Having typed the above, Bay Area/NorCal basketball is taking a PR beating of late what with Josiah Turner's struggles at Arizona (that situation is hopefully on the upswing) and now Jabari Brown's departure from Oregon. Plus, Reeves Nelson's current situation at UCLA is certainly not adding any luster.
But public relations should be the least of any concerns.
Valid or not, young ballers from northern California have been designated by many in the 'basketball world' as flighters and not fighters -- that they lack the fortitude to stick with a decision even when faced with some adversity and battle their way to success.
Granted, generalizations are just that and each situation requires a thorough examination before any label is attached because departures and changes are sometimes appropriate and necessary.
But turning one's back on Oregon, Phil Knight's flagship school, takes either some major cojones and/or the need to think further.
Will Jabari be 'allowed' to move to another Nike school? Does it matter?
What we keep hearing in his case is that San Diego State is being eyed -- the Aztecs were a Nike program but that agreement was scheduled to expire this year. Did SDSU re-up?
On the flip side, there is Damian Lillard at Weber State, a player who is generating notice from the pro scouts. Lillard could have jumped to a higher profile program after a stellar freshman season but chose to remain in Ogden.
However, that particular fact is not something often bandied about because it isn't so-called controversial.
There is one thing certain.
Parents (especially) and coaches need to do better jobs and we're not talking about skill improvement but rather personal development, the too often catering to being the focus rather than advising what is truly best for the growth of the individual.
But fans and writers are also not without responsibility. A dunk here or a spectacular play there and, shazam, another sports god has been anointed regardless of any effort to play as a team member, to willingly take instruction or to apply either the same or greater effort in the classroom
Kids don't need enablers.
Kids need someone who has the best interests of the youngsters at heart.
Kids need us to do better.
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It's disappointing to hear this news about Jabari; especially when you have kids such as, Damian Llilard, Gary Williams, John Green, Jared Cunningham who go the extra mile to do their best. Maybe we should make the Oakland Soldier kids with the exception of Kiwi and Nick Johnson actually earn their right to play for major D-1 programs. I'm tired of sport writers (ESPN) and shoe companies telling me these kids are great when their play is only based on AAU, which is as equivalent to street ball with jerseys. Not to just blame the kids but i think that these major programs should stop expecting their pipelines to be filled by AAU programs who are headed by ambitious silver tongue talking men who have as much basketball IQ as a 3rd grader in a bio engineering class at Stanford.I'm not saying these kids cannot play but their just not mentally ready for the next level, because at the D-1 level the water boy is ready to serve on the court at anytime; and when I say serve, it ain't the water, it's a jumper in your face.
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