• The decision of high school All-American Brandon Jennings to skip college and play professional basketball in Europe is not about right and wrong, it is about what is best for one particular kid. Playing overseas may be a great decision for Jennings, but a poor decision for another player. Conversely, the decision may be a bad one for Jennings, but a really good one for another player. There is nothing inherently wrong with skipping college to pursue another endeavor. Bill Gates did it when he dropped out of Harvard to start Microsoft. But Gates' decision is certainly not the preferred route for everyone.The same holds true for basketball players. What is best for LeBron James is not best for Lenny Cooke. What is best for Michael Beasley is not best for DeAndre Jordan. One size does not fit all in sports. This may turn out to be a great thing for Jennings, and more power to him if he thinks this is the best route for his development. However, his route is not for everyone.
After Jennings made the decision to play in Europe instead of college, he is suddenly being called a "trailblazer" and a "pioneer". Are you really a pioneer or a trailblazer if you waited for your test scores before being forced to make a decision to blaze the trail?
To continue reading this article you must be an Insider
Jay Bilas
