Go Pro Or Stay In School?

www.doubleazone.com
Apr 24, 2008

Marc Isenberg, author of "Money Players: A Guide to Success in Sports, Business & Life for Current and Future Pro Athletes," offers a guest post on the decision-making process high-profile student-athletes face when determining whether or not to stay in school or head to the professional ranks.

This is the time of year when some college basketball underclassman (and finally one woman!) announce their decision to leave college early to pursue their hoop dreams. You hope these decisions are based on sound information from respected NBA insiders. Of course that's not always the case. There are people with self-serving agendas involved in the process, but that's life. We also hear a lot of chatter about the NBA rules regarding draft eligibility and "one and done" college players. Agree or disagree, these are today's realities and all we can do is provide athletes with the best possible information to help them make informed decisions. In the last month I've sat down with several top collegiate players and their parents faced with this critical decision. There is no "one size fits all" advice when it comes to the final decision.

Here are some of the main points I make in my book, Money Players, regarding the weighty issue of going pro or staying.

The case for leaving
If you are going to be a first-round pick in most professional leagues, you will sign a contract that will guarantee you millions of dollars. Let's face it, that much money is hard to pass up. And you can always work on your college degree during the off-season. Turning pro before your eligibility expires is always a gamble. The best advice on the subject matter comes from Jerry West who told me, "The goal shouldn't be just to get to the NBA. It should be to stay in the NBA." Obviously, there are economic realities that can make this decision more difficult, but I think West's point is well taken: What steps can you take today that will maximize your career?

Testing the waters
I haven't run the numbers, but there's definitely a trend among more players to keep their options open. The NCAA allows college players the one-time option to "test the waters," get a better idea of his likely draft position, then make an informed decision to either remain in the draft or withdraw. The most critical element involves not signing with an agent and not allowing an agent to market one's athletic ability. The NCAA now allows NBA teams to pay expenses related to individual workouts.

The case for staying in college
Many athletes are so focused on getting into professional sports that they never think beyond that. Do you want to be a first-round pick, sign a rookie contract and then be out of the League after a couple of seasons? Or is your goal to have a 10-year career? College prepares you for a job, whether in business, medicine, law or sports. For most athletes, it is the place to hone the skills needed to succeed as a pro.

Go pro, young man
The sheer number of players leaving early, particularly in basketball, proves that many are making a bad decision (45 underclassmen declared for the 2007 NBA Draft.) At the same time there are legitimate reasons for leaving: risk of injury, money, and disdain for school. While there are coaches who probably would prefer their players to stay all four years, that's not realistic--or fair.

Former UNC coach Dean Smith would tell players: "We have one rule here: We do what's best for the player out of season and what's best for the team in season." Coach Smith would generally advise players projected to be top 10 picks to come out early primarily because they could secure their financial future. If a player is projected to be an NBA lottery pick (among the first 12 selected), most coaches (and unbiased experts) will support a player's decision to turn pro.

Memphis basketball coach John Calipari famously tore up Dajuan Wagner's scholarship immediately after his freshman year to "make sure he understood he wasn't coming back." Wagner was the sixth pick in the 2002 NBA Draft, but lasted only three years due to medical problems. Said Calipari: "Now you might say [Wagner's] out of the league, but he made $15 million."

This is only a question for players prepared and willing to do the work at a university. For those who are unprepared or unwilling, it is a moot issue.