Last week Heat Forward Michael Beasley checked into a rehabilitation center in Houston Texas. While it was unclear why the Heat second year man decided to check himself into a rehab center, it was reported that Beasley was going through tremendous stress, possibly some cases of depression. On Wednesday ESPN announced that Beasley broke the NBA’s substance abuse problem.
J.A. Adande, an ESPN.com senior writer, suggested in his most recent column that Beasley’s unfortunate situation indicated that the NBA age requirement, which forces high school phonemes to attend at least one year of college and be at least nineteen-years-old before entering the draft, serves little purpose.
While the NBA argues that they are only protecting young players from the tear and grind of the NBA life, Adande quarrels that ultimately it is up to the player himself as to whether or not he will be able to endure life in the league.
Beasley served one year in college, was the # 2 pick in the NBA draft and averaged 13.9 points and 5.4 rebounds a game last season but seemingly neither of those accomplishments made him feel mentally stable to overcome whatever is going on his life.
While the NBA age limit has been debated excessively, Adande uses Beasley as an example of why going to a year of college does not guarantee a players maturity. But the alternative, allowing high school seniors to jump straight to the pro’s would not necessarily increase or decrease the possibility of unseasoned ball players going through mental issues, regardless if they are performing well on the floor or not, as is the case with Beasley. The answer, however, is for some athletes to consider staying a second year in school in order to avoid the fate of Beasley.
Asking high school seniors to go to school another year seems a bit too drastic but the one and done year may actually hinder athletes in numerous ways. Take a close look at Greg Oden, a player whose expectations continued to grow throughout college, and for now, can’t quite seem to meet the level of play everyone expected him to be at in the NBA.
Perhaps the expectations have gotten to Beasley. Being the best player in college basketball in his freshman year brings on the questions of who will draft Beasley, which NBA team will he be a good fit for and will he one day be a star. Surely that is a lot of pressure for an athlete to endure, and Beasley having to live up to the assumptions of becoming the next so and so can surely be draining.
Add in a second year, however, and the focus tends to wear off. Fans can talk about the freshman class and forget about you for a while. Being a sophomore phenom isn’t nearly as intriguing as being a freshman one. Bottom line, if you leave college after a second year, no one cares if you are bust or not, or how well you have performed your first year in the league. They’ll say things like “He stayed in college for another year because he knew he was not good enough.” Let the doubters say what they may, taking the stress off of Beasley could have surely done some good.
I have never been one of the most talented athletes in the world, or one of the best college basketball players but I could certainly imagine how much pressure college freshman receive when it comes to monetary issues with family and friends. I would assume that most or some or at least a handful of freshman ballers have to withstand the pressure from loved ones who gawk at them like lottery tickets.
In fact, being a college freshman superstar today is probably not that much different from being a high school one. Same pressure from family and friends, all sticking out their hand hoping for a piece of the pie.
Maybe college freshman is the new high school senior coupled with the fact that college players get nationally televised games, appear on radio shows more frequently and show up on the front pages of every national newspaper.
Perhaps staying another year can halt the moochers. If a freshman stud told his family ( even his third distant cousin Tino) that he was staying a second year, possibly more, Tino might be more inclined to back off because that free handout maybe years away.
Beasley was a stud in his sole year of college. He could bang down low, knock-down the open fifteen- footer and had a whole arsenal of moves from the low block. But once he arrived in the league his game has been a bit exposed, despite some steady numbers. Maybe part of the stress has a little something to do with the fact that Beasley felt he underperformed his first year. Throughout much of the season most analysts praised rookies like Derick Rose, Eric Gordon and O.J. Mayo. Another year of Beasley fine tuning his game in college could have enabled him to work on his kinks, improve his jumper and boost his stats, thus being more prepared and less anxious.
The real reason the NBA wants athletes to attend one year in school is simply so college basketball can market the athlete for the NBA; For instance, once a guy like Blake Griffin comes to the NBA scene everyone knows who he is, thus equaling more endorsements, higher ticket sales etc.
However, maybe one year is not the answer. Maybe Adande is correct in that it is up to the person himself not the player. Maybe the same stressful expectations would come even after two years of college ball.
Some one-and-done players have had success on the court but some bumps off of it. Carmelo Anthony led the Nuggets to the Western Conference Finals in 09’ and last summer brought home an Olympic gold but has encountered some brush ups with the law and one big brawl in New York.
Others have been a bit disappointing on the court and a bit brainless off of it. Kevin Love is a decent rebounder for the Timberwolves but nothing to write home about. He also twittered that his coach would be getting fired one day before the team announced it.
But some players have been thriving even after only one year of school. Take Kevin Durant, OJ Mayo and Derick Rose who all seem destined for superstardom.
So while I may just be totting my whistle a bit, because maybe in the end Beasley’s problems trail far away from the game of basketball, staying another year should always be something to consider.
The NBA will always be there. Another year to become a little more mature, swat away some family needs and work on some basic fundamentals may not.
Keywords: Miami Heat
