The real reason Jabari Parker must declare for the NBA draft
On the surface, the choice Jabari Parker has to make is an easy one: Get rich or don’t get rich. Declare for the NBA draft, secure a top-five pick in the draft, guarantee yourself a life-changing payday.
If only it was so simple.
The decision facing Parker, the same one Andrew Wiggins faced, the same choice so many other potential draft picks from this year's NCAA class is more complex than it seems. There is more to it than just "take the money and run."
As Jalen Rose recently said on ESPN, any time a player has the opportunity to be a lottery pick, they must consider it. The instant riches (the current rookie scale ensures at least $3 million over two years for a pick in the first half of the draft) are difficult to ignore. The risk of injury is too great for most to consider.
But recall the case of Kyrie Irving. Irving played just a handful of games during his one-and-done college career and still went first overall. Even Nerlens Noel went sixth overall despite blowing his ACL in February during the only collegiate season on his resume.
Injuries are not a kiss of death for talented players with NBA futures. The fear for Parker and his fellow draftees shouldn’t be losing out due to injury. It’s the extra year of professional development, the immersion in professional infrastructure, that these top college players cannot afford to squander.
For the best NBA prospects, the focus should be the second pro contract, not the first one. If money is the pursuit, think about the shoe deal recently extended to Damian Lillard. Getting to the association is the easy part. It's getting that next pay day, the big one, that's the real work.
The second contract is huge. NBA players like Jrue Holliday and DeMar DeRozan signed four-year contracts worth $40 million as their rookie deals neared expiration - huge pay days for non-superstar players. Paul George and Kevin Durant signed five-year worth nearly $90MM apiece, max deals for MVP-level franchise players. This is the real brass ring these elite college talents now strive for - running the NCAA gauntlet merely got their foot in the door.
Every moment extra moment spent in college is a moment not spent receiving professional-level instruction. Every college meal is a meal not prepared or planned by a professional dietician. Another year of bad food and another year of bad habits and another year of low-rent travel and NCAA’s unique version of pressure - why as your body to pay all that tax?
Setting aside the more cynical aspects of college ball, top NBA prospects are in college to prepare for their career — a career as a basketball player. There is no more fertile environment for NBA development then under the watchful eye of a front office looking to maximize the return on their draft investment. There are no limits on practice time to dance around.
For the very best, it might not matter. An extra year of college probably doesn’t prevent Kevin Durant or Russell Westbrook from becoming who they are today. But even those two players needed to learn the kind of lessons only the professional level can teach. Not only playing together but playing against the best of the best. Being challenged in a real way by men. Failing for the first time is important - failure they can build on and carry with them through the summer rather than directionless tournament heartbreak. That sort of failure helps too, just not in the same way.
The choice to turn pro is a deeply personal one. If a player and his support system don’t believe he’s ready to face the challenges of professional life, perhaps an extra year of college ball is in his best interests. Marcus Smart made the controversial decision to spend an extra year at Oklahoma State, a decision for which the guard has little regret.
Despite a season that didn't necessarily improve his draft stock, Smart says he has no regrets about his extra year of college seasoning, claiming to be better equipped to take on the NBA challenge. It takes real bravery to make that choice, as Smart did last year at this time. But if the player is ready and recognizes the opportunity before him, he must dive in and let his professional development begin.
This is opportunity currently sitting before Jabari Parker. Unless he doesn't believe he can make the most of all the pro game has to offer, the choice to go pro is no choice at all.