Big decision for LeBron?

[wizard]

From a si.com article: LeBron James watched Michael Jordan say farewell to Washington Wizards fans earlier this week and couldn't help but think about his future.

"Within the next two weeks, I'm going to try to sit down with my family and make a decision about what I'm gonna do ... so everything starts flowing," he said.

Here's my question: Even if he wants to go to college, is he actually eligible? His amateur status can't be very solid. An Ohio judge overturned the earlier ruling and said he shouldn't have been allowed to play the rest of the season. But the judge also allowed LeBron's high school to keep their state title.

I don't think he's an amateur anymore. But that's just me.

[Hawks Coach]

I can't believe that LeBron is seriously entertaining thoughts of going to college now. He has behaved like a pro for several months already, and I can't see anything that he has done that looks like he has readied himself for college. Has he even started the NCAA clearinghouse process? Taken ACT/SAT? Considered his amateur status (and potential lack thereof)? Talked to any schools about attending them? Did anybody even try to recruit LeBron this year, or did they all assume he was NBA bound?

Something is happening here and I don't know what it is - but I am convinced that it ain't college for LeBron.

[A Pennsylvania Coach]

I'm not sure how the system works with entering the draft, withdrawing, still being eligible, and what the timing of the draft lottery is. But is it possible that if the wrong team wins the lottery (Nuggets?) that he will spend a year in school?

Or will he be able to enter the draft, find out who wins the lottery, negotiate toward a contract, and use the prospect of going to college as a tool in that negotiation? If he doesn't get an offer he likes from the lottery winner before the withdrawal deadline, he pulls out and goes to school for a year?

[wizard]

After posting this topic, I heard John Feinstein on the radio talking about this same subject. He brought up the fact that LeBron is in Washington to play in an all-star game. This will be the 3rd all-star game he has played in. The NCAA only allows you to play in TWO. So, even if he did hit the books and give it the ol' college try, the NCAA would probably hit him up for a multi-game suspension (minimum).

He just has "One shining moment' playing in his head!

[BktBallRef]

Originally posted by A Pennsylvania Coach
I'm not sure how the system works with entering the draft, withdrawing, still being eligible, and what the timing of the draft lottery is. But is it possible that if the wrong team wins the lottery (Nuggets?) that he will spend a year in school?

Or will he be able to enter the draft, find out who wins the lottery, negotiate toward a contract, and use the prospect of going to college as a tool in that negotiation? If he doesn't get an offer he likes from the lottery winner before the withdrawal deadline, he pulls out and goes to school for a year?

The rule that allows a player to enter the draft, withdraw and return to school does not apply to high school players. It only applies to college players.

[Hawks Coach]

and you hit the nail on the head, bktballref. HS players can't enter the draft then reconsider.

If LeBron is really trying to reconsider due to some late revelation, he has probably stepped beyond NCAA bounds on several fronts. A Hummer, the throw-backs (even after the throw-back give-back) and the all-star games are the examples we know about. And if LeBron is worried about some loser team winning the lottery, who does he think gets there in the first place? The entire Eastern Conference stinks, and better half of bad all make the playoffs anyway. Doesn't leave much in the lottery.

[Nevadaref]

We can't say much for the Cavs this season, but we can say that they have some integrity. The Nuggets lose on the season's final night and the Cavs WIN?!? thus they tie for last.

[AK ref SE]

What has he thought all along! He probably figured that he would go #1 in the draft and who usually gets the number one pick....one of the teams in last place! I just hope he is worth all the hype.....

AK ref SE

[oc]

I read the article awhile ago so I might be mistaken, but I thought the decision wasn't to go pro or not but to be a nike man or an adidas man. He gets $10,000,000+++ either way.
I read Nike has been paying Michael to push him their way.

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by Hawks Coach
I can't believe that LeBron is seriously entertaining thoughts of going to college now. Something is happening here and I don't know what it is - but I am convinced that it ain't college for LeBron.

You nailed it on the head, Coach. Didn't seem like he really had much of a choice.

http://espn.go.com/nba/news/2003/0425/1544721.html
http://espn.go.com/nba/columns/wojna...n/1544776.html

The second article is a rant, but might be worth a read.

[wizard]

[[/B][/QUOTE]
The second article is a rant, but might be worth a read. [/B][/QUOTE]

Don't you think if you're going to have a banner at your press conference with your website plastered all over it, you'd have that website up and running? Just a thought.

[Dan_ref]

[QUOTE]Originally posted by ChuckElias

http://espn.go.com/nba/columns/wojna...n/1544776.html

The second article is a rant, but might be worth a read.

This guy's an idiot. Firstly, he fulfills his professional obligation to write a column for a sports rag by writing about how Lebron James & StV-StM cashed in on a particular talent that LJ has in huge abundance. He's part of the LJ money printing sideshow - how's that for subtle irony. Secondly, what I really want to see is a column by some sports-yahoo bemoaning a HS senior's decision to join the plumbers union instead of going to college. Then they'll have a little more credibility when they write about kids deciding to not pursue a college degree.

[ChuckElias]

Originally posted by Dan_ref
what I really want to see is a column by some sports-yahoo bemoaning a HS senior's decision to join the plumbers union instead of going to college.

On the other hand, colleges don't give full 4-year scholarships for students to do plumbing work part-time on campus. Just a thought.

[Dan_ref]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

On the other hand, colleges don't give full 4-year scholarships for students to do plumbing work part-time on campus. Just a thought.

Well, they certainly don't give *athletic* scholarships for talented plumbers, and they don't give free rides to many of their athletes either. The point is (which I think you got) is that many kids decide to work rather than attend college. It's a personal decision based on many factors and nothing in the LJ case is unusual - except the huge earnings potential that he has now, which makes the decision that much easier ("hmmm, let's see, should I take this full ride to Syracuse or sign this $10M NBA contract...and this $50M Nike contract...and this $20M Wendy's contract...and this...."). It's getting boring, IMO, for these low-brow media types to continually make commentary on one kids decision to work rather than go to college. There's plenty of other stuff to write about, I mean they can spend an entire summer predicting when the annual Red Sox meltdown will begin!

[Hawks Coach]

Originally posted by ChuckElias

On the other hand, colleges don't give full 4-year scholarships for students to do plumbing work part-time on campus. Just a thought.

I can only assume that you are somehow suggesting that NCAA bball is a part-time activity. At the D1 level, I am willing to bet these guys put in their 40 hrs per week. College players do not travel as much as the pros, but the coaches have much more authority over these kids than a pro coach has over his millionaire players, and the kids put a lot of time in. Probably close to or more than what the pros do in terms of a time commitment.