As the NCAA basketball season comes to an end, it might be a good time to reflect on a major misconception that American commentators have regularly tossed around during the course of the season.
Long before the first whistle blew, some pundits were lamenting the downfall of college hoops because some promising talent decided to skip higher education in favor of higher earnings in the NBA -- notably LaBron James, who joined the Cleveland Cavaliers, and Carmelo Anthony who went to the Denver Nuggets.
First off, such a decision is the personal business of these players and their families. In America, anyone above 16 years of age has the right to join the workforce.
It's doubtful that any young man would make such a decision lightly and without first listening to a wide range of opinions from coaches, friends and family members.
The end result after nearly a full season of basketball is positive. Both players quickly became starters and contributed to their respective teams' success on the court as well as attracting renewed interest to the game.
With the retirement of Michael Jordan and Kobe Bryant's legal entanglements, the league received a much-needed shot in the arm its youthful injection.
Although critics like to cite the failures of stars who skipped college, the realm of sports is also littered with troubling cases of those who did attend a university.
Shortly after Kareem Abdul-Jabar retired following a stellar career with the Milwaukee Bucks and later with the Los Angeles Lakers, he ended up flat broke after following "bad investment advice." And his university-educated Lakers teammate, Irvin "Magic" Johnson, ended his career by contracting HIV following an extra-marital affair.
So it may be safe to say that while higher education may provide time for young athletes to mature, it's certainly no guarantee of future success. In fact, college athletes these days are afforded so much special treatment that some fail to develop a sincere respect for higher education. Take, for example, this year's scandals at the University of Colorado and Saint John's.
That being said, the college experience for any young adult can be exciting, enlightening and fulfilling. Those athletes that pass over the process in pursuit of multi-million dollar contracts are short-changing themselves out of experiences that can never be replaced.
Consider, for example, that LaBron James and Carmelo Anthony will never have the chance to perform in the high-strung NCAA tournament.
They'll also never have the chance to belong to a school with a sense of history and tradition, and they'll never have the chance to develop the lasting friendships that often come with the college experience. They've foregone four years of quaint campus life merely to enter the frenetic working world in the NBA with its relentless travel and responsibilities.
But that was their choice, not ours.
And has the NCAA suffered? With record attendance throughout the season and into the national tournament -- I think not.
The NBA is a highly competitive environment, attracting top players from around the world. The possibility that there will be a sudden talent drain from America's college ranks is not likely.
The cradle gets robbed now and then, and everyone involved takes a risk. As long as it's legal, it's their business.
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