HoopsHype.com Columns

It's elementary: Turn 18, then turn pro
by Mike Sandrolini / March 21, 2002

Unless you've been watching too much of The Animal Planet on cable TV -- or have actually been living on another planet -- you probably already know about LeBron James, the NBA's next can't-miss superstar who currently is a year away from attending his senior high school prom - and, for that matter, graduating. James, who at 17 possesses a frame that's already sculpted to NBA proportions (6-foot-7, 225 pounds), is being described as a hybrid of Kobe Bryant, Tracy McGrady, Michael Jordan (the MJ of 10 years ago, that is) and Kevin Garnett. Oh, and Jason Kidd, too.

In other words, there's nothing he can't do.

This season, James is averaging 8.3 rebounds, 5.7 assists and close to 29 points a ballgame for St. Vincent-St. Mary's High School in Akron, Ohio. The Irish have buzz-sawed their way through in-state competition, having never lost to an Ohio team in three years. They've won two consecutive state Division III championships.

James and the Irish moved up to Division II in 2002-02, but continue to be unstoppable. The team will play the Division II semifinals and owns a 22-3 record heading into that contest (we use the term "contest" loosely). Since LeBron's freshman season, the Irish have amassed a 74-5 record, including a 27-0 mark that first year.

Up the road in Cleveland this week, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inducted the Class of 2002. But James already knows what it's like to live the life of a rock superstar. It's called LeBronmania.

He's already graced the cover of Sports Illustrated, which tabbed him "The Chosen One." (An autographed copy of James' SI cover has sold for as much as $200 on eBay, so LeBron stopped signing them). He's been invited to work out with His Royal Airness himself. He's hung out with Kobe. His practices at St. Vincent-St. Mary's are closed because students besiege him for autographs. Even Shaquille O'Neal, paid a visit one evening to James A. Rhodes Arena, where the Irish are playing their home games this season, to see the prep super hero.

By the way, the move to Rhodes Arena -- where the University of Akron Zips play -- was done out of necessity to accommodate the masses. The Irish average around 4,500 for their home games. They outdraw the Zips by nearly 2 to 1. Needless to say, speculation surrounding LeBron's future has reached National Enquirer proportions.

There's been talk of James declaring for this year's NBA draft and bypassing his senior year. I'm sure some grubby lawyer would love to challenge an NBA rule which requires that a player must be 18 and wait until his class graduates before he can declare for the draft, but fortunately, James isn't going to allow that to happen. LeBron has since indicated he will finish high school before deciding his next step.

Some would argue that the NBA should rid itself of this ordinance when it negotiates its next collective bargaining agreement. After all, men's and women's tennis have allowed gifted teens much younger than LeBron a chance to
earn a living for years.

Certainly, LeBron James offers a unique case study, but I say keep the rule in place. For the sake of sanity.

Here's what I think life would be like without it. Exceptionally talented players like LeBron James not only would have college recruiters attending their games and calling their homes day and night, but NBA scouts would be doing the same. And when would the recruiting begin? In their freshman or sophomore year? Maybe even sooner?

I'm not saying a kid can't pursue a dream of, say, playing in the NBA. But without such a regulation in place, I fear impressionable youngsters (and their impressionable parents?) who may, indeed, exhibit some ability early, could be duped into believing they can become the next LeBron James.

All the while, the dream of making it into the NBA would push their pursuit of an education to the backburner even more. At least now, NBA rules all but force phenoms like James to graduate. And, at least, they'd have a high school diploma to fall back on if the NBA doesn't pan out.

Need we be reminded that not every high school (or collegiate) superstar makes it to the NBA?

In addition to keeping the current rule intact, the NBA should go one step further: it needs a developmental league, a minor league, or whatever you want to call it.

The Kobe Bryants, Tracy McGradys and Jermaine O'Neals of the world were certainly good enough to make the jump from prep to pro. However, they rode the bench more than they played their first couple of years in the league. What better way to hone their skills than to play regularly in a developmental league? Then, just like in baseball and hockey, you get called up to the big club when you've demonstrated that you can light it up at the minor league level.

A developmental league also would be a sanctuary for those players with NBA potential who conclude that college is not for them.

Let's face the facts: The percentage of basketball players from marquee college programs who earn a four-year degree is at all-time low, and the big-name schools have more or less become unofficial feeder programs for the NBA. Heck, even Mike Krzyzewski and Duke, which has one of the highest graduation rates of any major program, can't hold on to their players all four years anymore.Taking all this into consideration, why not give an NBA developmental league the old college try?

Mike Sandrolini has written about the NBA for various newspapers and magazines. He is a regular contributor to HoopsHype.com

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