A college degree will always be there for him to go after, an NBA career might not. What if he had a subpar season next year or couldn't match what he did this year? Where would his stock go then? What if he injured himself? He's not improving his status enough by staying. He is making the right decision. He'll probably get drafted in the second round and make 300-400k a year with a signing bonus...AND he can always go back to college. So he really isn't "giving away" a college degree..
BTW: No one is really knocking his ability to play basketball. What they are knocking is his size to play PF. How would coming back to play another year help him at all?
certainly no done deal that he'll be drafted and get $300K/yr just because college is always there doesnt mean he'll go. most big time college players are not in college for the degree, and if they graduate its because of the structure they're in. most couldnt do it on their own. plenty people talk bad about his bball skills--ball handling is the big one.
So the fact that he won't be drafted this year or next year is proof that this was a good decision? You may want to rethink that one. The age restriction is a HUGE change that will affect next year's draft. I think that it is absolutely plausible that given another year to show off, he could have been a late #1 draft pick next year.
For the record, the article you refer to does not imply that anyone in the NBA told him he would be drafted "pretty high". Bass Article I really hope that we are all surprised and he gets drafted. Bass was a great player and was the kind of athlete I love watching at LSU.
Since when does a PF have to have great ball handling skills... Not many are blasting his skills as a post player or a forward. What people are blasting is his height and his ability to play the PF position at that height. Answer this: How would him coming back another year help his draft status? He's already been the SEC Freshmen of the year and SEC Player of the Year. Besides being SEC POY again, how could it get any better? So how would Bass deciding to go back to college help his weakness(size)?
What? Did you read the first sentence of your post? What are you talking about? I said that the fact that he couldn't improve his draft status by coming back made this a good decision. His size holds him back and unless he grows 2 or 3 inches in the next, he's not growing any taller or bigger. I'm not sold on that the age restriction would really help Brandon next year. So basically, you have to be 19. That will eliminate like, at most, five players a year. So lets say he gets picked in the mid-second round this year...How is being improved by five or six spots most going to change that?
I'll take a shot at this. 1.) The age restriction for the NBA next year will lessen the competition in the draft next year. In fact, many think that the # of players that came out was so high because of this possiblility so this year was/is probably more competitive than a normal year. 2.) Think Corliss Williamson. If Bass can improve his ball handling enough to be as mobile as Williamson, he COULD definitely be drafted late in the first round. No one is saying he needs to be able to able to handle the point. But, he does need to be able to face up to the basket and drive on someone. And even though he has a decent midrange jumper, he could definitely improve on that. Also, I think he could improve on his interior defense as IMO, not all of his problems are a result of size. He's much too athletic to be used the way that David Lee did on offense. Bass made immense improvement from his freshman year to his sophmore year. If he could make a similar jump this year, he could have garnered more consideration.
I'll give you credit for comign up with things he can improve on...But I still think it all comes down to his height. If he was two or three inches taller, I think he would be drafted between 20-25. I just don't think another year is going to change that...
