When I read the story of Jeremy Tyler skipping his senior year in High School and going overseas to play in Europe for big bucks at age 17, I really didn’t know what to think.
Instead, I went to my old job and asked my friend, Freddy, an older black male in his 70’s, what he thought about the "young boy’s" decision, as he called him.
"When will our black men learn that there’s more to life than just dribbling a ball? You need an education and these kids don’t seem to realize that."
He proceeded to ring off names like Korleone Young and Lenny Cooke, to name a few high schoolers who made the huge leap to the NBA and came crashing down in the same fashion.
But the names my friend Ricardo Bernard mentioned, like Martina Hingis, Andy Roddick, Serena Williams and Pele, were all examples of individuals who began their professional careers at young ages, didn’t go to school, and flourished.
Two opinions from two different generations. One insistent on the importance of an education and one that appreciates it, but understands it's not for everybody.
When you look at college basketball these days, most of these kids are one-and-done players. The only reason top recruits like Tyreke Evans (Memphis) and Derrick Rose (Memphis) went to school is because they had to.
Tyler may want to go to school—but he’s only 17. He has years ahead of him to complete a degree like Vince Carter and S
