Rick Pitino: "I'm very much in favor of high school kids going pro"

per ESPN:

Louisville Cardinals coach Rick Pitino says high school athletes should have the right to enter the NBA draft.

"I'm very much in favor of high school kids going pro," said Pitino, who will lead Louisville against Northern Iowa in a round-of-32 NCAA tournament matchup Sunday, during his pregame comments Saturday. "I had six young men commit to me out of high school that didn't go to college, that went to the pros. I'm very much for that because they didn't want college. They wanted to go to the NBA. And if they go to the [NBA Development League], that's fine with them. But the six-, seven-month education, online classes second semester. I don't know what that does for a young person."

Pitino added: "Now, I'm different than, probably, the coach of Kentucky, who is having so much success with that."

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-bas...schoolers-able-skip-college-declare-nba-draft

Go Gophers!!

I want to watch and support the kids that want the Gophers and college. Screw the one and dones.

Let them go pro as Juniors in high school for all I care, and leave our Barn to the real people.

I don't follow pro basketball anyway.

I am not a fan I've one and dones. We get to see actual college players on most teams but the.ln you have a few programs like Kentucky dominate with players who are one and done. I don't know how to fix that unless a scholarship that is given to a player couldn't be renewed for a minimum of two years so if the players jumps after one season the scholarship can't be used again until the next season. Not saying this is a good idea just thinking out loud. What disgusts me is to read that their are some one and done players don't even go to class second semester.

XMan said:

I am not a fan I've one and dones. We get to see actual college players on most teams but the.ln you have a few programs like Kentucky dominate with players who are one and done. I don't know how to fix that unless a scholarship that is given to a player couldn't be renewed for a minimum of two years so if the players jumps after one season the scholarship can't be used again until the next season. Not saying this is a good idea just thinking out loud. What disgusts me is to read that their are some one and done players don't even go to class second semester.

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This nation made a big mistake years ago by linking universities with big time sports. Europe produces lots of very good basketball players without this type of system. If you are going to operate in this type of system, then one-and-done (or two-and-done) and many athletes taking courses just to stay eligible are part of the results you will have. The Ivy and Patriot leagues play in D1 while being more faithful to the student/athlete model but few Gopher fans would be satisfied with that level of play.