If you were Josh Selby would you go to KU?
by Joe Loyd on Aug 25, 2010 8:15 AM CDT
in Kansas Jayhawks Basketball
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If you were Josh Selby would you play for KU? Now this isn't a question if you are a Missouri Tiger or Texas Longhorn fan and hate the Jayhawks but one of what would you do in his particular situation.
Let's take a look at Selby's options as word continues to come down that he still has not been ruled eligible by the NCAA and decide what you would do in his shoes.
Selby is a a teenager who by all accounts can enter next years NBA draft and be a sure fire lottery selection and instant millionaire. Currently he is awaiting word to see if he will be eligible to not only play but to receive a full ride scholarship to college for a year. If he becomes eligible he gets to play one season for a historic college basketball program in the best basketball conference in the country. Every game he plays will be sold out and on television and every NBA scout will be watching. My guess is Selby wouldn't have too many problems with the female student body in Lawrence either even though he is just a freshman. This all sounds pretty darn good and a majority of people would trade places with him in a heartbeat.
Let's check out the grass on the other side though. Brandon Jennings, currently of the Milwaukee Bucks, showed it's possible to skip college and still end up in the NBA after the one year grace period. Jennings didn't qualify so he signed a professional contract in Italy which paid him over $1 million guaranteed and he also signed an endorsement contract with Under Armour. With everything you hear regarding Selby's talents which are supposed to be solidly above Jennings, why wouldn't he take this route?
What are the negatives of the Jennings route? It wouldn't be lack of attention by scouts as international scouting is prevalent wherever Selby would play. His draft status shouldn't suffer as Jennings helped prove since his statistics in Italy weren't earth shattering but he was still the 10th pick in the draft. Money definitely would not be the reason to stay local as he could be a millionaire even sooner than he anticipated. Competition overseas would be more skilled playing against men who are paid to play versus lining up against teams that KU plans on beating by 20 or 30 points.
The only solid reason to stay would be the chance to experience college life and delay being a working tax paying American for a year. But after hearing about the problems Michael Beasley has encountered in his short NBA career does anyone think his one year at Kansas State was extremely valuable in his growth?
This isn't obviously a decision that many people in the world would ever have to decide upon. Do I go overseas and play basketball for millions of dollars or go to college and have fun and then go play basketball for millions of dollars?
So if you were Josh Selby would you keep walking the campus in Lawrence wondering if you might become eligible or would you call up Carmelo Anthony and get his agents phone number and start seeing about getting your passport in order? I know what I would have done at that age, what about you?
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Good question
And I fear it will be asked more frequently as time passes. Remember when Garnett going straight to the NBA was a HUGE deal… then everyone did it. I see this as the trend. Play overseas and make some coin. Don’t risk getting injured to play a year of college hoops.
My solution is twofold.
1)The NBA gets rid of the one and done rule allowing kids to go straight from HS to the pros.
2) College hoops implements the baseball rule, whereas you can go straight to the pros, but if you come to college you are in for a minimum of three years.
These aren’t groundbreaking, but they will seem to solve the Selby-type of issues
Baseball Rule
I think this rule would be the best for fans as it makes players stay for 3 years and allows coaches to build teams long term.
Who's to say Selby would be making more money in Europe than at KU?
Just kidding, but does anyone know when the “drop dead” date is? School is in it’s second week already.
Jamie freakin Wright, nuff said.
Don't know the drop dead date for the NCAA but
most schools’ Registrars have a published last day to add classes for students who are enrolled. I am sure that could be glossed over for the Selby’s of the world especially with Perkins still around but that is what happens to the rank and file.
Not for sure
on a deadline but I am sure there is some kind of waiver or extension that can be granted in a case like this where waiting on NCAA, nothing the kid has done.
Can you be in class and not on the team?
Could Selby be in classes if he wanted to? Would he have to pay his own way until he is cleared?
If he can be there, why wouldn’t he (and Tony Mitchell and the others like them) be on campus? Why not hang with the team, play pick up against them and so forth? Why wait it out at home?
From what I have heard
Selby is in Lawrence but if he were to go to classes he would have to enroll and pay his own way, presumably take out student loans. No organized team activities, if they even have any right now, but guessing he is playing pick up with everyone.
Not only that...
But once you enroll, your eligibility clock starts ticking. Not a huge deal for someone like Selby, but it’s an important consideration.
A very good question
I think it depends on the character of the kid. I knew I wasn’t ready for the “real” world as an 18 year old, and my time in Lawrence was the best five years of my life (shhhh, don’t tell my wife, whom I met after college). Some kids want to get paid as soon as possible; some want the college experience. And some, once they get to school, decide to stay at KU despite knowing they’ll go high (see Julian Wright not declaring after year 1).
I don’t blame anyone for wanting to make money. But I truly appreciate the kids who decide to play for more than one year, who come back; it’s why I’m a fan. These kids are loving life the way I did, and that’s fun to watch.
Real World
I know I wasn’t ready for the “real” world at that age but I also know I hated school and if someone would have told me you don’t have to go to school anymore and you can make millions of dollars I would have jumped at it. Right decision maybe not just know thats what I would have done at the time.
Jennings was the exception, not the rule.
I noticed you ignored Jeremy Tyler’s story when you wrote this article. I feel like that’s a bit irresponsible if you’re trying to take an honest look at Selby’s options.
For those of you that don’t know, Tyler was a high school kid from San Diego that attempted to go to Europe after his junior year in high school because he claimed he was bored with the level of competition he was playing. After playing 76 minutes in 10 games for Maccabi Haifa, he fled back home to the U.S. Tyler isn’t eligible to play for an NCAA school anymore, and has no idea what he’s going to do next.
I’m also not sure the European model is better for developing an 18 year old. I definitely think it’s the best way to develop a 14 year old, but by 18, a player like Selby already has a strong grasp of the fundamentals of shooting and dribbling, and could be better off learning how to play NBA-caliber defense, which he can do under Bill Self, but wouldn’t be able to do under a European coach.
Another interesting player to bring up in this discussion, IMO, is Enes Kanter. He is generally considered the best center in the world at his age. Instead of signing somewhere in Europe for millions, he was going to give that up to come play in the college system. Why would he do this if Europe is a better situation for 18 year olds?
by KennyGregoryRockThaCradle on Sep 12, 2010 8:33 PM CDT reply actions
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