How does playing against college scrubs help you become a better player in the NBA?

[DonDadda59]

Then it is not Jordan's issue, its the GM's and scouts who managed to miss out on him.

Also, Jordan was ACC freshman of the year. He would have no problems being selected in the draft if the draft was not age limited.

There is a reason why the freshmans are the players usually picked in the draft and that you very seldom see a college junior or senior turn things around from his freshman year to become a superstar. The NBA does a great job of picking out the best talents, that is not the issue here. The issue is that I think the NBA has better environment of developing these talents instead of college.

The reason being we live in the one and done era.

Since people are arguing Embiid staying in college, let's look at players who were in very similar positions as him. 2 foreigners who picked up the game relatively late in life and went into the NCAA raw as hell like Joel:

Tim Duncan freshman year: 10 PPG/ 10 RPG/ 4 BPG (30 MPG)
Tim Duncan Senior year: 21 PPG/ 15 RPG/ 3 APG/ 3.3 BPG (36 MPG... Naismith/Wooden/Rupp award, #1 pick)

Akeem Olajuwon freshman year: 8.3 PPG/ 6.2 RPG
Hakeem Olajuwon junior year: 17 PPG/ 14 RPG/ 6 BPG (#1 Overall pick)

Joel Embiid freshman year: 11.2 PPG/ 8.2 RPG/ 2.6 BPG
Joel Embiid future: ???

How would Dream and Tim's careers have played out had they left for the league with limited skills, little understanding for the game, and undeveloped bodies? Obviously we'll never know, but we might get an idea if Embiid continues the one and done trend.

[BigMacAttack]

I think it can be beneficial to some. For example take Wiggins offense, it needs serious improving, handles, jumpshot and finishing but he might not get enough touches on O next season that he needs to really start improving, even if he does if he cant finish against cokllege defense and struggles with the contact then he will really struggle against NBA defense and physicality.

Anyway I dont think Wiggins could stay, just trying to imagine a situation where staying might be beneficial.

[D.J.]

I'm torn on this issue:


1)Ultimately, staying in school all 4 years doesn't guarantee anything. College ball and pro ball are night and day and just because you dominate in college doesn't mean you're going to dominate in the pros. However, being guided for 4 years by a halfway decent coach allows you to mature and grow as a person. That is a much needed quality if you want to succeed in the NBA. Plenty of talented players have lacked maturity and didn't reach their full potential.

2)Skipping college and going to the D-League or Europe allows you to play against better competition right off the bat. However, it doesn't give you the opportunity to mature like college would. Making significant money at 18-19 years old can no doubt cause a kid to go nuts. College at least would provide a little maturing that the D-League or overseas ball wouldn't.


While I wouldn't encourage anyone to skip college, I'm also not sold that going for 4 years is going to allow one to reach their potential. You could stay in college for 10 years. The transition from college ball to pro ball isn't an easy one and many fail.

[Nash]

The reason being we live in the one and done era.

Since people are arguing Embiid staying in college, let's look at players who were in very similar positions as him. 2 foreigners who picked up the game relatively late in life and went into the NCAA raw as hell like Joel:

Tim Duncan freshman year: 10 PPG/ 10 RPG/ 4 BPG (30 MPG)
Tim Duncan Senior year: 21 PPG/ 15 RPG/ 3 APG/ 3.3 BPG (36 MPG... Naismith/Wooden/Rupp award, #1 pick)

Akeem Olajuwon freshman year: 8.3 PPG/ 6.2 RPG
Hakeem Olajuwon junior year: 17 PPG/ 14 RPG/ 6 BPG (#1 Overall pick)

Joel Embiid freshman year: 11.2 PPG/ 8.2 RPG/ 2.6 BPG
Joel Embiid future: ???

How would Dream and Tim's careers have played out had they left for the league with limited skills, little understanding for the game, and undeveloped bodies? Obviously we'll never know, but we might get an idea if Embiid continues the one and done trend.

Duncan and Olajuwon are exceptions to the rule. Those guys are rare examples who didn't pick up the game of basketball until very late. Same thing with Embiid.

Those guys would never declare for the NBA draft after their freshman year anyway. But I am pretty if Duncan somehow got the opportunity to train with NBA players for 4 years a 22 year old Duncan with 4 year NBA experience would have been better than 22 year old Duncan with 4 year college experience. Those guys just needed time to work on their craft. College, NBA, D-League or Europe. They just needed time because of the limited amount of years they've played the game.

But honestly, those guys are rare. The NBA does a great job of finding the most talented players, that is not the issue. Spending your early twenties competing with scrubs who don't even make it as pros is not good.

[Milbuck]

I think it can be beneficial to some. For example take Wiggins offense, it needs serious improving, handles, jumpshot and finishing but he might not get enough touches on O next season that he needs to really start improving, even if he does if he cant finish against cokllege defense and struggles with the contact then he will really struggle against NBA defense and physicality.

Anyway I dont think Wiggins could stay, just trying to imagine a situation where staying might be beneficial.

Don't waste your time. His game is suited for the NBA, not college. He'd have so much more to gain from playing against grown men in a setting that allows him to play his true game, rather than wasting his time in a limiting setting against guys smaller, weaker, slower, and dumber than the guys he'll be playing against for the next 20 years or so.

[FreezingTsmoove]

Don't hate the player hate the game.The draft has a lot of freshman talent taken in the top picks. History has shown that kids projected high who stay one more year have their stocks drop immensely. No doubt in my mind Perry Jones would be a better player right now had he come out his freshman year

[bagelred]

Basketball recruits should be forced to do 4 years of college, 2 years of graduate school, then a 3 year "basketball residency" where they learn the ropes of the NBA doing administrative tasks. Then, at age 27, will they then properly be prepared for the NBA.

Just my opinion.....