Class? What Class?

Kentucky's Anthony Davis: "Dude, take that backpack off and go work out!"

Ya'll already know how I get down. I'm gonna keep it real or all the way 100, which ever comes first. If a kid is good enough to be a lottery pick in the NBA draft this year there is no way he should be in class right now. Indulge me for a moment, if you will, while I explain. Don't get it twisted, I believe in the value of post secondary education because both my wife and I have degree's. As a matter of fact, both of my parents and all but one of my siblings have them too. My wife is a former high school teacher, my sister currently teaches middle school and my mother is retired from the profession as well. So I believe in it's value bruh. However, the sole purpose for going to school or pursuing any type of  post secondary education is to prepare yourself to make a living for the rest of your life.

If you can make a living without having to go to college then it's not necessary. My sibling that doesn't have a degree doesn't need it in his profession and he's doing just fine without it bruh. So to tell a kid that he NEEDS to go to college in order to be successful is a lie. I know a whole lot of unsuccessful folks WITH  college degree's.

 Let's take a look at Kentucky's freshman phenom, Anthony Davis. He was the #1 player in the country according to ESPNU's Top 150 coming out of high school in 2011. The only reason he's even in school right now is because the NBA established a rule in 2005 that requires players to be 19 years old and one year out of high school before they can be eligible for the draft. With the talent that he possesses there is no reason for him to remain in school beyond this year. Some people are born with something that very few have. It's like winning the genetic lottery. My instructions to him as a father would've been clear when he enrolled at Kentucky.

"Son, during this first semester I need you to take all of your classes pass/fail. Don't worry about getting a grade in any of them because you won't need it. Next, I need you to take classes in personal finance, interviewing and public speaking. Those types of classes will help you next year in your professional career. Also during the spring semester just enroll in class but it won't be necessary to attend ANY of them because the draft is in June. This season is your final exam and the NCAA Tournament is your job interview. We'll get a personal trainer to work with you during the day to keep your body in the best shape possible so that you'll be ready for the draft.

We'll also take out an insurance policy on you that will protect you in the event that you get hurt before the draft. Lloyd's of London does it all of the time. Cats take out 6 month policies that cover like $2 million dollars for $10 to 15 grand all of the time. Willis McGahee had one when he got hurt in the national title game against Ohio State in 2001. Fortunately, he didn't need to use it. Andrew Luck took out one last year when he decided to stay in school his senior year. Banks will loan potential NBA lottery picks and NFL first rounders money because they know they're good for it."

I know that there are people cringing at what I just said because they believe that everyone should go to college and get a degree. Well, that's simply not true. Most people that go to college go because they don't have other options at the time. If I had an option to make several million dollars at 18 or 19 years old. I wouldn't have a degree today bruh. It's like telling Beyonce' or Chris Brown they need to go to college. They're able to do something that very few people can do and some athletes fall into that same category bruh! When you've got a special talent you've got to use it I don't care what it is. Some people find it early in life while others like myself find it later.

According to simplyhired.com the average salary of an orthopedic surgeon is $232,000 per year. Let's say the surgeon works for an entire career of 35 years. He or she would've only made $8.1 million (subtract the several hundred thousand in student loans) and they're still behind the eight ball relative to pro athletes. What folks don't realize is that the money in the NBA is all guaranteed. That means if a kid gets hurt, the team has to pay him the balance of that contract. There is no risk in leaving school early if he's a lottery pick. All first round draft choices sign a 3 year deal worth $10 million guaranteed. That's not to mention the $50 to $60 million they'll have the opportunity to earn in endorsements if they've got some charisma bruh. There isn't a degree in the world that pays that type of money. If he gets hurt he can always go back to school with the  minimum $10 million that he just made off of his NBA contract if a degree is important to him.

Lebron hadn't even graduated from high school when he signed a 6 year/ $90 million deal with Nike and then a month later he was drafted into the NBA. Derrick Rose just made at total of $279 million in guaranteed bread between his new Bulls deal and the Adidas contract. Now, this argument only applies to about 10 people in the WORLD every year bruh. I'm not talking about some kid that's just playing college basketball and thinks that he's good enough to go pro. I'm talking about Anthony Davis and kids like him.

I had this same argument with friends when Greg Oden was in high school here in Indy. They said I wasn't making sense when I told them about my instructions. Oden hasn't played in the NBA yet because of knee injuries. Had he listened to them, he'd probably have his degree from Ohio State by now but he wouldn't  have $15 million in the bank and last I checked it costs money to live bruh! Ask all the folks that have been laid off during this economic down turn if their degree is feeding them right now! Understand this, bread is always edible bruh!

Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves
Follow me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport