Thursday, April 23rd, 2009 at 12:48 am | 58 responses
Jeremy Tyler Leaving High School for Europe
The 2010 Top 10 prospect is forgoing his high school diploma to play professionally overseas: “Tyler, 17, would become the first United States-born player to leave high school early to play professionally overseas. He is expected to return in two years, when he is projected to be a top pick, if not the No. 1 pick, in the 2011 N.B.A. draft.
“Tyler, who had orally committed to play for Rick Pitino at Louisville, has yet to sign with an agent or a professional team. His likely destination is Spain, though teams from other European leagues have shown interest. A spokesman for Louisville said the university could not comment about Tyler.”
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But I digress
I hope he gets his GED though. And saves his money.
Otherwise, I say good luck to the young man.
“This isn’t some sign of the sporting apocalypse or a teenager with an overvalued sense of worth. It’s a daring, trailblazing yet well-thought-out move that challenges the bizarre way America develops amateur basketball players.”
F*cking A right.
Good viewpoint that was missing.
The fact is that the system is set up for high school and college governing bodies to force these kids to follow their path to THEIR benefit, not the kids’. And anyway, you’re promoting him moving high schools — how is the idea of bouncing from school to school (and still playing against largely inferior comp, for free) any more in the kid’s best interest than going overseas and getting paid to show and prove against grown men? As always, I have no idea if this will work, but I hope it does.
PS, That “he stopped improving” thing has been leveled at countless kids who’ve been top-ranked in their class early in HS. OJ caught it HARD. It’s nothing new, and while it’s not always valid, it certainly often is. Time will tell with Jeremy, but the fact that at least some NBA scouts are still saying he’s got big-time potential (not to mention Sonny, whose influence comes from aligning himself with and promoting the kids who make it REALLY big) makes me like his chances.
The point is that other leagues provide minor leagues to develop talent as opposed to depending on free labor.
The NBA has every right to refuse to develop a true minor league. But, it’s ludicrous to pretend that what they have done with the age limit and their minor league system is not connected to helping the NCAA remain profitable. There is a problem with that, and the sooner the government begins to treat sports leagues like every other business, and make them accountable for anti-trust laws, the better.
Anyways, I agree with everything Ben and Ryan said. And I read that Wetzel column yesterday. Iit was awsome. Unsurprisingly, the talking head on ESPN(PTI,AroundTheHorn) almost unanimously berated this kid and his decision. Of course, none of them read the Wetzel column or had any facts straight but what else would you expect for the World Wide Leader…
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