"One & Dones" and HBCU Basketball?

[MUMFORD]

Between Kentucky and Duke alone, a handful of top flight freshmen basketball players will forgo their remaining eligibility to enter the NBA Draft. Since no one --- parents, schools, and players --- "seriously" considered academics of prime importance in the decision, why don't these "primarily" black players and their parents consider going to an HBCU?

Less than swanky dorms and 6 hr bus rides aside, it seems that some enterprising individuals could make the case to 5-6 top flight players to play that single year at a Hampton, Texas Southern, etc. Could we for once convince "our" best and most talented to do something over the course of their "transition year" to benefit HBCUs specifically and black people in general? Some of the very black folks who rant and rave about "the Man" in many areas of regular life should at least consider directing their sons towards an HBCU for a year. Given the specific reality of this situation, why make the North Carolinas and Kansas' of the world stronger?

If you are truly about academics and campus life then fine, go to Duke, Kentucky, or where ever to play ball. If that's not the case, why not use this opportunity to make HBCUs stronger? I'm sure that coach Banks, coach Davis, etc. can do just as well with the Winslows of the world, as do coach K and coach Cal.

Just thinking out loud. And I'm out.

 

[Kendrick]

wut

 

[jag4life]

OJ Mayo had FAMU listed as one of his top 5 schools prior to signing with USC (money talked). It would be very difficult to get these kids to sign for a single season based on the boosters and perception, but it wouldn't hurt their draft status to attend an HBCU if they are already considered top prospects.

LeBron after a season at SU is the #1 pick regardless. Same with John Wall or Andrew Wiggins. There are 2016 Mock Drafts out there now listing kids who have yet to play a minute of college ball.

 

[MUMFORD]

LeBron after a season at SU is the #1 pick regardless. Same with John Wall or Andrew Wiggins. There are 2016 Mock Drafts out there now listing kids who have yet to play a minute of college ball.

And this is the main point that any reasonable person would not deny. Would this be easy? Given the mindset of many black folks today (vis-a-vis, " The Man's ice is colder"), certainly not. Is it reasonable? Yes.

 

[East Tex Tiger]

The crazy thing is, currently the long bus rides to SWAC games is the only negative that currently apples to Texas Southern. We have a nice arena and the players live in relative new campus apts. One day it will happen, five unique players are going to make a difference.

Justice Winslow, the Harrison twins added to our 2014/15 roster, probably would have won a couple of tourney games.

 

[Tigerpride]

They killed Georgia Tech's program... the Thaddeous Youngs and Derrick Favors would give Hewitt one year and be out. Even if we could have gotten two years out of them, Hewitt would still be the HC at Tech. He could recruit well but having to start over every year was not something we could afford to do.

 

[MUMFORD]

The crazy thing is, currently the long bus rides to SWAC games is the only negative that currently apples to Texas Southern.

These type kids are practically still in AAU travel ball mode. So the long bus rides, while certainly a potential key issue, should not be a major ideal breaker.

 

[DAHILL]

Its not going to happen.......what is in it for the kid? Fresh new Russell warmups, playing in front of small crowds, risk draft status. Trey Johnson averaged almost 30 and didnt get drafted.... Kentucky has had players average 8 and get drafted. I have a friend who played for Bama... averaged 18 ppg and 10 rebounds... 1st team ALL SEC and didnt get drafted. Its certain schools that will put you in the league....

 

[number1]

Its not going to happen.......what is in it for the kid? Fresh new Russell warmups, playing in front of small crowds, risk draft status. Trey Johnson averaged almost 30 and didnt get drafted.... Kentucky has had players average 8 and get drafted. I have a friend who played for Bama... averaged 18 ppg and 10 rebounds... 1st team ALL SEC and didnt get drafted. Its certain schools that will put you in the league....

Nah....You have to many examples of players from non-blue blood programs (Kentucky, Kansas, UNC, Duke, etc.....) that make it into the league. Think about Steph Curry, Damian Lillard, Steve Nash, Kyle Korver, David West, Paul George, etc....... If you are league quality, the scouts will find you, especially in the NBA.

 

[jag4life]

Its not going to happen.......what is in it for the kid? Fresh new Russell warmups, playing in front of small crowds, risk draft status. Trey Johnson averaged almost 30 and didnt get drafted.... Kentucky has had players average 8 and get drafted. I have a friend who played for Bama... averaged 18 ppg and 10 rebounds... 1st team ALL SEC and didnt get drafted. Its certain schools that will put you in the league....

It ain't the school that's putting them in the league. It is the potential. The projected #1 pick for 2016 hasn't even committed to a school yet. Do you think if he goes to AAMU he would no longer be at least as good as he is now? Would his draft stock drop out from #1 to out of the 1st round just like that? He could choose to sit out a year and still get drafted next year.

 

[Taylor-Made'90]

We all know why our schools don't attract the 4- and 5- star kids... These kids (and their parents) realize their worth and will always seek to maximize their leverage. Riding the pine at Kentucky and only playing scrap minutes is still viewed more favorably than having started an entire season at one of our HBCUs.

It'll be the greatest sales pitch of all-time if Brent was able to convince Malik Newman to NOT go somewhere else and stay and play over on Prentiss Street....

 

[jag4life]

These type kids are practically still in AAU travel ball mode. So the long bus rides, while certainly a potential key issue, should not be a major ideal breaker.

Shiiid the top guys are flying everywhere now playing in the shoe company leagues like Nike EYBL, The Gauntlet (Adidas), and UA. Now for school ball they are bussing it so a kid in a large state like Texas probably wouldn't have an issue.

 

[Kendrick]

These discussions always are uncomfortable because they reveal the entitlement some fans display who really don't have the best interest of the athlete at heart.

 

[Kendrick]

We all know why our schools don't attract the 4- and 5- star kids... These kids (and their parents) realize their worth and will always seek to maximize their leverage. Riding the pine at Kentucky and only playing scrap minutes is still viewed more favorably than having started an entire season at one of our HBCUs.

It'll be the greatest sales pitch of all-time if Brent was able to convince Malik Newman to NOT go somewhere else and stay and play over on Prentiss Street....

The only kids riding the pine at UK are those cats Cal stash to keep the team GPA up.

 

[jag4life]

These discussions always are uncomfortable because they reveal the entitlement some fans display who really don't have the best interest of the athlete at heart.

Elaborate. The dudes are going to school becuase they are required to, so why not spread out?

 

[MUMFORD]

Its not going to happen.......what is in it for the kid?

I don't know. Perhaps this generation of black youth can demonstrate on some level that they appreciate the sacrifices made by those who came before them. We're talking about one year out of the life of kids that will soon be making serious bank.

Not exactly John Lewis crossing the Pettis Bridge or enduring an angry mob at a sit- in counter kinda sacrifice. What was in it for those black youths? But hey, one could only hope.

 

[PsychoJag]

This will never happen in basketball because of the AAU teams and the shoes companies. The coaches at the big time programs have access to those two key elements and that's how the talent is funneled to the same programs. Also I don't care how nice we think our facilities are there's no comparison.

 

[the band fan]

I was at an AAU event recently......HBCU grads are out there steering the kids to the big schools as in alot of cases, if momma is an HBCU grad they have no role in the process if father is around

the funny thing about it people will actually talk with you wearing HBCU gear as there are plenty of connections compared to other stuff....but when it comes to top talent, that's not even an option....either there's bunch of money changing hands or folks get scared to speak up

 

[Kendrick]

Elaborate. The dudes are going to school becuase they are required to, so why not spread out?

Why should they?

What would be in it for the athletes who represent 1 percent in terms of this one-and-done discussion to spread out?

To gripe about the athlete deciding to forgo an HBCU, not stay in state to play ball, to go to the rival school or conference seems, to me, like we're treating 17 or 18-year-old kids like property for the purposes of fulfilling our desires which are rooted in money. I don't care whether this is from a HBCU perspective or a PWC perspective.

 

[jag4life]

I was at an AAU event recently......HBCU grads are out there steering the kids to the big schools as in alot of cases, if momma is an HBCU grad they have no role in the process if father is around

the funny thing about it people will actually talk with you wearing HBCU gear as there are plenty of connections compared to other stuff....but when it comes to top talent, that's not even an option....either there's bunch of money changing hands or folks get scared to speak up

I guarantee you Mike Davis gets to talk to almost anyone in Texas. He hasn't convinced the top guys to go to TSU yet, but he gets an audience.

 

[In_The_662]

Why should they?

What would be in it for the athletes who represent 1 percent in terms of this one-and-done discussion to spread out?

To gripe about the athlete deciding to forgo an HBCU, not stay in state to play ball, to go to the rival school or conference seems, to me, like we're treating 17 or 18-year-old kids like property for the purposes of fulfilling our desires which are rooted in money. I don't care whether this is from a HBCU perspective or a PWC perspective.

So keeping it stat quo is better? Yeah "getting used" is getting used but I would rather OUR athletes help US out than a bunch of racists who we know FOR SURE don't care about them? I'm sure you will say "well some of our coaches don't care about these athletes either" which might be true but just to say "why should they?" just screams of "whatever".



It would have to be a SPECIAL athlete or set of athletes who would have to do it for 1-2 years. As others have said, if you are seen as a 1st round pick as a senior in HS, it doesn't matter where you go as long as you don't get hurt. The kid who committed to SMU but played overseas in China is still a 1st round pick. Even in the SWAC you will get a handful of national games so you will get some exposure.

 

[Kendrick]

So keeping it stat quo is better? Yeah "getting used" is getting used but I would rather OUR athletes help US out than a bunch of racists who we know FOR SURE don't care about them? I'm sure you will say "well some of our coaches don't care about these athletes either" which might be true but just to say "why should they?" just screams of "whatever".



It would have to be a SPECIAL athlete or set of athletes who would have to do it for 1-2 years. As others have said, if you are seen as a 1st round pick as a senior in HS, it doesn't matter where you go as long as you don't get hurt. The kid who committed to SMU but played overseas in China is still a 1st round pick. Even in the SWAC you will get a handful of national games so you will get some exposure.

I don't like any of it.

Not all the attention given to recruiting by the press. Not the bureaucracy of recruiting. Not how this process creates so much entitlement of coaches, families, schools and alums.

I don't enjoy how these decisions are used as a referendum on the mentality of black people.

Or how all these athletes are unfairly packaged as assets that control the financial outlook of universities or communities or the leagues they play in.

I don't like how we all only care about how we place all of our hopes and dreams in them.

The entire thing is uncomfortable to me.

 

[DAHILL]

Shiiid the top guys are flying everywhere now playing in the shoe company leagues like Nike EYBL, The Gauntlet (Adidas), and UA. Now for school ball they are bussing it so a kid in a large state like Texas probably wouldn't have an issue.

Nike EYBL

So keeping it stat quo is better? Yeah "getting used" is getting used but I would rather OUR athletes help US out than a bunch of racists who we know FOR SURE don't care about them? I'm sure you will say "well some of our coaches don't care about these athletes either" which might be true but just to say "why should they?" just screams of "whatever".



It would have to be a SPECIAL athlete or set of athletes who would have to do it for 1-2 years. As others have said, if you are seen as a 1st round pick as a senior in HS, it doesn't matter where you go as long as you don't get hurt. The kid who committed to SMU but played overseas in China is still a 1st round pick. Even in the SWAC you will get a handful of national games so you will get some exposure.

don't you think the best want to play against the best.... why would you go from the Nike EYBL circuit to an HBCU? You can't possibly get better playing against other HBCU players....

players pick Ole Miss and Mississippi State over JSU/Alcorn/Valley for the same reason they pick JSU/Alcorn/ Valley over Toogaloo and Rust College. ALL COLLEGES USE ATHLETES!

 

[East Tex Tiger]

it would be an economic boom to everyone associated with HBCU'S. The powers that be do not want to share the wealth.

 

[the band fan]

if you open the door the game changes overnight as PWCs fought/bought to keep HBCUs from enjoying the wealth

imagine the SWAC with ACC type players on a nightly basis coupled with a HBCU environment........it makes too much sense to the fact that you can't allow that to happen as the kids at the PWCs notice but won't cross the fence

You invite a PWC team to your gym on a night where students are in session, those guys hear the DJ, see the band and cheerleaders that look like them and see their friends...they get fired up

The kid UH signed from Oregon with the rape allegation hangs out at TSU daily but still signs at UH....that right there tells you something