We’re in a Wild West period of college basketball. James Nnaji, the thirty first choose of the 2023 NBA Draft, recently enrolled at Baylor and should debut this week. Trentyn Flowers, who has scored in NBA video games, is reportedly drawing interest from college programs. Kenny Lofton Jr., who had a 42-point, 14-rebound NBA recreation in 2023, lately posted on Instagram that he is enrolling at Louisiana Tech.
In order absurd because it sounds, any participant who has not exhausted his school eligibility — Oklahoma Metropolis’s Shai Gilgeous-Alexander, Denver’s Nikola Jokic, Los Angeles Lakers star LeBron James and others — may play school basketball.
If you need somebody in charge for this mess, look no additional than former NCAA president Mark Emmert. Throughout his tenure from 2010 to 2023, Emmert refused to embrace the altering panorama of school athletics. As a substitute of figuring a good solution to share among the billions of {dollars} of yearly income with school athletes, Emmert fought and misplaced lawsuit after lawsuit for years till it was too late. By the point he left workplace, school sports activities have been merely a set of chaotic skilled sports activities leagues.
As a substitute of complaining concerning the madness, let’s embrace the chaos by opening the floodgates and sending these big-name gamers again to varsity.
Rob Dillingham, Minnesota Timberwolves
Dillingham, the eighth total choose of the 2024 NBA Draft, is in a quagmire. He is an undersized (6-foot-3), uncooked scoring guard who will want numerous reps to develop right into a lead guard. Nonetheless, the Timberwolves are contenders and can’t afford to let him play by his errors within the unforgiving Western Convention. After taking part in solely 10.5 minutes in simply 49 video games final season, Dillingham is taking part in 10.6 minutes per recreation by 26 video games this season.
Dillingham, who will flip 21 on Jan. 4, could not make it to his second contract at this charge. He ought to return to varsity, get extra level guard reps and are available again to the NBA when he is able to run an offense. Dillingham is making roughly $6.5M this season — he ought to have the ability to get a large chunk of that in NIL cash, particularly if he re-enrolls at Kentucky, the place he performed one season.
Former NBA participant Cam Reddish
Reddish was an elite prospect — Timberwolves star Anthony Edwards as soon as known as him the toughest player he ever guarded — who failed to satisfy his potential. Although he averaged 10.5 factors throughout his first 4 seasons within the NBA, he by no means developed into the elite wing his potential recommended he ought to be and didn’t carve out a constant function thereafter.
Reddish ought to return to varsity and get buckets in a lower-stakes setting. He grew up close to Philadelphia, so he ought to enroll at Villanova and assist revive the one-time powerhouse that has fallen into obscurity since Jay Wright retired as coach.
Zion Williamson, New Orleans Pelicans
Williamson was in all probability probably the most thrilling school basketball participant this century throughout his one season at Duke in 2018-19, however his NBA profession by seven seasons is a serious disappointment. He is good when he performs, however he has solely performed 30-plus video games in a season twice. He additionally has struggled to remain in nice form and has handled off-the-court points.
Williamson is such an harm danger that the Pelicans wrote language into his max contract making it partially guaranteed or voidable if he does not play sufficient video games or fulfill sure weight/physique fats markers.
If his contract will get voided, why not head again to Duke and recreate the magic he as soon as had in school? His NIL package deal would presumably be record-setting. Absurd? After all, however we live in wild instances.
Former NBA participant Malik Beasley
Beasley was in line for a three-year, $42M contract this previous summer time till it was reported that he was being investigated for playing on NBA video games. Nonetheless, in contrast to different gamers accused of comparable conduct (Jontay Porter, Terry Rozier), Beasley has not been charged with any crime and no longer is a target of the FBI probe in response to his attorneys. However NBA groups will not contact him.
So, why not return to varsity? Beasley turned professional after one season at Florida State and grew up in Georgia — he’d have loads of school choices within the Southeast. He additionally excelled in cold-weather cities throughout his NBA profession (Minnesota and Detroit), so the Huge Ten might be a chance.
Damian Lillard, Portland Path Blazers
Lillard’s already posed the question on X: “So as a result of I’ve a yr of eligibility left… does that imply I can return and play my final season at Weber State earlier than I retire from basketball?”
Sure, Dame, sure!
Lillard, who hasn’t performed this season whereas rehabbing an Achilles harm, is already the final supervisor of his alma mater, Weber State. He ought to return for one final hurrah as soon as he has recovered from the harm to be their level guard, too. Lillard’s legacy as an NBA star is cemented. He has nothing left to show and positively will not be competing for a championship with the rebuilding Blazers.
Lillard ought to return to Weber State for the poetic bookend to an superior profession and assist settle the current debate: Can a former NBA All-Star return to varsity and win the NCAA Event?
