High School Basket Ball Star to Drop Out....

[funkStrat_97]

...in order to play profefssonal basketball.  Hmmmmmm, I dunno 'bout this.  I think the kid should at least finish is senior year.  What do y'all think?

[nessalynn77]

That's a big gamble.  I hope they find a correspondence curriculum for him to finish up.  That diploma is pretty important.  He seems very smart, how come he can't work hard over the summer and just finish up early? 

IDK, dropping out of high school just doesn't sound like a wise choice to me, it seems like there ought to be a compromise where you can still finish your schooling.

[GospelEngineer]

The article says he's going to be homeschooled for 2 years and earn a GED

[joshuag]

interesting move on his part...if i was in his shoes i would have to consider it too as an option

[themidiroom]

interesting move on his part...if i was in his shoes i would have to consider it too as an option

At 6 foot 11, he probably has some big shoes to fill.

[joshuag]

At 6 foot 11, he probably has some big shoes to fill.

I"m a point guard!!!!! not a power forward !!!!!!

[nessalynn77]

The article says he's going to be homeschooled for 2 years and earn a GED

LOL.  Sorry I drifted off in the middle of the article.  GED just doesn't have the same ring to it, but I guess if he succeeds and goes to the NBA, no one is going to care.

[LaylaMonroe]

At first, I was opposed to it and had unkind words for the parents, the NBA, the state, and all the agents involved in letting this happen.  But on second thought, it's not that bad an idea.

A GED doesn't have the same "ring" as a HS Diploma, but once you get a Bachelors, nobody really cares what kind of pre-college education you have.  Even if you don't get a Bachelors... sign a million-dollar contract and get a few endorsements and see who cares whether you have a GED or a HS Diploma.

Now, if he actually doesn't finish the GED at all, then I'd be pretty ticked.

[B3Wannabe]

At first, I was opposed to it and had unkind words for the parents, the NBA, the state, and all the agents involved in letting this happen.  But on second thought, it's not that bad an idea.

A GED doesn't have the same "ring" as a HS Diploma, but once you get a Bachelors, nobody really cares what kind of pre-college education you have.  Even if you don't get a Bachelors... sign a million-dollar contract and get a few endorsements and see who cares whether you have a GED or a HS Diploma.

Now, if he actually doesn't finish the GED at all, then I'd be pretty ticked.

Exactly.

I didn't finish highschool, and I'm not doing badly.

As long as he's doing well enough to take care of his family, it doesn't matter what he does really.

If I was in his shoes, I'd would take the deal. He has the skills now, he should do it now. What if he got injured later? Then he'd be pissed, and people would be talking about maybe it wasn't for him to do.

I look at it like this: Education is the only way to success.

...but education is not only found in a brick and mortar school. It can also be found, as in his case, on the court.

Just like everyone that goes to school won't be successful, not everyone that learns to play basketball will become professionals.

[b3wannab]

...  I think the kid should at least finish is senior year. 

IDK, dropping out of high school just doesn't sound like a wise choice to me, it seems like there ought to be a compromise where you can still finish your schooling.

While I am a huge proponent of education, is this really any different than athletes leaving college early for the pros?  Either way, no high school diploma or no Bachelor's degree, you'll still most likely have trouble finding adequate employment.

[nessalynn77]

Yeah, but say he goes overseas and plays and gets injured before making it... that's the gamble to me.  

[nessalynn77]

While I am a huge proponent of education, is this really any different than athletes leaving college early for the pros?  Either way, no high school diploma or no Bachelor's degree, you'll still most likely have trouble finding adequate employment.

High school is a little more basic to me.  It's like, before going out into the world, you should have these basic skills under your belt.  Whether or not the educational system lives up to that is a whole different discussion.  But completing high school is your first big milestone in life.  I'm not saying he's wrong for skipping it, I just hope he's not followed by a bunch of other h.s. athletes with big dreams and an incomplete basic education.

[b3wannab]

Yeah, but say he goes overseas and plays and gets injured before making it... that's the gamble to me.  

I absolutely agree with you!!  I think they all should finish college first, but that's probably not realistic for athletes who are raised struggling and scraping by on a daily basis.  I feel as though one should always have something to fall back on if sports doesn't work out.

[LaylaMonroe]

If they properly manage their income from the first year or so, they'll be okay if sports doesn't work out.  Of course, if sports doesn't work out in the first year or two, he hasn't lost much because he's still young and can easily go back to HS or go get that GED.  That really wouldn't be a big deal.  For me, the tragedy would be if he hit 25 or 30 and got a career-ending injury and had no education to fall back on AND no money saved and invested.

[nessalynn77]

If they properly manage their income from the first year or so, they'll be okay if sports doesn't work out.  Of course, if sports doesn't work out in the first year or two, he hasn't lost much because he's still young and can easily go back to HS or go get that GED.  That really wouldn't be a big deal.  For me, the tragedy would be if he hit 25 or 30 and got a career-ending injury and had no education to fall back on AND no money saved and invested.

At least he has his dad looking out for him.  There's so many ways what people can take advantage of a young kid like that, and if it doesn't work out, they all fold up and leave you wondering what next.

[katstrat]

LOL.  Sorry I drifted off in the middle of the article.  GED just doesn't have the same ring to it, but I guess if he succeeds and goes to the NBA, no one is going to care.

No,but if he doesn't succeed he'll go thru life thinking about what might have happened if he stayed in school and went on to college.There seems to be trend that every kid think that he's going to make it big. The NBA chooses the very best of the lot.Even at 6'11" there is no comfort in saying he's a shoe in. I've seen lots of tall players and they never made it. I went to school with kid who was 7'2" at 16.

[MissRiss]

I think it's crazy. You don't get an education just to make money. It's about being intelligent and expanding your mind.

Is it okay to be a millionaire and ignorant?

I don't have a problem with people leaving college to play professional sports but leaving high school. Yikes!!

[Metronome]

This is an interesting topic to me because in Europe dudes do it all the time......

But i do think he should have went of school AND 1 year of college.  From a b-ball standpoint there is NO WAY that european leauges are gonna prepare a 6-11 center for the NBA....he could have played at Louisville,got banged around for a year or two and been a beast in the league.....

[organman88]

bad move

[BigFoot_BigThumb]

Seems to me he doesn't have the grades to get into college and these greedy people are just trying to make sure they can get paid as well.  If he gets hurt, then he will just become another statistic of young, professional athletes with short careers due to injury and no plan B.  If he needs to be learning anything, it's about not trusting anybody, saving money, how business works, and planning for a life after basketball.  He may have a successful career, but nothing is guaranteed.  All it takes is a torn ACL, MCL, meniscus, or a broken leg and it's over.  Pops is not sending out a good message here, but I guess he wants to shut down the home improvement company and vicariously start living the high life.