OT: More high schoolers to Europe? Brandon Jennings scores 55!

Donate To GopherHole
ShowinGoldyLove

ShowinGoldyLove

Active member
Joined
Nov 15, 2008
Messages
2,758
Reaction score
0
Points
36
Jennings just beat Kareem's franchise rookie record scoring 55 against Golden State. The best part? He didn't score a point in the first quarter! I don't care that they were playing the Warriors; 55 points in your 7th NBA game?! Wow.

Who needs college? I think this just goes to show how stupid the 1-year rule is.

If kids aren't going to care about passing the ACT, getting good grades, going to class, etc. why force them to leave the country and play overseas to gain professional experience? If they are planning on only playing basketball for a living, is one year in college then dropping out and going pro going to solve anything?

Jennings is averaging 28 pts/game in the NBA making $2.2 mil/year (most likely going to go up very soon if he puts up these kind of numbers), and sitting through Psychology 101 in a 300-person lecture hall was probably never a thought in his mind at any point during his lifetime.

I think you're going to see a lot more of the H.S.-->Europe thing starting very soon...
 

I actually think them going over to Europe instead of college is good for them. It gives them a chance to mature and grow up away from home. Yes, that can also lead to problems (i.e. getting into trouble), but those problems would happen at a college too. Good for Brandon Jennings.
 

I agree...Europe is a much better one year option. I think college is essential for development into the real world, but professional sports doesn't require any logical point of view (plus many don't take the classes seriously). I say go to Europe, see the world, and get paid...plus, I'm sure it frustrates ESPN which is always a plus
 

Oh I agree with both of you; I think Europe is probably the best option for high schoolers that have no intent on attending a semester of college then declaring for the NBA.

I just think that instead of forcing them to go overseas we should just do away with the 1-year rule so they don't have to and can go straight to the NBA here.
 

Schlic Daddy said:
I actually think them going over to Europe instead of college is good for them. It gives them a chance to mature and grow up away from home. Yes, that can also lead to problems (i.e. getting into trouble), but those problems would happen at a college too. Good for Brandon Jennings.
Click to expand...

While I have no problem with them skipping college, I think Europe is normally not a good answer. It's not just the getting into trouble issues, it's the problems with having to cope with a different language, culture, and legal system at a time when maturity is still quite low. Most of the guys who could go over are so good that they don't understand nuances of team play and not being deferred to. It's tough enough to learn in a relatively freindly environment like college; close to impossible for some in a completely foreign environment.

NBDL or letting them right to pro make more sense to me.
 


Going to Europe caused Jennings to slip to the 10th pick. If he goes to Arizona and tears up, he probably goes #1 overall. The difference between going #1 and #10 is about $9.08M.
 

Plinnius,

But if he goes to Arizona and deals with all the coaching turmoil that the Wildcats went through last season and plays only 35 or so games, does he score 55 the other night? I'm not sure that he does.

I'll give Brandon Jennings credit for going somewhere where he played against players much better than him, getting better and being more prepared for the NBA than he would have been in a year at Arizona. There's a transition when players go to the pros in terms of dealing with a greater grind, dealing with players better than you, adjusting to the speed of the game, facing good competition every night. Jennings is far ahead of every other player in that respect.

Plus, I'm not sure that he would have been the No. 1 pick and he might not have gone ahead of Thabeet either. He did probably slide between five and seven spots. Yes, that cost him money, but that money very well may be made up through endorsements, etc. gained because of his strong early performance over the rest of this contract. And when it's time to get that second contract, Jennings will be in better shape.
 

Jim V2 said:
While I have no problem with them skipping college, I think Europe is normally not a good answer. It's not just the getting into trouble issues, it's the problems with having to cope with a different language, culture, and legal system at a time when maturity is still quite low. Most of the guys who could go over are so good that they don't understand nuances of team play and not being deferred to. It's tough enough to learn in a relatively freindly environment like college; close to impossible for some in a completely foreign environment.

NBDL or letting them right to pro make more sense to me.
Click to expand...

I definitely agree there...the NBDL would be a better option. But unfortunately it's not an option.
 

Ask Jeremy Tyler how his Europe basketball experience is going...
 



Brandon Jennings Euro Stats:

5.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals in 17.0 minutes per game. He shot 35.1 percent from the field and 20.7 percent from 3 point range in Lega A play. In 16 Euroleague games, Jennings averaged 7.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 steals in 19.6 minutes per game. In the Euroleague he shot 38.7 percent from the field and 26.8 percent from 3 point range.

Add in the probable lack of communication with teammates and coaches and the culture shock, Europe is probably never a good answer. Brandon Jennings may be an exception, but its still to early to tell, he's only played ten NBA games. I'm a Bucks fan, but I'm not ready to put him in the elite PG class yet.
 

Not to revive an older thread, but I just saw Brandon Jennings interview on PTI on ESPN.

I have to say it, regardless of his ACT score, willingness to forego college and play in Europe, whatever, the guy seems to have a very good head on his shoulders.

He seems very different than a lot of NBA players; he makes a few million a year, and is on pace to win the NBA Rookie of the Year Award, but still seems very humble. Jennings drives a Ford Edge because he feels he hasn't earned the right to buy a Range Rover or Benz, lives within walking distance of the arena in Milwaukee to be close to the gym, and said he'd honestly pick Steve Kerr's career path of 5 NBA rings and 0 MVP's than Steve Nash's current path of 2 MVP's and no rings. It's obviously the PC answer, but he seemed like a good kid.
 

Notorious PLD said:
Brandon Jennings Euro Stats:

5.5 points, 1.6 rebounds, 2.2 assists, and 1.5 steals in 17.0 minutes per game. He shot 35.1 percent from the field and 20.7 percent from 3 point range in Lega A play. In 16 Euroleague games, Jennings averaged 7.6 points, 1.6 rebounds, 1.6 assists, and 1.2 steals in 19.6 minutes per game. In the Euroleague he shot 38.7 percent from the field and 26.8 percent from 3 point range.

Add in the probable lack of communication with teammates and coaches and the culture shock, Europe is probably never a good answer. Brandon Jennings may be an exception, but its still to early to tell, he's only played ten NBA games. I'm a Bucks fan, but I'm not ready to put him in the elite PG class yet.
Click to expand...

Funny quote from Barlkey on if more kids would do this:

something to the effect of he didn't know if more kids would but if he were a gm he would go over and find all the guys from jennings' team that were keeping him from getting minutes. he said this knowing its a different style over there etc. but I thought it was a good line.
 

I think the year in Europe ended up costing him millions. IMHO, Jennings would have excelled in college and probably been a top-4 pick. The #4 pick last year will make over $1.5 million more than Jennings for each year of their rookie contract (4-years total including the two team-option years).

(Jennings got about $1.2M last year in Europe.)
 



You must log in or register to reply here.



Top Bottom