Kentucky Wildcats Basketball: Is the Tide Turning on Early Departure?

Apr 10, 2013; Bloomington, IN, USA; Cody Zeller at his press conference for the NBA draft. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowksi-USA TODAY Sports

John Calipari’s Kentucky teams have been villified by the media in recent years for allegedly harboring a philosophy of using the University of Kentucky as just a stepping stone towards the NBA and not the bastion of higher learning that it is. John Wall, Anthony Davis, Brandon Knight, DeAndre Liggins, Terrence Jones and a host of others left Kentucky before getting a degree. Arguments over graduation rates ensued, and the program became all that is wrong with college basketball.

But are we seeing a shift in the paradigm? We are seeing a host of players leave early this season, foregoing their education for the millions of dollars that the NBA has to offer. Cody Zeller, Victor Oladipoe, Russ Smith and Ben McLemore are just a few of the players leaving before earning their degrees at their respective schools.

Evan Williams (great name by the way) has an interesting take on the Fansided Busting Brackets site:

"Here’s free advice for aspiring pros on the fence about entering the draft: File your paperwork immediately. There won’t be a better time to leave. Opportunities are fleeting. The high-stakes game of draft stock roulette is no exception. The time is now for those collegians with legitimate first-round upside to throw their hat into the ring before their hat loses its appeal. This is their chance to strike while the iron is hot. If they wait any longer, next year’s draft class will scorch their future earnings potential. Bravo, Cody Zeller, DeShaun Thomas, Michael Carter-Williams, Steven Adams, Archie Goodwin, Jamaal Franklin, Tony Mitchell, Allen Crabbe, C.J. Leslie and Russ Smith. None of your decisions were clear-cut, but if playing in the NBA and maximizing your asset value is your aim, you’ve made the sagest business choice. (That does not apply to any of you, Ricardo Ledo, Marshawn Powell, Norvel Pelle, Amath M’Baye and Eric Moreland). If the next wave of possible early entrants wishes to optimize its professional future, just say the magic words: “I’m gone.” Otto Porter, Alex Len, Kelly Olynyk, Adreian Payne, James McAdoo, Reggie Bullock and Mitch McGary — your value will never be higher. Capitalize. As so many past college defectors have done before, you can always go back and finish your degree. Most pros who manage their money properly won’t need one anyway. For those who do, the spike in available online courses makes reworking towards a degree that much more convenient."

But what about the argument that kids just aren’t ready to go pro and should stick around college?

"Ready for some myth-busting 101? The prime place to develop for the NBA is not in college, where practice time is limited, distractions (classes, parties, co-eds) abound and coaches run college-specific systems irrespective of whether they translate to the pros. The best environment to prepare for the NBA game is…in the NBA, against other pros. How novel. It’s true that the big money in the league is made on the second contract. It’s not true that staying in college past a player’s peak value enhances his chances of earning one. NBA players who have stayed two years or fewer in college are earning more per year, on average, than those who stayed three or four, and by almost 60-percent, no less. Of course, the best talents seldom stay three or four years in college, which skews the data, but many of those who do aren’t necessarily getting their bang for their buck. Think staying in school four years served Tyler Hansbrough’s pro career well when his game peaked by his junior year? The ’09 title legitimized his decision, but also cost him one or two years of seven-figure salary. Recall the cautionary tale of Jared Sullinger, who undermined his stock by returning for his sophomore year? How about Cody Zeller and James McAdoo, a pair of Top 8 picks had they come out last year who will never again be drafted so high? Returning to school can yank the bloom off the rose if the production in years two and three doesn’t justify the hype. It’s difficult to rebuild value that was inherently artificial to begin with."

It’s an excellent read and has some great points that the media snobs need to come to grips with.