I asked my younger cousin earlier today who were the Top 5 players in the NBA today. He was able to quickly reel off “Kobe, Lebron, Dwight Howard, CP3, Carmelo (Anthony)”. While some may change out one player here and there, his list was pretty solid. What do all of these players have in common? None of them played more than 2 years in college. In the case of Lebron, Kobe and Howard, they were straight to the pros guys. Melo was one-and-done, while CP3 needed an extra year of strength and conditioning at Wake Forest.

Nearly a year ago, Brandon Jennings announced to the world that he was skipping college to play overseas. Jennings, along with Ricky Rubio, are expected to be Top 10 picks in the upcoming draft, yet both have been technically professionals already. College Basketball recruiting scandals are being uncovered at an alarming rate, and you have to wonder if players like Derrick Rose, O.J Mayo, or Jennings would have gone straight into the league if given that option.

NBA Commissioner David Stern has said on record repeatedly that the NBA age limit of 19 is a benefit to the league, however, it is really? You have college institutions being used for nothing more than an NBA development league, while college coaches take their best shot at making a Final Four with a pro talent for seven months. The school makes millions in TV revenue, none of which goes to the “student-athlete”, and the player spends his time at school using it as a constant platform to display his skills to potential employers (NBA teams).

The same league that says No to 17 and 18 year olds now would not think twice about not admitting the next Lebron James or Dwight Howard in the league, would they?

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…He just got caught. Floyd, the now former USC men’s basketball coach, resigned yesterday amid allegations that he gave an associate close to O.J Mayo $1000.00 of his own money while he was playing his freshman year at USC. While the evidence all but confirms the allegations the college is facing, Floyd’s resignation was not really a surprise. Recruiting top flight talent in 2009 is a big league business, and unfortunately for Floyd, he just so happened to get caught.

Sports networks and journalists of papers will cry outrage and shock over the events, but if you really look at the entire O.J Mayo/USC marriage, did it really make sense? Mayo, who was a native of West Virginia, bypassed all other scholarship offers to go to a predominantly football school. A school that isn’t even the best program in their own city.

Floyd and the university both knew that Mayo would be a one and done player, but they took the gamble and, in the short term, it paid off. While the NCAA was already all over the USC football program over the Reggie Bush saga, this could be the straw that broke the Trojan’s back. Is it just a matter of time before we see Pete Caroll on a press conference?

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For those not familiar with Kentucky recruit John Wall, he is the number 1 rated prep star in the country this year, and has committed to play for Coach Calipari and the Wildcats. While he was being recruited, Wall was arrested for breaking and entering a vacant home in Raleigh, NC.

According to the AP, Wall plead guilty to the charge, and the Judge gave him 75 hours of community service (you think he’s really gonna have to do that?), pay court costs and program fees (wonder who will pay that?), and stay out of trouble for the rest of the year (Calipari will make certain of that). If all of those are done, the charge will be removed from his record. I am all for people getting a second chance, and I hope truly Wall knows what he did was a mistake, however, I also know many kids that did things like that when they were 18, and did not get off that easy.

Being a future NBA lottery pick has it’s benefits.

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Reports today are that Villanova Wildcat’s Junior point guard Scotty Reynolds, who averaged 15.2 PPG this season has withdrawn his name from the draft and will return for his senior season.

Reynolds had participated in seven pre- draft workouts.

“The best decision for me is to return to Villanova for my senior year,” Reynolds said in a statement released by the school. “I’d like to thank everyone who put their time into helping me get better during these NBA workouts. I especially want to thank my teammates and coaches here for all of their support. I felt like I learned a great deal from this process. I’m blessed to be in the situation I am in. I’m happy to be back at Villanova.” (ESPN)
Reynolds has excited with his performances in the last two post- seasons.

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If the allegations that ESPN is reporting are, in fact, true and the “player in question” is Derrick Rose, do you really blame him? I’m sure the idea to cheat on his SAT wasn’t one that was thought up just by him, and the school wasn’t forced to spend over 2 grand on travel expenses for one of his friends.

If (and when) the allegations are proven true, the Tigers incredible 2007-08 Final Four run, and their school record 38 win season will be vanished from the record book. In essence, it would be like Rose never attended the school and Calipari had left for Kentucky the year before, as was the original plan.

Rose has since flourished in the NBA, winning Rookie of The Year this season and having one of the all time great playoff debuts in NBA History. The school he and Coach Calipari left behind, Memphis, will now look back and probably be bitter at both Rose and Calipari. I just hope they don’t act like hypocrites because they were caught now. When they were getting that ESPN/ABC money and selling those jerseys that the college players get no cut of, the minor infractions were an afterthought.

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