Jason Williams making a mistake not coming out for the N.B.A. Draft

[Spike]

You know, people often talk about how it's a big mistake for some college players to come out before their senior year and I've done that too.

But you know what, I think it's a big mistake for Jason Williams not come out for the N.B.A. Draft this Summer because he'll clearly either be the overall #1 pick or a top 3 pick.

It's admirable that he wants to stay and get his degree but he can go back and get that degree anytime.

He has nothing more to prove in college. He's got his ring. And isn't the idea of going to college to get yourself ready for a career? He's ready now. If he goes back and plays one more year, his stock might drop between now and the 2002 N.B.A. Draft (not likely) or he could get a big injury or something (now that is not out of the realm of possibility). This isn't like Corey Maggette or William Avery when those guys should have stayed a couple of more years with Coach K.

[NickHammy]

Dude...he does have more to prove, and skipping 2 years of college is too much. I can see him skipping his senior year...but not junior and senior years. The competition in the NBA is a lot more difficult than in college hoops. I don't think he'd be too successful if he went now.

[Spike]

I wholeheartedly disagree.

Why is skipping 2 years of college "too much"? Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant skipped 4 years of college and it doesn't look like it hurt them any.

What more does he have to prove? Nothing. What does he have to improve on? Nothing. He can hit the outside shot. He can drive on anybody. Nobody at the college game can stop him from him turning the corner. Good point guards in the N.B.A. are at a premium. He'll be just fine if he comes out now.

[PeterDewar]

Coming out early hasn't hurt Kobe and Kevin because they haven't done anything outside of Basketball.

I admire Jason for staying in school. You can never "not need improvement." Staying in college allows him to prime and shine his skills even more then he already has. He may have everything he needs but improvement is always there...in any sport by any player.

[iFroggy]

Either choice would be a good one. Staying with Duke gives him a very real shot for another title and this will be "his team" so to peak and not Shane Battier's.

[Spike]

Originally posted by PeterDewar:

Coming out early hasn't hurt Kobe and Kevin because they haven't done anything outside of Basketball.

Kobe Bryant hasn't done anything outside of basketball? He's lived abroad in Europe. He's learned a few foreign languages. He's engaged to be married. On-the-court, I admit, he hasn't made the wisest decisions at times but off-the-court he's mature, well-rounded and just fine.

Going to 4 years of college isn't for everybody. In fact, going to college isn't for everybody.

[iFroggy]

I agree.

I know people that have MBAs, BSs, degrees and what have you and some of them are the dumbest to walk the earth. A degree means nothing if your too stupid to begin with. And it might not mean anything then either.

[Marc]

Originally posted by PeterDewar

I admire Jason for staying in school. You can never "not need improvement." Staying in college allows him to prime and shine his skills even more then he already has. He may have everything he needs but improvement is always there...in any sport by any player.
I agree - and I admire Williams for honoring is promise to Coach K that he will be staying. He said he was staying and he intends to fulfill that.

[Rick Dogg]

You always have something left to prove.

[Spike]

Yeah and I would say for Jason Williams now, it's at the N.B.A. level.

[Brandon]

I don't know, I just think that staying in college can do nothing to hurt a player. Williams still could learn something under Coach K. Tim Duncan could have came out early, but didn't, and he obviously was dominating from the start.

Plus, isn't the reason for college the degrees? I feel if you're in college, your primary focus should be the degree. Obviously that is my opinion, and is not shared by everybody. What if you have a freak accident on the court in an NBA game during your rookie year after skipping three years of college and are forced to retire? What do you have to fall back on?

[Marc]

Originally posted by SC Brandon
I don't know, I just think that staying in college can do nothing to hurt a player. Williams still could learn something under Coach K. Tim Duncan could have came out early, but didn't, and he obviously was dominating from the start.

Plus, isn't the reason for college the degrees? I feel if you're in college, your primary focus should be the degree. Obviously that is my opinion, and is not shared by everybody. What if you have a freak accident on the court in an NBA game during your rookie year after skipping three years of college and are forced to retire? What do you have to fall back on?
No, the primary reason these student-athletes are in college, at least in the good players like Williams' case, is to get ready to go pro, I bet they could care less in most cases about education.

And if they can't play for some freak reason? They could also turn to coaching or commentating.

[iFroggy]

And Marc... exactly how difficult do you think it would be for a kid in their 20s to get a job coaching or as a commentator with no experience doing either? How much do you think he will make even if he is able to get a job?

Thats probably not even a possibility.

[Marc]

Originally posted by iFroggy
And Marc... exactly how difficult do you think it would be for a kid in their 20s to get a job coaching or as a commentator with no experience doing either? How much do you think he will make even if he is able to get a job?

Thats probably not even a possibility.
Do I need to list the players-turned-commentators? I doubt any of them took classes for this. Charles Barkley, Kenny Smith, Kevin Johnson, etc...

[Rick Dogg]

Those examples werent very good. None of those players were in their tweenties, and they were all NBA superstars. People will forget about Jason if he never plays in the NBA. Williams has no coaching experience. He'd be luck to coach high scool ball.

[iFroggy]

Exactly what Rick said. :D