Why LSU looks SILLY for not startin' Ben Simmons for academic reasonson Saturday! "No.1"

"Really bruh?" 

Charles Spurgeon, the British Baptist preacher, once said, "Sincerity makes the very least person to be of more value than the most talented hypocrite." Tennessee Williams, the famous playwright, gave it to us like this, "The only thing worse than a liar is a liar that's also a hypocrite!" Then Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese soccer player, broke down a playas game like Goldie in the Mac when he spit, "Why lie? I'm not going to be a hypocrite and say the opposite of what I think, like some others do." 

Well playas...I'm ridin' with Cristiano on this one bruh! I'm not goin' to be a hypocrite and say the opposite of what I think like all of these other fake media-types. LSU's head coach, Johnny Jones, didn't allow the BEST PLAYER IN COLLEGE BASKETBALL to start on Saturday because in his words, he had some academic issues this week! Now that would sound great if the dun were just another player on the team or if they were in high school. However, this ain't that! We're talkin' about the freshman, Ben Simmons, the projected No.1 OVERALL pick of the 2016 NBA draft!!!  By NBA rule the dun cannot enter the NBA draft until he's been out of high school for at least 1 year. So he can sit at big momma's house and do nothin', play overseas or go to college and play. He chose the latter. 

Let's keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st! EVERYBODY and their baby's momma's momma, Ms. Jackson, knows that this kid is a "One and Done!" All he really had to do was go to class durin' the first semester, take those joints pass/fail, enroll in the second semester  not go to class at all and play ball ONLY!!! The draft is in June bruh! So if he flunks EVERY single class he's already gotten what he wanted from the university and that's a work out and publicity!!! 

He's the projected No.1 OVERALL pick!!! Signin' that contract is essentially a 3 year deal worth $10 million GUARANTEED! There isn't a job or degree in the world that will pay him $10 million guaranteed over a 3 year span! Not a single one bruh! So tellin' that dun to go to class this semester is ignorant. He's what the rest of world would call a genius in his field. He doesn't NEED to go to college because he's got a special gift that everybody else doesn't have. He's got DNA that the rest of the world only dreams of. He hit the genetic lottery but you want him to go to class? That's ignorant.  

Again' I'm only talkin' about those people that are geniuses in their field! This argument only applies to about 7 or 8 people in the world every year. He's one of them. The rest of you duns better go to class. Mark Zuckerberg went to Harvard for 3 years until he figured out that he didn't need it. Oh yeah, Bill Gates did the same thing at the same school. Geniuses in their field don't need to go to school. 

Here's the clown screamin' from the roof tops soundin' like a complete fool, "The coach has to set an example for the rest of the team! You can't just let him skip classes. What does he tell the rest of the team?" He tells the rest of the team that if they flunk out this semester they won't be on the team next semester. That dun is gonna be a millionaire in June! So unless you've got a plan to make $10 million you better take yo "A" to class! And that's the edited version. 

Here's this knuckle head again, "Well what happens if he gets hurt in year 1 of that contract?" They've got to pay him his $10 million bruh! That's what the word GUARANTEED means you idiot!! Sounds like YOU need to go to class and stop wrestlin' with me. 

Let me put it where the goats can get it. In other words, let me break it down for you so that you can really understand what's goin' on. And before you fix your mouth to say it. A college degree doesn't guarantee that a boy won't blow all of his bread because I know a whole lot of duns that are broke with bad credit that have degrees.

Do you really need some perspective on just how much bread this kid stands to make in 3 years? Okay playa since you asked. A pediatrician makes on average $165,000! Specialists like cardiologists, radiologists or orthopedic surgeons make on average $315,000 per year. Now these duns have gone to undergraduate school, medical school and have done 3 to 4 years of residency to make that type of bread! Not to mention they've got $160,000 plus in student loans to repay when they get out.

Let’s say the specialist works until he or she is age 65. That’s 35 years at an average of $315,000 because they don't start gettin' paid until they're at least 30 because they've been in school and trainin' the whole time. They would only make $11.2 million for their CAREERS! I just told you that Ben Simmons is gonna sign a deal that will pay him $10 million in the first 3 years GUARANTEED. He'll be 21 years and would have made almost as much bread as an orthopedic surgeon will make in his lifetime!!! And if he's still playin' at 21 years old he could potentially sign a max deal in the range of $100 million over a 5 or 6 year period. And guess what? He'll still only be 27 years old! ARE YOU KIDDING ME? And he doesn't even have to be that good relatively speakin'. And if he never plays another minute past his 21st birthday he's made $10 million. But you want him to go to class? 

Do you realize that the average salary in America is $29,000! The average salary for a person with a college degree is $53,000! Most people aren't goin' to make a million dollars in their entire careers bruh and this cat can make $10 million in his first 3 and his coach is tryin' to discipline him for academic issues? He sounds like a complete fool even sayin' that out load. 

Leave Ben alone and let that dun do what he came to LSU to do and that's to play basketball for 1 year. If he wants to graduate at some point in life that's on him.  But please leave him alone because you look stupid tryin' to keep him out of the startin' line up for 4 and a half minutes to look like you really care about him academically.

You get paid to win basketball games ONLY. Not to make sure duns graduate. If you think I'm lyin' ask Ty Willingham if I'm lyin'. Notre Dame pushed him out of the door like ole Eddie Cain Jr. when the football team had the highest academic achievement in the school's recent history. So don't tell me that you care about Ben not goin' to class, sleepin' in class or standin' on his freakin' head butt naked in class. You're worryin' about this dun goin' to class you better be worryin' about makin' the NCAA Tournament or they'll be pushin' you out like ole Eddie Cain Jr. too. Stop me when I start lyin'!

Playas Thesaurus: 
1) Goldie: noun - an ole pimp in the movie called the "Mac"
2) Spit: verb - to say
3) Ms. Jackson: noun - rap song by the super group OutKast
4) Dun: noun - the person in question, dude, guy, etc. It's whoever I'm talkin' about and its non-gender specific.

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Sideways (How Rex Chapman called me a terrible father for condoning work and he's stealing)

"Yeah, I'm out here stealin' but you're still a terrible father Jay!"

Will Rogers, the famous cowboy, once said, “Good judgment comes from experience, and a lot of that comes from bad judgment.” Marcus Tullius Cicero, the ancient Roman philosopher, broke it down like this, “It is not by muscle, speed, or physical dexterity that great things are achieved, but by reflection, force of character and judgment.” Then Thomas Hobbes, the English philosopher, turned off the lights like Teddy Pendergrass when he spit, “A man’s conscience and his judgment is the same thing; and as the judgment, so also the conscience, may be erroneous.”

Well playas…ole dull Rex Chapman’s judgment has definitely been erroneous. This dun recently pled guilty to shopliftin’ from a freakin’ Apple Store in Arizona and has agreed to pay more than $15,000 to the store and complete 750 hours of community service accordin’ to the Lexington Herald-Leader.

Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1^st! I wouldn’t give two rips about Rex Chapman shopliftin’ or carjackin’ a boy, for that matter, but this dun came at me sideways a couple of years ago. I’ve written several Hot Joints about why it makes sense for kids that have the talent, to leave school after one year to go to the NBA primarily because the first round bread is GUARANTEED and the lottery pick bread is too stupid to pass up. You can always go to school if you just want a degree. School has been around for 2,000 years and it’s not goin’ anywhere. Your ability to play this game has an expiration date on it playa.

However, this clown tried to blast me on Twitter and then dun called me a terrible father for givin’ kids that type of advice. Then this fool turns around and gets popped for stealin’! Shopliftin’ sounds too nice playboy! When you take something that doesn’t belong to you, you’re STEALING!!! Point blank!

Word is, this fool used the store’s self-checkout but left without payin’ not once but on several occasions. He went to the well one time too many. And if that’s yo thang playa do what you gotta do but don’t come at me sideways because I told a boy to use what God has blessed you with to make a livin’. In essence, I told a boy to get a job so that he could pay for the things that he wants instead of stealin'!

Keep this real playa, there are very few people born into this world with the DNA that it takes to play in the NBA, 450 to be exact!! So if you’re one of those people then it makes no sense at all to be sittin’ in somebody’s classroom tryin’ to get a freakin’ degree to work a job that will pay you peanuts relative to what you can be makin’ playin’ a freakin’ game! It sure as hell beats stealin’!

Again, my argument ONLY applies to about 5 or 6 people in the WORLD every year. The rest of you duns need to take yo “A” to class and concentrate on gettin’ that degree. Why? Because nobody’s lookin’ to pay you close to $10 million to play this game over the next 3 years.  And that's just the rookie contract bruh! Don't let a boy show out and get to the 2nd deal! It's NUTS!!! When duns like Tristan Thompson can get $80 million offer sheets out here it's definitely sideways!

Let me put it where the goats can get it playa. A pediatrician makes on average $165,000 per year. Specialists like cardiologists, radiologists or orthopedic surgeons make on average $315,000 per year. Now these duns have gone to not only undergraduate school but medical school and have done 3 to 4 years of residency to make that type of bread. Not to mention the $160,000 or more they’ve stock piled in student loans.

Now let’s say that the specialist works until he or she is 65. That’s 35 years on the freakin’ job because they don’t start workin’ until their 30 because they’ve been in school all of that time. They would only make $11.2 million for their ENTIRE CAREERS and a lottery pick could make $10 million in his first 3 years on the freakin' job! Stop it! You sound crazy and drunk! Or better yet, like you've been in the ride with Rex Chapman and Steve Sarkisian drinkin' that Mad Dog 20/20 and poppin' pills. 

You’d be a darn fool to stay in school when that type of bread is on the table and you’d be an even bigger fool to run into an Apple Store stealin’ after you’ve already been to college and the freakin’ NBA! Stop me when I start lyin’!

Playas Thesaurus:
1) Spit: verb – to say
2) Dun: noun – the person in question, dude, guy, etc. It’s whoever I’m talkin’ about and its non-gender specific.
3) Rips: noun – word I used to keep from sayin’ plural manure.
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Big Payoff (Why these 'One & Done' cats are ALWAYS ready for the NBA)

In my Harlem Nights voice, "Weady? S*** yeah! I'm Weady!"

Williams James, the famous philosopher and psychologist, once said, “Common sense and a sense of humor are the same thing, moving at different speeds. A sense of humor is just common sense, dancing.” Mark Twain gave it to us like this, “It’s no wonder that truth is stranger than fiction. Fiction has to make sense.” Then the big homie, Robert Frost, the famous poet, settled the argument with, “Forgive me my nonsense, as I also forgive the nonsense of those that think they talk sense.”

Well playas...he must have been talkin' to all of these clowns on TV tellin' the world that some of these “One and Done” cats aren’t ready to go to the NBA. Every time I look up some former player or some clown on the radio or TV is sayin' that these cats aren’t ready and then fools that can’t think for themselves agree with him.

First of all, if the freakin’ NBA is gonna draft them in the first round then they’re READY! If they meet the criteria to be ranked in the top 30 players (1^st round) in the world then they’re ready. Stop with all of this foolishness and lyin’ to folks bruh. The question is; are they willin' to enter the draft? Who cares if the kid is gonna be a perennial superstar or not! If the freakin' GM is gonna pay him then he's ready!!!!

Duns act like that in order to get drafted you’ve got to be an impact or franchise player. That’s ignorant! Not everybody drafted in the first round is goin' to be a superstar. There are only 12 All-Stars in the East and 12 in the West and there is a reason for that pimpin’. Everybody can’t be LeBron, Kobe, KD, CP3 or Melo etc.!

Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1^st! Somebody has to be a role player. Somebody has to be a sixth man and so on and so forth. There are duns that have played their entire careers in the league and have never even started a game before. So you're tellin' me that they aren’t ready to play in the NBA? They're ready if they make a roster.

Here’s my “non-thinkin' for himself” sports fan screamin’ at the top of his lungs, “Jay you sound like a fool! Every cat that is a Top 10 pick should be a franchise player or at the very least and solid impact player!” Oh really? Sit down and let me take you to school real quick pimpin'!

There are gangs of cats that have been drafted in the Top 10 that played for years and never became a "franchise" player. Were they not ready? And most of the cats I'm talkin' about weren't even 'One & Done' players. Let’s start with Rex Chapman drafted No. 8 overall in ’88 and played for 12 years. I could go back further but why? Then there’s Pervis Ellison in ’89 that went No. 1 overall that turned out to be trash but played for 11 years. Who remembers Danny Ferry in ’89 that went No.2 overall and was boo-boo but played 14 years? Then there's Shawn Bradley in ’93 that went No. 2 and played 12 years. Do I need to go on playa? What does ready really mean? Ready means that some GM thought that they were good enough for him to pay!

Since you don’t believe that fat meat is greasy I'll give you more. Donyell Marshall went No.5 played 15 years, Glenn “Big Dawg” Robinson my homeboy went No.1 played 11 years, Darius Miles went No. 3 played 9 years, Bobby Hurley went No. 7 played 5 years, Shawn Livingston went No. 4 played 9 years, Johnathan Bender went No. 5 played 11 years until his knees gave him the shaft. Don't let me EVER forget Kwami "freakin'" Brown who went No.1 overall and played 12 years in the league.

Then there are duns like Corey Brewer that went No.7 in ’07 and Michael Beasley in ’08 that went No. 2 that didn't become what boyz thought they would. Now all of these guys were drafted in the Top 10 and weren't "One & Done's" but they played for several years. So you're tellin' me that a cat that is offered a job at 18 or 19 years old with the same guaranteed bread is supposed to leave it on the table because you said so? A lottery pick is lookin' at 3 years and darn near $10 million in guaranteed bread!!! Well...the first two are guaranteed and the 3rd year is a team option. Either way you sound like a fool.

So don’t tell me that in order to be considered “ready” you gotta be a franchise player because none of the duns I just named were. Glenn may be the closest to becomin' one but he never really turned the corner either.

Y’all get caught up in listenin' to some fool that used to play instead of pullin' up the facts. Just because a boy is a Hall of Famer doesn’t mean that he’s a student of the game and knows the history of it. It just means that he could play. Facts are facts playboy and you don’t have to be a Hall of Famer to know them.

Keep this in mind too, the very cats that are sayin' that boyz should stay in school got rich playin' basketball in the NBA! How much hypocrisy can you stomach before you call it BS bruh?

Now if boyz we're sayin' that cats like Jahlil Okefor, Trey Lyles, Justise Winslow and Karl-Anthony Towns aren’t ready to be superstars right now I’d agree. But to say that they aren’t READY to play in the NBA is asinine! Because if they aren’t then who is? There are cats in the league right now that they are better than. So don't tell me that they aren't ready.

They’re goin' to hold the draft in June regardless. So if the scouts tell them that they’re goin' to be Top 10 or at the very least first round draft picks you sound like a fool tellin' them that they aren’t ready.

Let me put it where the goats can get it pimpin'! “YOU ARE ALWAYS WORTH WHAT SOMEBODY IS WILLIN' TO PAY YOU!” So for the clowns tellin' these kids that they need to stay in school another year stop talkin' to hear yourself talk. You’re speakin' purely from a fan's perspective or some academic perspective and guess what pimpin’, the player cares nothin' about how you feel about them. That’s not their concern. He’s takin' the job that’s bein' offered to him and you would too. So stop makin' a fool of yourself even repeatin' that foolishness.

The only reason that I've got a Bachelor's Degree in Sports Science from Indiana University is because I didn't possess the DNA to make millions of dollars between the ages of 18 and 22 years old. Some folks don't need to go to college playa! Those that have a talent that 99 percent of the rest of us don't have are just fine without wastin' time in college. Chris Rock told jokes, Beyonce could sing, Jay-Z rapped, Mark Zukerberg invented Facebook, Bill Gates came up with Microsoft and now all the suckas that needed to get a degree work for them.

These young 'One & Done' cats are for lack of a better term "Idiot Savants" of basketball! They are genius' that somebody is goin' to pay a boat load of money to come out of school early. Think about this playa! If you did an internship at Microsoft and Bill and Co. offered you a 3 year deal worth a guaranteed $10 million would you drop out of school and take the job? If the answer is yes, shut up talkin' about these 'One & Done' cats.
 
He's never gonna make that type of bread in his lifetime with or without a freakin' degree! You sound like a fool sayin' otherwise! And please don't tell me that the reason why these duns go broke is because they didn't finish school. I know more folks with college degrees with bad credit than the law allows.

For every broke hooper, I can show you 1000 cats with a degree livin' pay check to pay check or worse. Stop it, you sound ignorant. So young fella, I say take the guaranteed bread and tell these haters to kick rocks. Stop me when I start lyin’!

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Money Ball (Why it makes absolutely no sense to pass up an NBA job offer)

"I can't see the future playboy! Can you?"

William Penn said, “The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves.” The Swiss playwright, Max Frisch, broke it down like this, “Jealousy is the fear of comparison.” The science fiction writer, Robert A. Heinlein, shut the building down when he said, “A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything.  Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity.”

I’m always blown away by how much some of these dull cats in the media will hate on a boy for doing his thing! Growing up in the ghetto we called it “Throwing salt!” I hear so many sports journalists spittin' hate on cats for leaving school early to get paid. Why? Because they're jealous of these young boyz because they don't possess the DNA to play at that level!

Yesterday I wrote the Hot Joint entitled, "Top 10 NonSense" about why if a boy is first round draft eligible that he's ready not only to go the league but ready to get paid!

For example, I was covering a Pacers game last season and sitting next to this dun on press row that was saying that Gerald Green should have gone to college instead of coming straight into the league out of high school in 2005! I constantly hear this cat on ESPN radio, who shall remain nameless, hatin' on Kentucky's John Calipari for the way he recruits because his players have been getting drafted after one year of school. Now these are sports journalist’s bruh not diehard fans that only think with their hearts! These are cats that have an audience of people that hang on every word that they say. So it's like the blind leading the blind playboy!

Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st!  Sports is entertainment to only the fans and strictly business to the duns that make money off of it including the players and journalists! Sure, they can still be fans of the game but they should have a more intelligent perspective on why boyz do what they do. The whole premise of going to school at any level is to learn enough to get a job that will allow you to make a living. Right?

So if duns like Gerald Green could come out of high school at 18 years old before the league changed the rules in 2005 and the NBA was willing to draft him in the first round at No.18 overall why wouldn't he take advantage of that opportunity? He’s been in the league for 9 years and his current salary is $3.5 million and he's been making that for a few years now! Let’s say he plays for the one more season and makes it a cool 10 years in the league! Now obviously he didn't come out making that type of bread on an annual basis. So on average let's say he would make just about $2 million per year over his career. That's $20 million bruh!

So again I ask, why would he go to college where the NBA scouts would have had a chance to see that he wasn’t as good as they thought he was at 18. Going to school only would have given them more time to poke holes in his game and he probably never would have gotten drafted or drafted as high. He’s not in it for the clown that says he ain’t ready for the league. He’s in it for himself and Big Momma! Who cares what some playa hatin' journalist or fan thinks about whether a boy is ready to go to the league or not? What did the scouts say? If they're paying he's playing playboy! That's real talk!!

I heard this other talking head say that Calipari is recruiting all of these “One and Done” players and they aren’t ready for the NBA but are getting drafted anyway! He goes on to say, “Look at the 2012 team where all of those cats got drafted and the only one that was ready was Anthony Davis! What? Ready to be a superstar or ready to get drafted? Anthony Davis is making $5.14 million, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is making $4.6 million, Terrence Jones $1.48 million, Marquis Teague $1.0 million, Doron Lamb $650,000 and Daruis Miller $473,000! Ready for what homeboy? They’re making a living! If it doesn’t work out they can always go back to school if that’s even what a boy wants to do. How many duns do you know that are making $473,000 per year? I'm just sayin'!

Only so many cats are gonna be superstars in this league bruh! Somebody has to come off of the bench and somebody’s gotta sit on that joint! So why not sit and make a living doing something that you love to do as opposed to sitting in a classroom broke or at this point working a regular job! If they were to stay in school and risk getting hurt or boyz finding out that they weren’t as good doesn’t help anybody but the fans and the owners. The player doesn't benefit at all from that scenario. So why stay?

Why don't you ask Greg Oden if coming out of school when he did made sense? If he had listened to clowns like these telling him that he needs one more year to develop he never would have gotten drafted because he's knees went south two months after the draft. So he would probably have a college degree by now working a regular job at 7 feet tall looking like an idiot trying to squeeze into a cubical in somebody's office. Now he's got plenty of bread with a net worth of $15 million and he shouldn't HAVE to work day in his life.

Go ask Michigan's Mitch McGary if it made sense to stay in school. Nobody knew his name outside of Ann Arbor before the tournament started last year. Then that dun went nuts for six games and all of a sudden was projected as a No.8 pick and decided to stay. Then ended up having back surgery last fall and hasn't played all year. So guess what playboy? He's gotta go back to school next year and try to catch lightening in a bottle all over again and what's the chance of doing that? Will he get drafted? Probably so but will he be a No.8 pick? Doubt it! Because there's always a crop of new boyz comin' up.

And before you fix your mouth to say it. A college degree doesn't guarantee that a boy won't blow all of his bread because I know a whole lot of duns that are broke with degrees.

Let me give you some perspective on just how much bread some of these playa hatin’ journalists are telling boyz to walk away from! A pediatrician makes on average $165,000! Specialists like cardiologists, radiologists or orthopedic surgeons make on average $315,000 per year. Now these duns have gone to undergraduate school, medical school and have done 3 to 4 years of residency to make that type of bread! Not to mention they've got $160,000 in student loans to repay when they get out.

Let’s say the specialist works until he or she is 65. That’s 35 years at an average of $315,000 because they don't start getting paid until they're 30 because they've been in school and training the whole time. They would only make $11.2 million for their CAREERS! I just told you that Gerald Green can make $20 million in 10 years sitting on the bench bruh for 9 of them because he just got on the floor this year in Phoenix!

Do you realize that the average salary in America is $29,000! The average salary for a person with a college degree is $53,000! Most people aren't going to make a million dollars in their entire careers bruh and this cat can make 20 times that sitting on the bench in 10 years! You sound like a fool tellin' a boy to stay in school! How much sense does it make to pass up the opportunity to go to the league after putting that bread in perspective now? In my Bernie Mac voice, “You jealous somma ma….!” Stop me when I start lyin'!

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Jealous Hearts

"I'm just doin' me playboy! Hate if you want!"

William Penn said, “The jealous are troublesome to others, but a torment to themselves.” The Swiss playwright, Max Frisch, broke it down like this, “Jealousy is the fear of comparison.” The science fiction writer, Robert A. Heinlein, shut the building down when he said, “A competent and self-confident person is incapable of jealousy in anything.  Jealousy is invariably a symptom of neurotic insecurity.”

I’m always blown away by how much some of these dull cats in the media will hate on a boy for doing his thing! In the ghetto we called it “Throwing salt!” I hear so many sports journalists spitting hate on cats for leaving school early to get paid. Why? Because they're jealous of these young boyz!

I was covering a Pacers game one night on press row and this dun was talking about why Gerald Green should have gone to college instead of coming straight into the league out of high school in 2005! Then I’m listening to a cat on ESPN radio, who shall remain nameless, hatin' on Kentucky's John Calipari for the way he recruits because his players have been getting drafted after one year of school. Now these are sports journalist’s bruh not diehard fans that only think with their hearts! These are cats that have an audience of people that hang on every word they say and then it's like the blind leading the blind!

Let’s keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes 1st!  Sports is entertainment to only the fans and strictly business to duns that make money off of it including the players and journalists! Sure, they can still be fans of the game but they should have a more intelligent perspective on why boyz do what they do. The whole premise of going to school at any level is to learn enough to get a job that will allow you to take care of yourself for the rest of your life. Right?

So if Gerald Green could come out of school at 18 years old and the NBA was willing to draft him in the first round at No.18 overall why wouldn't he take advantage of that opportunity? He’s been in the league for 8 years and his current salary is $3.5 million! Let’s say he plays for the next two seasons and makes it a cool 10 years in the league riding the pine! Now obviously he didn't come out making that type of bread on an annual basis. So on average let's say he would make just about $2 million per year over his career. That's $20 million bruh!

So again I ask why would he go to college where the NBA scouts would have had a chance to see that he wasn’t as good as they thought he was at 18. Going to school only would have given them more time to poke holes in his game and he probably never would have gotten drafted or drafted as high. He’s not in it for the clown that says he ain’t ready for the league. He’s in it for himself and Big Momma! Who cares what some playa hattin' journalist or fan thinks about whether a boy is ready to go to the league or not? What did the scouts say? If they're paying he's staying playboy! That's real talk!!

I heard this clown on ESPN radio yesterday say that Calipari is recruiting all of these “One and Done” players and they aren’t ready for the NBA but are getting drafted anyway! He goes on to say, “Look at last year’s team (2012) where all of those guys got drafted and the only one that was ready was Anthony Davis! What? Ready to be a superstar or ready to get drafted? Anthony Davis is making $5.14 million, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist is making $4.6 million, Terrence Jones $1.48 million, Marquis Teague $1.0 million, Doron Lamb $650,000 and Daruis Miller $473,000! Ready for what homeboy? They’re making a living! If it doesn’t work out they can always go back to school if that’s even what a boy wants to do.

Only so many cats are gonna be superstars in this league bruh! Somebody has to come off of the bench and somebody’s gotta sit on that joint! So why not sit and make a living doing something that you love to do as opposed to sitting in a classroom broke or at this point working a regular job! If they were to stay in school and risk getting hurt or boyz finding out that they weren’t as good doesn’t help anybody but the fans and the owners. The player doesn't benefit at all from that scenario. So why stay?

Why don't you ask Greg Oden if coming out of school when he did made sense. If he'd listened to clowns like these telling him that he needs one more year to develop he'd probably have a college degree by now working a regular job at 7 feet tall looking like an idiot trying to squeeze into a cubical in somebody's office. Now he's got plenty of bread with a net worth of $15 million and he shouldn't HAVE to work day in his life.

And before you fix your mouth to say it. A college degree doesn't guarantee that a boy won't blow all of his bread because I know a whole lot of duns that are broke with degrees.

Go ask Arizona's Jason Gardner, Notre Dame's Chris Thomas or Florida's T. Green if it made sense for them to stay in school for as long as they did?

Let me give you some perspective on just how much bread some of these playa hatin’ journalists are telling boyz to walk away from! A pediatrician makes on average $165,000! Specialists like cardiologists, radiologists or orthopedic surgeons make on average $315,000 per year. Now these duns have gone to undergraduate school, medical school and have done 3 to 4 years of residency to make that type of bread! Not to mention they've got $160,000 in student loans to repay when they get out.

Let’s say the specialist works until he or she is 65. That’s 35 years at an average of $315,000 because they don't start getting paid until they're 30 because they've been in school and training the whole time. They would only make $11.2 million for their CAREERS! I just told you that Gerald Green can make $20 million in 10 years sitting on the bench bruh!

Do you realize that the average salary in America is $29,000! The average salary for a person with a college degree is $53,000! Most people aren't going to make a million dollars in their entire careers bruh and this cat can make 20  times that sitting on the bench in 10 years! You sound like a fool! How much sense does staying in school if given the opportunity to go to the league make to you now? In my Bernie Mac voice, “You jealous somma ma….!”

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

No Harm No Foul!

"A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do!"

Now that the college basketball season has jumped off the never ending debate does too! Who will be this year's One & Done freshman phenom that doesn't NEED to go to class? Last year I wrote a Hot Joint entitled "Class? What Class?" where I laid out instructions for former Kentucky freshman Anthony Davis and kids just like him not to waste their time in class in the spring semester if I were their dad. Not only that, don't worry about getting grades in the fall semester either. Just take those joints pass/fail!  My reasoning for those instructions were because Davis was going to be a lottery pick in June's NBA if he was still alive on draft day. Not just a lottery pick, he was going be the #1 pick in the draft homeboy according to all of the experts in the business in which he turned out to be.

So if you know that your profession is going to be basketball in a matter of months then it only makes sense to be prepared for the interview every night. This argument doesn't apply to the kid that's just on scholarship bruh! It only applies to the 5 or 6 kids in the world that have already been identified by the experts.

The NBA rule that forces these kids to even go to school is a joke. Derrick Rose had no intention of going to class when he went to Memphis. So therefore, he was forced to cheat on the SAT to get into the joint and as a result Memphis ended up having to forfeit all of the games that they won in route to the National Title Game in 2008, his only year in school. Now I'm not in favor of a kid cheating at all but he was backed into a corner and it was fight or flight! You already know once he got there he had some girl doing his work for him that first semester and he never even saw a class in the spring. So why not give that scholarship to a kid that really wants or needs to go to school?

People that are phenoms don't need to finish college! Bill Gates figured out that after three years of college that he didn't need it. Steve Jobs, the founder of Apple and the inventor of the IPhone that you're probably reading this joint on dropped out of school too. Neither Venus or Serena even enrolled. Beyonce' nor Justin Bieber even thought about it. I hear you saying, "Man their talents are 1 in a million so they could afford not to go to school!" My point exactly!

The "One and Done" athlete falls into that same category. The only difference is that the NBA contracts are guaranteed. That's why it makes even more sense to go pro ASAP if you are one of those guys! They don't need to waste time taking classes because the world says that they should. Why do we continue to lie to our kids by saying that EVERYONE NEEDS to go to college? If everybody went to college we wouldn't have plumbers, electricians, carpenters, barbers, beauticians, mechanics, brick masons etc. We wouldn't have construction workers or most importantly we wouldn't have a military to keep us safe if everyone went to college.

Let's keep it real or all the way 100, whichever comes first! After about eight grade kids shouldn't be forced to take all of the same courses in order to graduate from high school either. Why does a kid need to take biology or chemistry if they aren't interested in a field that requires a science background. They'll realize by middle school whether or not they like science. I agree that they need to be exposed to everything but that's why they go to elementary & middle school bruh.  For that matter, why are they even teaching kids to write in cursive any more. Other than teaching them how to write their names it's a complete waste of time! Some school districts have already begun to phase it out. I call on doctors daily that just make their mark on prescription pads that you can't figure out what it is. I write my name everyday and you can't recognize anything but the J. So what are we talking about bruh? I believe that everyone should have to take a key boarding class because it's necessary now that everything is computerized.

 Remember when you were forced to learn all of the state capitals in 4th grade? That was a complete waste of time! If you need to know that information you can just look it up. Why do you need to know what the capital of Vermont is? Henry Ford once said, "I don't need to know everything but for the things that I don't know I can just ask some one!" Therefore, every kid needs to learn how to use search engines.

Let's say that everyone did go to college. All we'd be doing is resetting the scale! The guy that is the janitor would still make less money than the guy in sales or in management. The doctor and lawyer would still make more money than the social worker or teacher etc. So why run a game on folks and tell them that college is mandatory when it's only necessary for certain careers?

If institutions of higher learning really wanted to  help these "One and Done's" they would put together a curriculum that would be specific to them since they're only going to be there for a year anyway. The NFL and NBA both hold rookie symposiums right after their respective drafts that teach these kids how to adjust to being a professional athlete. They teach them how to handle their money and how to look out for shady characters as well. They even go as far as teaching them how to stay away from certain types of women and how not to get caught up with multiple baby momma's etc.  Why not offer those types of classes and make them mandatory for your elite athletes on campus. Of course, the regular students could take them as well but the "One and Done" kid would have first dibs on them.

Guys like Anthony Davis have done more for schools like Kentucky in the one year that he was there than the kid that stays four years and graduates. Why? Because he's bring massive exposure to the university that is unmatched. When a school makes a run to the national title the following year freshman enrollment is typically up by 30% which generates even more revenue. Not to mention the millions of dollars in revenue that the school brings in for even being in the NCAA tournament as well as all of the ancillary products sold in the bookstore. Did I mention all of the licensed merchandise sold nationwide like his jersey that he doesn't get squat for.We haven't even begun to discuss all of the bread that the boosters are throwing around because boyz are winning. So if the kid is smart enough to use the school at the same time he's being used by them, then I say no harm no foul! Don't feel sorry for Memphis because they made a fortune off of Derrick Rose and to this day they're still getting paid off of his name. Like I always say, "Stop me when I start lyin' bruh!"

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

"The World of What Is"

"Naw bruh, I wasn't going back to anybody's school! I gotta get paid for this!"

Some people live in the world of what should be but I live in the world of what is. In the world that I live in it costs money to live and there are no guarantees in life. You can be the man today and nobody knows your name tomorrow. You could sell a million records today, do a video butt naked and have all of the women screaming your name one minute and be cracked out the next. Ask D'Angelo if I'm lying bruh. You could be the potential #1 NBA draft pick one year, sit on the toilet too long and not even get invited to the draft the next.

If you don't believe that ask Jared Sullinger or more importantly ask his ole man! He'll be easy to find these days because he's the cat standing on the porch like Fred Flintstone banging on the door to get in. Ole man Sullinger advised his son to stay in school for an additional year to improve his game and as a result he actually lost money. Instead of being drafted with the #1 pick he didn't go until the 21st pick which cost the kid several million in guaranteed money. Anthony Davis was drafted #1 and will make about 4.2 million per year vs the 21st pick that will make about 1.1 million per year according to HoopsHype.com and their "2012 NBA Draft Salaries Update".

Like I always say, "You've got to strike while the iron is hot bruh!" You're not the freaking GM of the team, you're the player. That means that you've got to be thinking like a player trying to get paid. You're not supposed to be thinking about the best interest of the team that will potentially draft you. What do you care if you're ready for the NBA or not. Your only concern should be whether they are ready to pay you or not. If they are then you have to leave school. If they aren't then you stay in school. It's just that simple bruh! Stop over thinking this thing. You can improve your game on the job if need be, if not you got paid. That's why it's called on the job training! That just doesn't apply to the everyday working class world!

There have been a lot of cats that weren't ready for the league that have been drafted and some made it while others didn't pan out. Just because they weren't ready doesn't mean that the teams that drafted them could get a refund. That bread is guaranteed! If it doesn't work out go back to school with that money you just made and invest it with a reputable company. Don't give it to Lil' Man Man and nem from around the way to invest in the car wash/record company/barbershop like some of these cats do and you'll be fine.

The draft can be like being in the club on a Friday night and seeing the baddest thing walking on two legs. You pull out your spear because you go into full attack/hunt mode for the rest of the night. You've got to meet her cuz the fella's aren't going to believe how bad she really is if you have to describe her on Saturday. So you've got to have proof that she really was that bad. You finally get the nerve up to holler at her and eventually start dating her. However, two months in you figure out why she was at the club alone on that infamous Friday night. She's crazy and unpredictable! She might just flip out on you at any moment. Clearly not what you thought she was bruh! However, you can't get your time back because it's spent. That's the NBA son! Once they pay you they can't get that bread back.

So let this be a lesson to all of those parents that are screaming  that my baby NEEDS to stay in school to get better or to get his degree etc. If your baby is a remarkable athlete that as been told by every NBA scout with eyes that he's going to be a lottery pick if he comes out of school now. You better show up on campus and help pack his clothes for him. If they tell him that he's not going to be a lottery pick but has the potential to be one in a year then make sure he's going to class. Also give him that D'Angelo "Brown Sugar" joint to bump everyday while going to the gym as a reminder! Why, because we live in the world of what is bruh!  

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

"The Five Heartbeats"

"Kentucky' s starting five Gettin' Money!"

A month ago I wrote a joint entitled "Class? What Class?" where I gave detailed instructions to freshman phenom Anthony Davis, if he were my child, about not worrying about going to class. You wouldn't believe the amount of push back that I got from folks telling me that I was crazy and out of line for making the comments, "It's a complete waste of time for this kid to be in class right now!" Turns out I was right in my assessment of Davis but you had to be blind not to see it. All five starters from this years national title Kentucky squad pulled up bumpin' that Junior Mafia "Get Money" joint in a green ride wearing big faced watches after making bread at the local bakery. 

All five of them in a press conference declared for the NBA draft on Tuesday. Not only did Anthony Davis make a move but so did fellow freshmen Marquis Teague and Michael Kidd-Gilchrist along with sophomores Terrence Jones and Doron Lamb.  

"We made it work," Jones said. "We all wanted to be there and do it together like we've done everything else together."

 Like I've been saying all along, college is for those of us that didn't possess extraordinary skills at a young age. It's a place to mature and figure out what exactly you want to do with your life. It's also a place for you to learn the things necessary for the career you aspire to have that requires a four year degree. 

For example, if you want to become an engineer Purdue, Georgia Tech or Rose Hulman are great places to become qualified to do that. They'll give you all of the training and certifications you need to eventually become one. It normally takes about 4 years.  If you want to become big time highly paid lawyer, Harvard has one of the best programs on the planet after you've already received a bachelors degree with the GPA and the bread to afford it. It normally takes about 7 years to complete that process( 4 years undergraduate plus 3 years post graduate) . 

If you possess the genetics and the work ethic to be a professional basketball player the length of time to become qualified varies depending upon your skill set. For some people it may take 21 or 22 years. However, for the highly skilled and extraordinary which is only a chosen few in the world, it only takes 18 or 19 years!

Like I said a month ago it didn't make an ounce of sense for Anthony Davis to be in class this semester because he was going to the league in June anyway. If he had listened to all of those folks that thought going to class was the best thing for him he would have wasted his time. Why? Because now that he's declared for the draft, he's signed with an agent and class isn't an option at this point. They have to get him prepared for the draft in June. So guess what? He nor the other four guys that declared on yesterday are in Lexington today in class. 

They will be training like I said Davis should have been doing since the beginning of the semester. Because out of that group he was the only sure fire lottery pick coming out of high school a year ago bruh! Listen folks, don't continue to go through life doing what only sounds good when you blurt it out. Going to class only sounds good because somebody has told you that your entire life because it was safe for the average person. You can't use that logic when you're talking to a freak of nature. The rules change depending upon who we're talking about. 

In this case, I was specifically talking to Anthony Davis not the other kids that eventually decided to leave school. They're weren't any guarantees with guys like Teague or Kidd-Gilchrist coming out of school. So they should have been going to class and playing it safe until the scouts gave them the high sign. Now they've got to train and be ready to play after the draft. 

Trust me folks I know what I'm talking about. All you've got to do is pay attention to what's going on around you. If there is a kid in your neighborhood that has been born with what no other kid possesses then watch him. If he's 6'8" or taller and is extremely athletic, has great body movement and footwork. Not to mention can run the floor, shoot, play defense and isn't a head case. More than likely he's one of the those people you'll be watching in the NBA in a year. 

They don't make those types of people all of the time bruh! If you don't believe me go to any court in America today and look for him! It's like looking for Big Foot! They rarely pass your way so when you see them they more than likely don't need anything past a high school diploma! Now you can find cats 6'0" to 6'3" that can do that all day long. That's why more often than not they would be advised to go to class at least until given the high sign. 

Holla At Ya Boy!
Jay Graves

Follow me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport

"Deuces!"

"I'll see ya when I see ya!"

Shortly before the NCAA Tournament started I wrote one of the hottest joints of all time entitled "Class? What Class?" and boyz went crazy on me! It simply stated that Kentucky's Anthony Davis was wasting his time going to class because his career was in basketball not in academics. For those folks with common sense it was completely rational thinking but for those that are in the business of just blurting out what sounds good, got offended. 

Well, you're definitely not going to like what I'm about to say at this point. Now that the Wildcats have capped off their season by winning their 8th national title on Monday night with an impressive win over Kansas 67-59 it's time to bounce bruh.

 If he were my son we'd be interviewing agents on Wednesday afternoon after the celebrations and parades in Lexington are over. "Class? What Class?" We'd be cleaning his dorm room out and bumpin' that Chris Brown "Deuces" loud enough where anybody with ears could hear it.  We'd part with these words, "It was nice doing business with ya! Holla At Ya Boy!"

Our business is finished here and it's time to move on! Let's take a quick inventory of things before we pull off son. Let's see, 2012 NCAA First Team All-American (unanimous). Check!  Set the Southeastern Conference record for single-season blocked shots and NCAA Division I freshman blocked shots record. Check! Named National Freshman, Defensive Player and Big Man awards. Check!  Named the 2012 National Player of the Year by everybody with a player of the year award. Check! Won the Oscar Robertson Trophy, the Adolph Rupp Trophy, the Associated Player of the Year, Naismith Award, Sporting News Player of the Year and John R Wooden Award. Check! Named the Southeastern Conference's player, freshman and defensive player of the year. Check! Check! Check and more Check bruh! Oh yeah we just won the National Title! Double and triple Check that joint!

Like I've been saying all along, "Class? What Class?" It's time to sign with an agent so that he can start training for the NBA draft because he WILL be the #1 pick! It's that simple bruh and for those that can't understand that I can't explain it in any simpler terms. 

"Dat's my mans and nem!"

I will say this to all of the Kentucky fans out there. Ya'll owe that kid money for all of those #23 jerseys you bought this year! Don't even act like they were selling #23 Kentucky joints before he arrived on campus bruh! Also don't even act like the 30% increase in freshman applications that you'll receive in the next week happened because they just all of a sudden fell in love with the city of Lexington! Not to mention, all of the boosters that wrote big checks this morning because the Cats won the title! I'm sorry, did I mention all of the TV revenue that the school made for making it this far in the tournament? I'd say just having him on campus this year put you in debt to him because he could have gone over seas and played like Brandon Jennings did a few years ago. So I'd say you owe him money bruh. How you wanna pay him cash or cashiers check? He's from Chicago and they don't take personal checks at least not yours!

Also if I were you I wouldn't talk too much trash about this national title because knowing Calipari's history you could end up vacating the wins and pulling down the banner anyway! I'd celebrate with one eye open if I were you. Think I'm hatin'? Ask the good people at UMass and Memphis if I'm hatin' and they didn't even win a championship bruh? I'm just keepin' it real and all the way 100 because they both rang my doorbell this morning! 

I'm happy for all of those kids for handling their business. Now find out what your potential draft status is and make the next move. If it's lottery pick then I've got another copy of "Deuces" for your ride too! If not, then I've got a Trapper Keeper for you and you need to be sprinting to class on Wednesday because you haven't been there in a few weeks bruh! 

The last thing I want to say is this Anthony, if you're not going to cut the brow! Put a part in it! 

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

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

Class Dismissed for One and Dones'

Kentucky's Brandon Knight."I'm outta here bruh!"

 At a speaking engagement in Indiana on Saturday, Bobby Knight criticized the policy of allowing players to go to the NBA after one season and incorrectly said that during the 2009-10 season, the starters on Kentucky's NCAA tournament team did not attend class during the spring semester. "My overall point is that 'one and dones' are not healthy for college basketball," Knight said. "I should not have made it personal to Kentucky and its players and I apologize."
Even though Coach Knight apologized to Kentucky for his comments directed toward them. I completely agree with him for saying that it's not good for college basketball in general. I just believe that if a kid is good enough to play in the NBA at 18 years old, then he should have the right to go straight into the league right out of high school.

Let's stop playing games like these kids are going to class if they are in fact "one and dones' ". If players like John Wall, for example, were my child, my advice to him would have been to take a light load in the fall. Take all classes pass/fail so therefore he wouldn't have to worry about getting a certain grade in those classes. I would've advised him to take a public speaking class, a personal finance class and an interviewing class. These are all relevant to his future career and wouldn't be a waste of time.

During the spring semester the plan would be to only play basketball. Spend all of your time in the gym and weight room so that you'll be in the best shape of your life for NBA draft in June. I'd hire a personal trainer to come in and work him out during the day while everyone else is in class. It doesn't matter if he flunks all of his classes during the spring semester anyway. The draft is in June and if the kid is still alive in a few months he's going to be a lottery pick which guarantees a 3 year deal of $10 million, not to mention the endorsements that may follow.

Before you guys dive all over me, we're only talking about the kid that is only in school because the NBA forced him to go because of this stupid rule. If the rule didn't exist he wouldn't be in school anyway. So I'm not telling a kid to skip school that would otherwise be going.

Brandon Jennings, now of the Milwaukee Bucks, pulled he ultimate power move and didn't go to college at all. He went to Europe and played professionally for one season, only to come back and get drafted tenth overall in the NBA draft in 2009. Genius! Essentially, that one year was and should be viewed as an internship.
Now keep in mind that this argument only applies to about 3 or 4 people in the world, annually. This isn't meant for everyone but some people don't need to go to college. People like Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston, Beyonce' or Venus and Serena don't go to college when they possess a talent at a very young age that few people are blessed to have. The Brandon Knight's of the world, who by the way just declared for the NBA draft yesterday, are 1 in 10 million. How much of a waste of time would it have been for LeBron James to be forced to go to class at let's say Ohio State?

I think it's completely unfair to the kid that doesn't get offered a scholarship because the university goes after the "One and Done". The student that really wants and needs to go to class to represent the true essence of being a student-athlete misses out because the "One and Done" takes his place on the roster. Now the phenom is in school when he had no intension of going to class in the first place.

So again, Coach Knight was spot on in his assessment of the rule but his delivery as usual was wrong.  I won't beat him up for this one because I know I've got plenty of opportunities to pile on when he really says something crazy. Although, he's been pretty tamed since he's retired from coaching.

If you like it, Share it! Holla At Ya Boy!

Jay Graves
Follow me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport
Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.

Dropping Out Of School Makes Sense!

"Taking my ball and running!"

Duke freshman point guard Kye Irving has declared for the upcoming NBA draft after only one season. Irving played only 11 games and missed roughly two-thirds of the season with an injured big toe on his right foot. The 6-foot-2 guard averaged 17.5 points, 3.4 rebounds and 4.3 assists for top-seeded Duke, which was upset by Arizona in the West regional semifinals.
He missed 26 games this season after injuring his big toe against Butler on Dec. 4th. and the lingering subplot surrounding the Blue Devils was when -- or even if -- he would return. Irving is projected to be the top pick of the upcoming NBA draft. Like I always say, it doesn't get any better than the number 1 pick in the draft. If he were my son I would've encouraged him to leave school as well.

The fact that he missed nearly all of his freshman season due to injury only substantiates the fact that it makes sense to leave school because NBA contracts are guaranteed. That means they aren't incentive based so whatever he signs for he gets if he's still alive to see the end of the contract. A rookie drafted into the NBA in the first round is guaranteed a standard 3 year $10 million deal, no ifs, ands or buts about it. He'll make more money from his initial NBA contract($10M) than the orthopedic surgeon that performed his surgery will make during his entire career($8M). Not to mention the endorsements from Nike, Adidas etc. that come with being a high profile athlete. Now this arguement only applies to about 15 people in the world. So if that doesn't include you go to class.

I wrote a similar article a few months ago entitled "Educated Idiot" Staying in school makes no sense! about Stanford quarterback Andrew Luck on his decision to stay in school after being informed he would be the top pick in this years NFL draft. He passed up even more money like a possible guarantee of $50 million.

Why do we go to school in the first place? To get a degree that will hopefully give us an opportunity to apply for jobs that will secure our futures. Ask the millions of Americans that are laid off or unemployed if it makes sense for Kyre Irving to leave Duke for the guaranteed money. I don't think you'll hear them say that he needs to stay in school and most of them have degrees.

Some people are born with talent that the rest of the world can only marvel at. You either use it or lose it. It doesn't make sense to hang out in college when it isn't going to help you. Just ask Bill Gates or folks like him if school was helpful or a waste of time. I'm not saying that Kyre will become a billionaire but millions counts too. After high school people have to specialize in fields that are conducive to their talents and in this case basketball is it.

I had a conversation about Greg Oden with my mother-n-law years ago when he was still at Ohio State. I was of the mindset that he should leave school right after his freshman year and go to the league. My mother-n-law was for him staying in school. Well, eventually left Ohio State after just one season and was drafted first overall by the Portland Trailblazers in 2007. He had knee surgery before his rookie season and as a result he's only played a total of 82 games which only amounts to one NBA season since being drafted.
If he'd stayed at Ohio State he would be a broke college student with no chance of getting drafted because of his knee problems. I believe Kyre understood the risks and made a big boy decision to get the guaranteed money while it was on the table. He can always go back to school if that's important to him but I can tell you that he won't NEED to ever go back to school.

Jay Graves
Follow me on Twitter: @jaygravesreport
Information from the Associated Press was used in this article.

One and Done!

"Next!"

If Jared Sulinger were my son my advice would to him would be simple, One and Done! He is probably the most outstanding player in college basketball and will more than likely win the Naismith Award at the end of the season. His success on the court just didn't start this season. He's been a stud since his days in high school.
He was rated as the number 2 player in the class of 2010 in the ESPNU 100 the number 4 player by Scout.com and the number 5 player by Rivals.com. In his senior year, Sullinger led Northland High School to a 21-0 season and a #1 national ranking. He averaged 24.5 points and 11.7 rebounds for the season.
Sullinger was selected to play in the 2010 McDonald's All-American Game where he was named co-MVP. He also won the James A. Naismith Award, which goes to the boys basketball player of the year.

This year he has led the Ohio State Buckeyes to a 24-1 record and a #2 ranking. They were undefeated until last weekend and ranked #1.The only reason that he's even in college is because the NBA changed the rules after Lebron entered the league. It states that a kid has to wait a year after high school before entering the draft. With the talent that he possesses there is no reason for him to remain in school. 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 Ohio State.

Son, I need you to take all of your classes pass/fail. Don't worry about getting a certain grade. You won't need them. Next, I need you to take classes in personal finance, interviewing and speech. Those types of classes will help you next year. 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.

I know that there are people cringing at what I just said because they believe that everyone should go to college to 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. Do you realize that orthopedic surgeons make $250K per year and over the course of a career will only make about $8 million?

 I wrote an article entitled, "Educated Idiot"  about why Andrew Luck from Stanford was crazy for staying in school. What folks don't realize is that the money in the NBA is all guaranteed. That means if a kid gets hurt, they'll have to pay him the balance of his contract. There is no risk for leaving school early if he's one of the lottery picks. All lottery picks sign a 3 year deal worth $10 million. That's not to mention the $50 to $60 million he'll get in endorsements right from the start. 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 $50 million that he just made.

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. Now this arguement only applies to about 10 people in the world. I'm not talking about some kid that's just playing college basketball and thinks that he's good. I'm talking about Jared Sulinger 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 still be at Ohio State, broke, with a knee injury, trying to get to the league with very little chance of it. It's a good thing he listened to someone like me. What's your opinion?

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