Book learnin’
and basketball

We can send armed 18-year-old soldiers to peacekeeping duties in Bosnia or, worse, to war in the Persian Gulf. But the commissioner of the National Basketball Association, David Stern, argues that we must protect such teenagers from the rigors of the NBA.

Nowhere is it written in stone, however, that college should be a pre-requisite for pro basketball, just as it isn't for pro baseball. If you're good enough, it shouldn't matter how old you are. And if you aren't quite good enough and don't belong in college, you should play in a minor league and hone your craft until you're ready.

The solution is the International Basketball League, a minor league training ground. The NBA should pump money into the IBL to prepare some of its future players, and not depend on the NCAA to develop them all.

For every precocious superstar like Kobe Bryant or Kevin Garnett, there are many teenaged prospects who need to polish their skills before they are ready for The League. They shouldn't have to go to college and pretend to be students to do that.

--Dave Reardon

---