First of all, let me say this. The NBA is head and shoulders above every over professional sports league in America. Even in the midst of a global pandemic they pulled off a Draft full of players that nobody even knew.
I cover the NBA and I was sitting there like…who are these guys? Outside of LaMelo Ball, James Wiseman and Anthony Edwards I had no idea who most of these cats were. However, the draft was so entertaining that I watched the entire joint. Why? Because it was intimate and less chaotic than the traditional draft.
Even though I didn’t know most the players I was interested in seeing their families at their homes or restaurants they were posted up at. It was cool seeing all of the families gathered together at the crib watching one of their own fulfill a lifelong dream. It was also interesting to see who would be under the most pressure to take care of everyone in the room or not.
There was a lot of classy family members sitting behind some of these cats and there were some “got their hands out” family posted up too. If you know what it looks like you could spot it a mile away.
Just like the NBA pulled off the bubble and made it an enjoyable experience. They did the same thing with a draft full of cats that most folks had never heard of unless you keep up with recruiting sources or the AAU circuit from a year or two ago. Otherwise, you were in the dark.
Nobody watches college basketball anymore stop it. You watch the NCAA Tournament but there wasn’t one this year. Of course, folks watch their own schools or teams play but they aren’t watching college hoops like we did back in the day when boys were staying in school 3 and 4 years. Now the best players are staying only a year if that. Some kids like LaMelo Ball are playing overseas for a year and then going to the league which makes all of the sense in the world.
Why waste a year going to class and dealing with that foolishness when you’re a lottery pick? Get ready for the draft by simply playing basketball and getting paid to do it. College is for the dun that needs to go to college. Some folks win the genetic lottery and don’t need to waste time going to class.
You wouldn’t tell Chris Brown or Beyonce to go to college for 4 years then come out and start their singing careers. So why on earth would you tell a kid that is at the same level of expertise in his field to go to college before going pro?
Big shout to the NBA for being the Kris Kross of professional sports because they’re “showin’ suckas how it’s done! Warm it Up Kris! I’m about to!” Stop me when I start lyin’!