Jennings' Euro trip could cause changes

Perhaps someday we’ll look back and call Brandon Jennings a revolutionary figure — a Moses (Malone) in long shorts if you will.

Jennings, one of the nation’s top prep basketball recruits, announced his decision to take his game to Europe next season rather attend the University of Arizona. He plans to enter next year’s NBA draft, becoming the first high-profile American player to select such a path.

Good for him.

When the NBA implemented its requirement that players wait at least one year after high school before entering the league, it ensured that something like this was going to happen. Jennings, you see, has yet to qualify academically for NCAA play.

Instead of waiting to see if he could raise get his standardized scores to meet the minimum level, Jennings picked Door No. 2.

Kevin Garnett did the same in 1995. After struggling to qualify academically, KG declared himself eligible for the NBA draft right out of high school. The Mauldin, S.C., native wasn’t the first but he did start the wave of prep stars to skip college.

For some, like Kobe and LeBron, it was the right move. For others, and the list is long and not distinguished, it was the wrong move.

As the cautionary tales grew and the quality of play in the slipped, the NBA took action by barring legal adults from offering their services from potential employers and, in theory, forcing prep phenoms to spend at least one year playing college basketball.

Supposedly, this rule is as good for the college game as it is for the NBA. With the seasons we’ve seen from players like Kevin Durant, Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose, it’s hard to argue to the point.

But these one-and-done players aren’t good for the college game and the college game has little to offer them in return.

While dominating college competition did Beasley progress as far as it would have had he spent that time competing in the NBA? No.

Worse still, the obvious one-and-done players are making a mockery of the term “student-athlete.” Well, they’re making an even bigger mockery of the term. Big-time college athletics have long been something of a farce.

Now, basketball players who would have been in the league but are in college and know they’re an upcoming lottery pick don’t even have to attend second-semester classes.

Student-athletes indeed.

Expect more kids to follow Jennings’ example and begin their pro careers as soon as they can. It’s a risk, any holes in Jennings’ game are more likely to be exposed in Europe than at Arizona, but for some, it’s a risk worth taking.

It’s past time for the NCAA to step up and restore at least of modicum of credibility to March Madness.

The best decision would be for the NBA to drop the age requirement and allow 18-year old high school graduates to declare for the draft if they want while establishing that if you step foot on a college campus, you have to wait three years before re-entering the draft.

The same rule works well enough for baseball.

I’ve never had a problem with kids leaving college early to sign multi-million dollar deals. Bill Gates left Harvard early to start Microsoft and things worked out OK for him.

I do, however, have a problem with kids coming to college knowing that their one year on campus will be their last.

Credit Jennings for refusing to continue the charade.

And like KG before him, expect other players to follow Jennings’ lead. For some, it’s the only option left.

Hopefully, if enough players begin essentially bypassing the NBA’s ridiculous age-limit, real change will occur. It may become the only option left.

In the unlikely event that actually happens, we’ll look back and call Jennings, a visionary. He led players, and fans of both college and the NBA, to the promised land.

Contact Trantham at jeremy.trantham@blueridgenow.com