Comments on: The Situation of College Education: Why Going for the Money Makes Sense for Some Prep Players

By: community college

community college — Fri, 20 Nov 2009 10:50:47 +0000

Well,

I just don’t want to say anything about him, I just saw that video which tells lots of things about him and, I must say he is an excellent player.

By: Dan Barto

Dan Barto — Tue, 08 Sep 2009 11:21:10 +0000

Brian,

The rule has not changed. Even if you are unpaid, every pro game played with paid professionals on that players team is a two game suspension under the NCAA. If it is a national team in qualifying competition then he is okay. Also by enrolling in an American high school and gaining credit towards his diploma he forfeits his ability to enter the draft. He must attend one year of college. Had he stayed in Europe he could have entered the draft this year. I would imagine he did it to come out from underneath a handler or advosor that has major leverage and is now under a powerful advisor in the US.

Dan

By: Brian McCormick

Brian McCormick — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 05:46:48 +0000

I don’t understand how Kanter could be eligible to play college basketball if he played in the EuroLeague. Fresno St just had to forfeit an entire season worth of games because it used a player who had played for a team that was deemed a professional team in Australia even though she was not paid.

The NCAA rule, unless it has changed, stated that even if you are unpaid, if you play on a team with professional players, you are a professional and thus ineligible for college play (a game of amateurs). There is no way one could construe that a EuroLeague team is anything but a professional team.

Am I missing something? Has the NCAA relaxed its rules? Has he found a loophole?

By: Jason Chung

Jason Chung — Fri, 04 Sep 2009 02:59:23 +0000

@DO, I absolutely agree with your observation that a college education is always available after getting paid. Many one-and-dones go this route and there is nothing that prevents motivated American athletes from choosing to go back – at their (and their family’s convenience). Sure they may miss out on the “college experience” for a few years but they get financial stability and a real chance to improve their situation dramatically.

@Bigchips, thanks for your comment. Financial literacy is indeed a key factor which prevents many prep-to-pro athletes from maximizing their earnings and securing their future. I would argue against common sentiment that a college education will teach those skills though – I know plenty of college educated people that can’t balance a chequebook. What techniques and contacts do you use in order to reach out to impressionable young athletes, Rob?

By: bigchips

bigchips — Thu, 03 Sep 2009 15:31:25 +0000

@DO…true and I agree with the assessment in the article. The problem comes in the fact that so many athletes squander the money that they were able to make in the league and don’t consider going back to school. Those stories are what led me to develop my financial advisory practice for athletes and entertainers.

I think most people would jump at the chance to make millions at an early age. However, the stories of athletes going broke leads them to believe that they need to get an education first in an attempt to “save them from themselves”, so that if they do go broke, at least they have an education to fall back on.

Rob
Hip Hop’s Financial Advisor,
robwilson.tv

By: DO

DO — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 17:47:15 +0000

thank you, thank you, thank you. I 100% agree with this, I have argued this case for so long and this sums up my arguement with absolute perfection.

Also one point I would add, school/education will always be there as an option. The chance to make millions to play a game that one loves and has the rare talent for? That opportunity is a once in a life time and one needs to take full advantage of it.
I mean worse come to worse, a player doesn’t make it “big” but got a few million dollars out of a broken dream, guess what he can take that money and use it to pay for a college education!