High School Sports Persuasive Essay

Lebrons James, Kobe Bryant, Kevin Garnett. Other than being all time greats these three players have one thing in common: they went straight from high school to the NBA. Over 40 players have skipped college and went straight to the NBA draft (Keusch). However, in 2005, then commissioner of the NBA, David Stern, passed a rule that required all athletes to be at least one year removed from High School before entering the NBA draft (Bonesteel). Forcing players to attend one year of college before getting their big pay day on draft night has been very controversial ever since the rule was passed. Every year there are rumors that the “one and done” rule is close to its end, but it remains unclear what commissioner Adam Silver thinks on the rule.

Some people argue that high school athletes may not be physically ready to endure a season in the NBA and that one year in college will prepare them for the next level. Most high schools play somewhere between 20-28 games in a season and play only around 2 games a week. This is a big difference between the 82 game regular season that is played in the NBA. People who think that high school athletes are not physically ready for the pro level are mostly concerned that their bodies will wear down and get injured since they are not accustomed to playing that amount of games in a year. While they have a point in the fact that the high school level is nowhere near as close to the competition level in the NBA, a college season, in fact, is not that

Many Americans have their mind set on the idea that college is a necessity in order to earn a lot of money. People all over the country want their kid furthering their education in college and having a scholarship from a major university is a great way to do that. In reality, the mindset of “you need to go to college to make a lot of money” could not be farther from the truth for all the high school basketball players who have the talent to enter the NBA draft. While attending college for one year is technically “furthering your education”, it really doesn’t benefit the athlete in any way. Dropping out of college after one year does not earn them a degree or improve their chances of getting a job after their retirement from basketball. Surely employers all over the country are far more impressed by the fact that they played in the NBA rather than the fact that they went to college for one year. When teenagers decide what they want to do for their careers, one thing they factor into their decision is whether or not they need a college education to pursue that passion. No one tells construction workers, actors, or mailmen they need a college education to pursue their career. So why should elite high school athletes be told