Would you stay or would you go(pro)?

[Sketch5]

If you want to be a winner at every level, you need to win at every level. That also means at least going deep into the tourney.

If I got bounced out of the first round, I would really think about it. I would look to see who is coming back, and who is coming in. And if the chances looked good, than I'd probably return for a shot. 

I think if I got bounced from the first round and declared I'd wonder and regret if for the rest of my life. If I got injured, it would suck, but it would be me going out swinging and I could except that.

[saltlover]

I leave as soon as I can because I would not want to be in school.  As in I would not want to go to class or do any work or anything academic.  Now, you can say as a top athlete there would be, lets say corners I could cut but to me being in school would just be a fraud and an insult to every other student in college in America.  If I really felt I wasn;t ready I would go to the NBDL.

NBADL pays very little, to the point where some players have trouble finding enough to eat (they pay per diems for meals, but not necessarily enough to cover a high-performance athlete's diet).  For the food alone I'd stay in college, since most top programs have great nutrition and weight-training programs for their athletes.  It's college, the NBA, or Europe.  Seeing how great I did my first years of school, it's be Europe for me.

[SHAQATTACK]

If I'm Parker or Imbiid or a certain top five pick or even top 10 I would never stay in school.  You gifted and need to move forward and take advantage of these talents while you got them and be paid well to play the game .

As someone else mentioned,  I would rather be injured while on a NBA team than as a college student.

If I was border line NBA prospect , I'd stay in college though . Taking it one year at a time.

Compared to overall amount of basketball players in college ,  the scant few that do the one and done program is insignificant IMO .    Again it's the media blowing making a big deal out of nothing with overblown hype.

[slamtheking]

If I'm a sure-fire top pick like Parker, I declare.  too much money to pass up and risk an injury in college.

If I'm not a sure-fire top pick, but projected mid-first round, probably declare as well.

If I'm projected as a late-first or second rounder, I'd consider returning for another year depending on the reason why I'm projected that low.  If it's something that can be improved with another year under my belt and improve my draft position the following year (adding bulk, improving ball-handling or shooting, etc) I go back for another year.  If it's something I just can't do anything about (height, athleticism, etc..) I'd consider declaring based on the projected strength of the following draft.  If the next year is projected as a weak year (such as the most recent draft) I would probably go back for another year and really work on improving my game and hopefully draft slot at the same time.

[Moranis]

If you want to be a winner at every level, you need to win at every level. That also means at least going deep into the tourney.

If I got bounced out of the first round, I would really think about it. I would look to see who is coming back, and who is coming in. And if the chances looked good, than I'd probably return for a shot. 

I think if I got bounced from the first round and declared I'd wonder and regret if for the rest of my life. If I got injured, it would suck, but it would be me going out swinging and I could except that.

You mean like Kevin Durant.  Well I guess he was technically bounced in the second round, but they got crushed by the 5th seed (as the 4 seed) in that round.  Seemed to work out pretty well for him.

Or maybe you mean like Carmelo Anthony that led his team to a national championship, and who has made the playoffs all 10 of his seasons, but has lost in the first round 8 of those ten and has won a grand total of 3 playoff series. 

Maybe this learning how to win thing doesn't really have much merit.  The reality is, the great players, are great.  It doesn't matter if they have 4 years of college like Duncan, 3 years of college like Shaq, or came right out of high school like Kobe, Lebron, or KG. 

[jambr380]

Going back for a 2nd year automatically makes you more susceptible to ridicule. If you haven't shown decent improvement in that next year, you can expect your draft stock to take a hit. When you are a top 3 lock, you have to be psyched that you made it to that point in your life and go with it. College is cool and all, but his position isn't going to get any better than it is now. He can always finish his education.

[PhoSita]

I like to get paid for the work that I do.

[pearljammer10]

Even though I am totally against the one and done decision and think the NBA should require an extra year of College before going pro I would totally take advantage of it and bolt my school for the NBA as soon as I would able to do so.

[D.o.s.]

If it was me, I would stay for all four years, because I'm a giant nerd and I liked having a subscription to the OED and all the other accesses that students have access to. Plus, you know, I enjoyed academia. Not enough to make it a career, but enough to actively dig going to classes.

But if I was stuck at a D1 school where it was basketball all the time all day every day and I was a big deal on campus and all that I'd leave as soon as possible. That's a lot of performance pressure, and I don't have enough time to, you know, actually enjoy learning because I'm stuck playing for a coach who's probably a jerk and for fans who only care about me when we win. Gross. Hide me on an NBA bench somewhere.

[Evantime34]

If it was me I would go pro as soon as possible. People often say player x needs another year to be ready for the NBA, but I think as a basketball player my game would grow more quickly if I was on an NBA team playing basketball everyday instead of attending class.

In other words the best way to develop as a player is to be in the NBA, not in college. Plus I like money.

[bdm860]

If it was me, I would stay for all four years, because I'm a giant nerd and I liked having a subscription to the OED and all the other accesses that students have access to. Plus, you know, I enjoyed academia. Not enough to make it a career, but enough to actively dig going to classes.

But if I was stuck at a D1 school where it was basketball all the time all day every day and I was a big deal on campus and all that I'd leave as soon as possible. That's a lot of performance pressure, and I don't have enough time to, you know, actually enjoy learning because I'm stuck playing for a coach who's probably a jerk and for fans who only care about me when we win. Gross. Hide me on an NBA bench somewhere.

Do you think there's more performance pressure at a top D1 school or in the NBA?  I would say the NBA (especially since it's so much harder to succeed there).  I bet Anthony Bennett is feeling more pressure this year than last.

While I’d definitely would like the money, money isn’t everything.  Mo’ money, mo’ problems.  Some problems/stress areas that come with being a professional athlete he can put off for another year (which of course he trades for another set of problems/stress he would have to put up for another year as a college athlete).

Not every athlete plays as long as they can, many retire early at a young age (Michael Jordan, Barry Sanders, Rashard Mendenhall) or turn down contract offers in their later years despite being in good health (Reggie Miller, PJ Brown).

Money and fame ain't for everybody.

But I would also probably look at who was drafting at what position.  If LA and Boston are in the top 3, that's not a bad situation.  But if Milwaukee and Utah have two of the top 3 picks, maybe I go back another year.

[D.o.s.]

If it was me, I would stay for all four years, because I'm a giant nerd and I liked having a subscription to the OED and all the other accesses that students have access to. Plus, you know, I enjoyed academia. Not enough to make it a career, but enough to actively dig going to classes.

But if I was stuck at a D1 school where it was basketball all the time all day every day and I was a big deal on campus and all that I'd leave as soon as possible. That's a lot of performance pressure, and I don't have enough time to, you know, actually enjoy learning because I'm stuck playing for a coach who's probably a jerk and for fans who only care about me when we win. Gross. Hide me on an NBA bench somewhere.

Do you think there's more performance pressure at a top D1 school or in the NBA?  I would say the NBA (especially since it's so much harder to succeed there).  I bet Anthony Bennett is feeling more pressure this year than last.

While I’d definitely would like the money, money isn’t everything.  Mo’ money, mo’ problems.  Some problems/stress areas that come with being a professional athlete he can put off for another year (which of course he trades for another set of problems/stress he would have to put up for another year as a college athlete).

Not every athlete plays as long as they can, many retire early at a young age (Michael Jordan, Barry Sanders, Rashard Mendenhall) or turn down contract offers in their later years despite being in good health (Reggie Miller, PJ Brown).

Money and fame ain't for everybody.

But I would also probably look at who was drafting at what position.  If LA and Boston are in the top 3, that's not a bad situation.  But if Milwaukee and Utah have two of the top 3 picks, maybe I go back another year.

I think it depends on where you get drafted, and to what team, in the NBA. I think most rookies face less performance pressure than they did whilst at these kinds of D1 schools -- at  least, in so far as the community expectations and putting the team on their back.

I don't envy NBA superstars that much mental fatigue.

[Snakehead]

Go Pro and it's a very easy decision.  He will develop better in the NBA.  The college game is its own thing and I don't think it'll help a player like Jabari to hang out there another year.  No spacing, no real PGs, basic offense, no bigs to really challenge him near the rim.

[PhoSita]

Even though I am totally against the one and done decision and think the NBA should require an extra year of College before going pro I would totally take advantage of it and bolt my school for the NBA as soon as I would able to do so.

I think the rule should be something like

a) If you go to college, you have to stay in college for at least 3 full years.
b) But, you can be drafted as soon as you graduate high school or turn 18.
c) Players can be drafted and yet still go to college if they so choose.  There could be some set up where the team that has drafted them puts a certain percentage of the rookie contract money into a trust for the player that can be accessed in limited amounts while the player is in school.  But the years on the contract don't start until the player enters the league.

[Fred Roberts]

Let's say you are a Jabari Parker-type prospect.  You just ripped the NCAA a new one in your freshman season.  You are at a D-I school where basketball is king, you play for a great coach, and your team looks like it will be loaded next year and you have a good chance of being the pre-season #1.

But, if you declare for the draft, you are almost guaranteed at least a top 4 draft spot, and will get to make millions of dollars while plying your trade against the best basketball players on PLANET EARF.

I'm GONE is I'm top 5 or even top 15. Some kids know they should stay but you can't refuse the guaranteed $$$$MONEY. Go back to school when you can. That will always be there. Gotta go when the gettin's good! Sadly.

So do you stay or do you go?