You say that UK has made 15 millionaires. I disagree. UK did not make them millionaires. The majority of yall's players (95%) would have gone pro regardless where they went to college. So, I don't see how UK "made" them millionaires. Also, out of those your players that did go pro after their first year...a large majority of them could have gotten drafted out of HS (Demarcus, TJones--rated so highly out of HS, Davis, Wall, Noel, etc.). They didn't need to develop to get drafted; many GMs would have drafted them as is, knowing/hoping they would progress. Though Teague and Bledsoe likely would not have gotten drafted out of HS they do therefore take a risk of suffering an ungodly injury and never getting drafted (in MLB's system). But if they stay 3 years and develop, i think there is a higher probability (compared to a freak injury occurring), that they both improve on the court and in the classroom, and become better long-term players/people.
This was Nick's two seasons at Florida: PTS REB AST STL BLK FG% 3P% FT% MIN 2008–09 36 17.2 5.3 6.4 1.9 0.2 .482 .390 .707 33.3 2007-08 36 15.3 5.2 6.1 1.6 0.1 .426 .367 .724 32.6 This was Chandler's four seaons Candler Parsons Stat Summary: Season GP MPG PPG FG% 3FG% FT% APG RPG BPG SPG 2010-11 36 34.1 11.3 48.0 36.8 55.7 3.8 7.8 0.4 0.9 2009-10 34 31.0 12.4 49.3 35.8 66.2 2.6 6.9 0.1 1.1 2008-09 36 26.0 9.2 46.0 30.1 55.7 1.8 5.7 0.4 1.1 2007-08 36 20.7 8.1 47.2 32.4 62.7 1.4 4.0 0.2 0.5 If you were a GM, based off even comparing Nick's second year stats with Chandler's 4th year stats, who would you draft higher? Why do you think it was about Chandler that caught Morey's eye?
Terrence Jones was garbage his freshman year. He couldnt even handle the pressures of college ball. I was upset the Rockets even drafted him, being a UK fan, I saw what he was capable of, but I also saw he was immature and couldn't take a scolding or be taught anything without thinking he knew it all. There was a stretch starting with the IU game he sat out for a "finger", but we all knew it was cause he was listening to people tell him he was better then he was, and Cal put him in his place. Thats why the NBA (not the NCAA) established the rule of being one year removed from high school. Because high school players were listening to friends and family and making stupid choices (like going pro early). I've never seen a player not benefit from spending a year in college. Big Cuz as a senior in high school, eh, decent but he'd probably get man handled and his attitude was terrible. Eric Bledsoe as a senior in high school? Probably couldn't spell cat (and im being serious) and would have sunk his first year. He played his way into the lottery. The ONLY people in all my years of watching college ball who SHOULD have made the jump, was LeBron and Kevin Garnett. Thats it. I know TMac did it, and Kobe, but they could have used a year in college. And for every LeBron there are a thousand losers who think they're all world and not (the draft used to be full of them). I also dont agree had Cuz gone to Memphis he would be the player he is today. Or had Davis gone to UNC (look what their players have gotten caught up in). No UK is the place to play with the best of the best, run an up tempo open court game and showcase your talents. I disagree UK has made 15 millionaires. To reiterate, the NBA has made the one and done rule, not the NCAA. Coaches get the best players they can.
I am not sure either UK or the one and done rule is making millionaires. Many of these prospects would have been drafted in the NBA and done pretty much just as well with other high level programs and under different rules. The one and done rule really is not about helping the players but about helping teams get more scouting opportunities. The competition at the AAU/high school level is lower. Seeing the highly touted prospects compete against college guys, particularly against good college teams, for even one season gives teams more data to digest.
