I???m not sure I fully agree with you, Kat. I find it hard to fault an 18 or 19-year-old kid for leaving school to earn millions of dollars. We don???t fault Bill Gates for leaving Harvard early, so why is there anything wrong with student-athletes doing the same thing? I do believe there should be a viable minor league alternative for student-athletes who have no desire to go to school. I???m not sure the NBDL quite gets there but it does provide options. The NCAA???s academic reform initiatives are making it nearly impossible for student-athletes not to go to class and learn while they???re enrolled, and I subscribe to the belief that one year of education trumps none, two trumps one and so on. In an ideal world, all student-athletes would get their degrees, but that???s not really feasible. Student-athletes already graduate at a higher percentage than the regular student body. Those numbers aren???t as strong in sports like football and basketball and that???s a significant problem. There are certainly some student-athletes who should finish their degrees instead of declaring for the draft, but in the case of Kevin Durant and Greg Oden, can you really blame them for cashing in? I would do the same thing and you probably would too.

I agree, but I also disagree. Just because someone doesn???t go to school for four or five years doesn???t mean that they are not student athletes. If you go to college and play a sport you are a student athlete. You go to school and you play sports ??? its??? as simple as that.

Besides if someone walked up to you and said I???ll give you millions of dollars to leave college and play basketball for me, you???re saying that you wouldn???t do it? Anyone in their right mind would take that offer. These student athletes that do so are getting part of their education and can choose to go back and sometimes even give money to the college that they went to before going pro. This sometimes could pay for another kid???s education or to help better the education of the students that are already enrolled in the college.

"As a former student-athlete myself, I am quite offended that these basketball all-stars get all the hype and all the glory, when in reality most don't genuinely exemplify the paradigm of a true student-athlete."

I have never been of the opinion that NBA draftees are supposed to be held up as examples of true student athlete's in the world in which Myles Brand lives. Draftees are uniquely qualified to provide a service, just like musicians, actors and others in the entertainment world.

However, I do think that Greg Oden should be happy that his experience at Ohio State, successfully prepared him for his chosen career. He only needed one year to do so. We should all be so lucky to be blessed in this way.

"I will be cheering for those draftees who are true student-athletes like myself"

So because they are not like you, you root against them?

What a shockingly small sighted view of the draft, and the players who enter the draft. Do you know the personal situation of all, or even any of these players? I'm certain some, if not most, are leaving for the riches, but I'm also quite certain that some are leaving to support families that are living far below the poverty line. This story has been told in the news over and over again the past 10 years. When your family is in need you have to make sacrifices and for some of these athletes that means leaving school early. If they have the means, they are entitled to do so, and some might feel obligated to leave early.

I'm sure in the wonderful world of collegiate volleyball you and your friends can't even comprehend of people being this poor, but it does happen and you shouldn't refuse to cheer for them because they may need to leave school to support their family.

Kat,

Idealism is not a bad quality, but I think your comments reflect an absolutist view. In the old days student athletes were student athletes for four years not because those were better times, but because there were completely unfair rules which prohibited football and basketball players from leaving school early.

You wrote four consecutive sentences beginning with "A true student-athlete..." Every statement besides the second one constitutes a nice sentiment. The second statement is completely off base. "A true student-athlete would not use his full-ride scholarship as a means to the NBA, thus wasting someone else's educational opportunities."

What's wrong with using a scholarship as a means to an NBA career? Perhaps there are too many who have unrealistic expectations about their pro opportunities, but since your post relates to the NBA Draft, you clearly show disdain for the "one and done" athletes. Also please explain how someone like Greg Oden wasted "someone else's educational opportunities?" I would think the opposite is true. He helped generate revenue for his school for the one year he was a student at OSU, which likely will benefit other student athletes. And then thinking down the road perhaps Oden will show his appreciation to the school by donating generously, just like Carmelo Anthony recently did.

You can make whatever value judgment you want, but to say that "A true student-athlete is committed to his team for four years (or five in some cases)" is nonsensical. Athletes should have the right to choose how they want to ply their trade, whether it's in college or, if they have the ability, in the pros.

You wondered, "why did I strive to attain a double major in college if I could have just made the big bucks without a degree?" Your question is specious -- the market told you that you'd be better off with a college degree than to pursue any pro aspirations.

Sorry to pile on. I do hope you are not as offended by my response as you are by "these basketball all-stars [who] get all the hype and all the glory." In the final analysis you really shouldn't be offended by either.

Good luck with your internship. I sure all this is quite a learning experience.

Cheers,
Marc Isenberg
Author, Money Players: A pro athlete's guide to success in sports, business & life

Hope I am not too late.

I agree. The problem is our society, not some 18 or 19 year old kid going for the money. Our society tends to send the message to people that money is all that matters. Rather than contributing positively to society as a whol,e people are just looking out for themselves. This situation repeats every year and I believe that it creates poor values.