playing one or two years of college ball is not really good enough. Even a player as good as Carmelo Anthony, who only played one year of NCAA ball, took almost five years in the NBA to mature to the point where he can make his team a contender. Roy was much more prepared to be a complete player from day one. Multiple seasons growing with a team and learning from a coach, who only has four years with players to make them work as part of a system to get wins, and multiple March-Madness experiences expose a player to intense “one and done” competition, the bright lights of a national stage, insane, loud fan bases, and if they are good, a chance to be a leader, or focal player for their team. In other words, in the NCAA, a guy like Roy goes from freshman to team leader and star in four years, and gets to be a big fish in a smaller pond, but one that is nationally televised.

In Europe on the other hand, it’s a little more like playing minor league baseball. They play before small crowds, as a young guy you will be lucky to play even if you are good, like Jennings. Although you practice more, and are totally focused on basketball, the likelihood of you getting to be a team leader is slim. As is the chance of seeing any action even close to the intensity and scale of March-Madness. Of course they have tournaments and championships, but it’s not the same, because win or lose everyone gets their paycheck. I prefer my NBA players to have gone through an experience where winning was the motivation and reward. To know what that is like.

NCAA or Europe? both have advantages and disadvantages, but I’m sure we will continue to see NBA players come from both. As a college basketball fan, I do think that when the NBA started drafting high school players we missed out on Kobe, KG, Labron and others in the NCAA. Now those same high-level high school players may go to Europe for two years. With the current NBA rules Labron would have had to go to the NCAA or Europe before the NBA, and when a player is so clearly a professional quality player, why not go to Europe, but the NCAA will still be the place where guys who are still maturing, will learn their craft. Europe will still likely only take the top prospects, who mostly went straight to the NBA, or left college after one year anyway. The NCAA without Oden and Durant for one year? Who cares, neither guy won it all. The guys Europe won’t take will still end up in the NCAA as the best place to show their talent on a big stage.