High School Seniors entering the NBA draft

When you’re an athlete in high school you only dream of going to the NBA, but some 17 and 18 year olds out there are good enough to do just that. When you look at players like Tracy McGrady, Kobe Bryant, and Kevin Garnett they didn’t need college to be impact players in the NBA. I mean their numbers count for themselves. Kevin Garnett has been in the NBA for 8 years and he averages just under 20 points a game and just over 10 rebounds a game. Tracy McGrady averages just over 20 points per game and last year averaged 32 points a game. Michael Jordan, the best basketball player of all time, was only to reach that feat a couple times. Kobe Bryant averages just over 21 points a game and has a couple NBA championships to go along with that. Granted all of them needed a couple years to become impact players in the NBA but after they got the fundamentals down they were all making all-star teams and winning MVP awards.

A lot of critics say that skipping college to turn pro is down right ridiculous because the players won’t be able to mature and be taught to their full potential, but even college graduates like Karl Malone needed a year or two in the NBA to improve his game. But

one of the main reasons to go to college is to get a high paying job that will make you happy. I guarantee that almost every one of those critics that look down on players for skipping college would do the exact same if they had the ability. I mean why wouldn’t they if they were getting multi-million dollar contracts and doing something that they love. If an athlete goes to college he risks the chances of getting hurt, and maybe never being able to play basketball ever again in his life.

One phenomenon I would like to discuss in more detail is, “The Next Michael Jordan”, Lebron James. He is probably the most talked about athlete since the man himself, Michael Jordan. “His high school basketball games were on pay-per-view for $7.95 a pop in 14 Ohio counties and last December 12th a matchup with national power Oak Hill was scooped up by ESPN2.” (espn.com). As a sophomore in high school he was the number one prep basketball player in the nation. “As a junior he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated and was dubbed "The Chosen One". He has won every national player of the year award possible the last two years. He is also the only three-time winner of Ohio's Mr. Basketball award, and he led his team to the mythical national title as a senior.” (sportsline.com). He has already signed a deal with Nike worth more than 90 million dollars, and writers are even asking the question if he is going to be the first athlete to become a million dollar man. The six foot eight super star decided to skip college all together and enter the NBA draft and was selected first over all by the Cleveland Cavaliers; they gave him a three year, $12.96 million dollar contract, and if he decides not play a fourth year they will give him $5.8 million.

I hear people say al

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