A Return To Greatness?

In a world where college athletes are treating their college experience, shall I say, like a one night stand, several hoopsters are coming back to campus for one more round.

Arguably, the most notable returnees are Ty Lawson, Wayne Ellington and Danny Green are returning to Chapel Hill to team with reigning Player of the Year Tyler Hansbrough hoping to win a National Championship for Roy Williams and the Tar Heels.

Other notable returns include Texas guard A.J. Abrams, Arizona sharpshooter Chase Budinger and Gonzaga lead guard Jeremy Pargo.

There's no question that each of these players are talented enough to make the jump to the NBA, but another year of seasoning under the tutelage of some of college's best coaches can only make them better.

It's unfortunate other players either don't realize it or don't care to realize it. The NBA would be a much better product if the league decided to do like the NFL and make it so where early entrants can only make the jump three years after their high school class graduates.

Michael Beasley is good enough to be a starting forward in the NBA, but imagine how much better he would be after two more years of dominating the Big 12. He could develop some more post moves and maybe silence the critics that say he isn't a hard enough worker, all while putting up 26 and 12.

Scouts believe Derrick Rose is the kind of point guard that can change the face of a franchise, but how much better could he be if he improved on that 33.7-percent shooting from the 3-point line or that less than impressive 71.2% shooting clip from the free-throw line.

The longer these players stay, the better they get. Seeing these kids for three (maybe four) years would not only would that make the college game better, but when they took the next step into the NBA they'd be more prepared.

But I guess that makes too much sense.

0 comments: