Wasted Scholarship

[blueshog2001]

With the NBA taking no real stance with all of the High School recruits going pro; I wanted all of you guys input.  Is it worth going after the top players in the country; knowing that they are going probably going to leave your team after they turn 19?  IMO it would just distract from the team and keep them from forming any style of flow on the court. Is it worth wasting a scholarship on a great player for one year or a work in progress you will have for four?

[Macgyver_Hawg]

I had a friend who hates sports tell me that she remembers when all the NBA players had their degrees.
I had nothing to say to that.

[DisplacedHogFan]

I would say if that 1 or 2 guys could make such a change in your program and give you a chance instantly to win a national championship, YES get them for 1 or 2 yrs. Just look at what Al Jefferson did in the NBA in his rookie year, and what would that have done for us this year? NCAA tournament bid ? I think so!!!

Jefferson had a good year? Admittedly I didn't keep up with his performance in the NBA after he declared but I seem to remember reading his stats and not being all that impressed. Very subpar it seemed. Then again, like I said, I haven't really been following his career all that closely so I could be wrong.

[Lando Calrissian]

For a straight-out-of-high-school rookie, and here's the main thing, power forward, Al Jefferson had a GREAT year.

We may or not have made the tournament with him.

I do know this:  College coaches had it tough enough trying to recruit decent players already.  Now that they have to juggle/gamble by recruiting a one year wonder...thus either  profiting off of or wasting the scholarship used for that one year wonder, I think it only make the head coach's already tough job tougher.

[Amityvillehogger]

These one year wonders sure will screw up the graduation rates of the top programs. 

[OKC]

These one year wonders sure will screw up the graduation rates of the top programs.

Correct about that. I don't think its really worth it. Possible short term gain, but a caoch will find himself doing the same type of recruiting every year. Unless your coach K, there's not much of a chance of being to sustain that level.

[Biggus Piggus]

For a straight-out-of-high-school rookie, and here's the main thing, power forward, Al Jefferson had a GREAT year.

That is an overstatement.

It took Jermaine O'Neal five years to develop.  He put in four low-production years in training with the Blazers, then went to Indiana and started to produce.

Amare Stoudemire, on the other hand, averaged 13.5 ppg and 8.8 rpg as a rookie.  Kevin Garnett produced 10.4 ppg and 6.3 rpg as a rookie.

Al Jefferson averaged 6.7 ppg and 4.4 rpg.  His game was not advanced enough to support more than low double digit minutes.  Stoudemire and Garnett started a lot as rookies.  They had great rookie seasons for power forwards straight out of high school.  Jefferson's was OK.  His stats were more in line with O'Neal's.  If Jefferson takes five years to develop, the Celtics will be disappointed.