the NCAAs for Vaccaro, who he rightfully believes is a soul-sucking institution that unfairly profits off of its players, without providing them with adequate educations or anything more than a chance to hone their game. I have issues with the NCAAs that are in a similar vain. At the same time, Vaccaro is EXPERIMENTING with a boy's LIFE, just to get back at the NCAAs. He whispered sweet nothings to Jennings, things that might hurt him much more than Rodney Guillory and OJ Mayo's bad marriage. Oh, sure, it could work out great for him too, and probably end college hoops as we know it today. Instead of the NCAA profiting, Europe will! And we know America LOVES supporting foreign economies rather than their own.
The fact is, both the NCAA and NBA need to be working together for some form of reform. While they act like they are separate institutions, fact is that the NCAA is a funneling system into pro sports where basketball is concerned. I've been an advocate for awhile of actually developing athlete-friendly curriculums at schools, where they can take classes in life skills and financial management and such to PREPARE them for the pros beyond on the court. It's gotten to a point where it's just silly to fool ourselves into thinking the NBA can institute a rule more similar to the NFL's, where the kids have to almost finish or finish college. Kids have been allowed straight into the NBA for far too long. Trying to do that now would mean ALL of college would go to Europe for 3-4 years. Someone fucked up way back, but that doesn't mean we can't get creative now, and do something to actually HELP the kids now for the 1 year or so they stay.
And yes, I'm an old man with this. I would prefer I see kids playing ball for 4 years still. But I realize times have changed, and rather than whine and bitch, let's figure out something that actually works, that teaches and prepares the kids and makes the most of their short stops onto the NBA.
But experimenting with a kid's life and career is not the best first solution. Congratz Sonny, because you did win. You stuck it to the NCAAs, because they're too busy counting their March Madness revenue to bother coming up with a plan to counteract their problems. Now let's hope that ALL of these people haven't already ruined the promising career of the next great point guard.
4 comments:
I have to disagree with you on a few points Esther.
1. I think it is wrong to place all of the blame on Sonny Vaccaro.... IMO the bigger problem would be the NBA and the NCAA and the way that they are set up. Jason Whitlock has an article on this on foxsports today. Vaccaro didn't steer Jennings to Europe as much as Jennings steered himself. If Mayo or Walker would have gone then it would have been clear that Vaccaro got them there, but Jennings got Vaccaro, not the other way around.
2. I just feel that Jennings isn't as good as many think he is. Better prospects have gone to college and failed. The following is from truehoop.
[UPDATE: Jonathan Givony is, in addition to the guy who runs DraftExpress, a consultant who advises several European teams on things like which American players to sign and for how much.
Givony says he can't see a top European club offering Jennings more than $100,000. "He's not strong enough and he's not experienced enough to run an elite club. He has a world of talent, and he'll be unbelievable down the road, but experience trumps athleticism and talent every day European basketball," explains Givony. "I'd be very surprised if a top team offered him more than $100,000, at most, but stranger things have happened. Jerome Moiso just had his best year ever, and averaged seven points a game. He just signed a huge deal in Russia."]
3. Playing in Europe is going to be tough for Jennings.... It is way better than the American college game and all of the European stars are going to be gunning for him.
4. Jim Boeheim and Coach Cal both said they don't expect this to happen that often.... Of course they could just be saying that because that thought helps them out, but I think they really believe it.
1. Oh, don't get me wrong, I blame the NCAA and NBA just as much for never making college basketball relevant enough for the players to stay, and the NBA for letting them go pro whenever (unlike the NFL). I wrote a pretty angry rant against the NCAA and agents when I touched on OJ Mayo back in May/June. I feel similarly with Jennings.
It was Jennings' decision, but Vaccaro is the one that pushed him. That's how I see this falling on him. If he doesn't inspire the idea, it doesn't happen. If Jennings fails, I will blame him for being stupid enough to give it a try, but Vaccaro gets the blame for using him to see how his ideas worked. We can't live in a world where these young black men are being used like test animals. It's still another example of modern-day slavery.
2. As for Jennings, his issues will be his lack of strength. He can't drive against bigger guards, because speed WILL lose out against strength + speed (common sense). His J is solid, but...he's a point guard. And point guards needs to be able to move anywhere on the floor, including pushing past people. He's skinny enough to probably fall in a crack in the low post between forwards, but that's more of a mistake than a good playing plan.
I read the Givony thing earlier today, and I totally agree about the experience part too. Again, I don't see how learning under Coach Olsen isn't incredibly valuable, and with much less risk of damaging his game.
3. Of course coaches will be saying this won't be common...but if Jennings succeeds, many will give it a try. It'll be just like after KG/Kobe made the successful jump. It was a slow trickle, then more and more tested it out until it turned into a disaster of Kwame Browns and DeSagana Diops. Do we really need another round of this in sports, for the sake of the children's lives? THINK ABOUT THE KIDS NATE, THE KIDS!!!!
4. I originally numbered this 1, 2, and 4. Your drunkenness must be rubbing off on me. I still love ya Nate!
IMO, I don't think it will happen that often.
1. It really isn't that hard to qualify for college.... as a matter of fact, Jennings is probably (99% sure) going to qualify. For someone to do this, they would have to be very talented and fail to qualify. For instance, if Jennings were any worse, he probably couldn't go to Europe to play.
2. It doesn't make any sense for a team in Europe to take a kid who is big on potential like Kwame Brown for one year, because it will only be for one year and they will not want to develop him. They want to and need to win. Once again, A very good player couldn't do this.... you honestly have to be a Brandon Jennings type talent. It might open up the NBDL or CBA option for kids who are worse and don't qualify, but we wont see a ton going to Europe.
3. I think this is 3...lol
In terms of the racial ramifications I will defer to Whitlock, and I think this quote is a good point.
"For talented, teenage basketball players, a slow boat to China is a better option than being the victim of award-winning gotcha journalism."
He then goes on to blame the NCAA and the way that things are.
That IMO, is the blame for Jennings going to Europe, not Vaccaro. As I said, Jennings heard Vaccaro mention this on a radio show, Jennings isn't being handled by Vaccaro. That is the difference between Jennings and Mayo/Walker.
I see the slavery element, but I agree with Whitlock that by going to Europe instead of college, Jennings is actually getting out from under the slavery umbrella.
http://msn.foxsports.com/cbk/story/8327672/Jennings-may-just-be-a-pioneer-for-'student-athletes'
Lastly, race, skill, and blame aside.... I think ultimately, if Jennings fails, he would have failed anyways and likewise if he succeeds he would have done so anyways.
I apparently missed the boat where this was all Jennings' decision. I think it's because i keep reading about Sonny Vaccaro and this mysterious "person" he has that he's going to use as his pioneer, and I just linked it with Jennings.
5am wakeups are awesome.
Anyways, Nathaniel, great article on the whole Europe thing. Kinda stuff we hinted at, but with more clarity.
http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=hill/080710
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