David Stern To Sonny Vaccaro: "We Dont Care About H.S Ballers Going To Europe"

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David Stern To Sonny Vaccaro:

When news of Brandon Jennings going to Europe to play pro-ball hit the airwaves, I thought it was the beginning of a revolution. The NBA would quickly get rid of its "1 year out of high school" rule, that forces players to go to college for at least one year. But that thought quickly went out the window once i analyzed things further: maybe that's just what the NBA wants. The NBA doesn't really care that much about the NCAA to add a 1-year out of high school rule. In fact, the NBA only cares about the NBA.

The rule is intended to bring rookies with experience higher than High school ball because organizations and the NBA as a governing body have lost millions of dollars scouting and drafting these high school ballers. And it usually takes 3-4 years before they start contributing to the team. Lebron, Kobe, Tmac and so on, had a lot weaknesses in their game. Weaknesses that would be less in numbers had their played a higher level of basketball.

Do you think the NBA care about Brandon Jennings going to Europe? what's the name of the best basketball league in the world? where do any basketball want to play so they can improve and challenge their game? Does the NBA care about a 19, 20, 21 year old ball player who can't really affect the league's marketing dollars?

The NBA has Kobe Bryant and Lebron James carrying the banner right now. They are the two most marketable and recognizable sports figures in the 4 major sports. They made the NBA at least 100 million each. You think they care about Vaccaro's vendetta?

As a matter of fact, Vaccaro has become an unwilling pawn of the NBA. Europe has better competition than the NCAA, and high school players going to Europe to play and comeback to the NBA will only improve the NBA. If anything, Vaccaro's vendetta is only hurting the NCAA, the NBA benefits from it. And there's no doubt in my mind that lack of experience was the catalyst is the drop of quality in basketball. So whether it be going to college or Europe, it helps the NBA.

So instead, i see David Stern adding another year to the rule. And i think it's great for the league.

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