News broke earlier today that SMU freshman, Emmanuel Mudiay (the #2 point guard prospect in this incoming freshman class) has decided to head overseas to play-for-pay instead of attending college. Mudiay told SI.com "I was excited about going to SMU and playing college basketball for coach Brown and his staff and preparing for the NBA, but I was tired of seeing my mom struggle. And after sitting down with Coach Brown and my family, we decided that the best way for me to provide for my mom was forgo college and pursue professional basketball opportunities."
First, let me say it's nice to see a young man such as Mudiay want to make this sacrifice just so he can provide for his mother, but this is disturbing to me. First and foremost, it's sad that kids are faced with these kinds of decisions, but the fact of the matter is that this is becoming a common theme among the nations top players. Most leave early only to provide for their families and end up leaving before they should only to find themselves riding the pine just to be cut at the end of their contract. Sure they made some money, but when their career is over in two to three years, have they really accomplished what they set out to do?
The real question is, what can the NBA and the NCAA do to prevent kids having to make these kinds of decisions? Well, rumors have been swirling for a while now that the NBA was going to institute a "two-and-done" to force kids to be two years removed from their graduating class before they can enter the NBA Draft. While that sounds nice, it will only make situations like this one more common. Do you really think a kid in this situation is going to go to school and watch his family suffer for two years instead of one when they could simply head overseas straight out of high school and get paid immediately then come back and enter the NBA Draft a year later? To put it simply, NO.
The best way, at least in my mind to cure this problem is to let them enter the draft straight out of high school, but if they elect to attend college, they will have to stay two years before they can enter the draft. Kids would then be able to assist their families financially and college coaches would have two years to develop and coach kids instead of one. Is it a perfect solution? NO. But, at least it would be a start at heading in the right direction. As it stands right now, the NBA seems dead set against letting high school seniors declare for the draft. But, if they do go through with the "two-and-done" rule, you can expect to see A LOT of the top high school seniors taking the route Mudiay did more often and truthfully, who could blame them?
However, I would like to wish Emmanuel good luck on his decision and hope it all works out the way he envisions it. The good news is, some NBA scouts are saying that Mudiay would go #1 in next years draft no matter where he plays, so good for him.
It should also be noted that Mudiay has concerns about his amateur status. A source told ESPN that "the NCAA is on him and he's worried".
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