High schooler to skip senoir season!

[JSMOOTH]

Anyone ever heard of LeBron James?
From Akron (St. Vincent St. Mary) Ohio.
He led his team to the state championships as a freshman and sophomore.
Anyways, the local news reported today, that he will enter for next years NBA draft, after finishing his junior season.
I guess theres some legalities he has to overcome first, but the news said it will be no problem.
They also reported that if he finished high school first, that he would be the first overall selection in the draft as opposed to a lottery pick if he goes "early".
LeBron's reply was..."I want to make history"

Now, I've seen LeBron play.(His team eliminated my Alma Mater from the tourney...they won by 63 or something) He's easily good enough to skip college, and as much as I have defended these kids who do skip college....this is a little much.

BTW...LeBron James is a 6'7 shooting guard. I dont remember his stats, but they were impressive. And he's 16 years old.

 

[neverteaseit]

In 3 years when I am passing by Akron I will be sure to stop by McDonalds and have LeBron serve my Lunch with that extra smile. What a joke. NBA is ruining kids chances to succeed in school not on the hardwood. This stuff needs to be put to an end and fast it is already out of control.


FUTURE McDONALDS TRIP.

I want to super size the # 1 value meal
Lebron. UHH WHATS THAT AGAIN? Supersize it dammit. UHHH SAY WHAT? What's the matter with you didn't you go to school? UHHH I QUIT FOR A CAREER MOVE. Enough said.

 

[fletcher]

he had to be held back a year because you cannot enter the draft till your class has graduated.

 

[beantownjim]

this kid lebron james is so stupid he gave himself the wrong name its really james lebron.i think i have heard of him did he go to harvard or yale.sounds like a real winner i would love to see his s.a.t score.neverteaseit from you other post i thought you were boring that was a riot.jssmooth how come ohio produces all these road scholors we have another one here in boston named terry glenn there must be something in the water.

 

[JSMOOTH]

Originally posted by beantownjim:
how come ohio produces all these road scholors we have another one here in boston named terry glenn

I got 2 words for you...GO BLUE

not finishing high school is indeed a big mistake in my opinion, but I don't thnk we're gonna see this kid at McDonalds. No matter when he ges pro...he will make it.

Latest news reports say that the cavs will try to position themselves to get him. That way, he could still take his high school classes. Gimme a Break

 

[visionary]

doesnt matter if he makes it....these kids are so naive and dumb that when the party is over they have either spent everything or have gotten scammed by agents, attorneys and all the hawks out there.....if he doesnt get an education sooner or later he will be back where he started...

 

[The Mover]

Sounds to me a couple of you are a little envious of this young man.Everyday 1000's of kids quit highschool for a $250-300 paycheck with no skills what so ever,where is the uproar? Seems to me he might have the skills to make also with a six figure or better payday.Take the chance what does he really have to lose.

 

[JSMOOTH]

http://www.sportsline.com/u/partners/aol/frameset.htm?http://cbs.sportsline.com/

http://www.sportsline.com/u/partners/aol/frameset.htm?http://cbs.sportsline.com/

Well, here he is. I told you guys....this kid is gonna be awesome! I can't wait to see him play in playoffs this year.

 

[auspice]

Just a little trivia:

All reports by the top high school football people are that Lebron James would be THE top high school football player in the state of Ohio next year if he stays in school. He played receiver this past year after first announcing he was going to skip the football season. Reports are that he simply can't be defensed. He's got simply out of this world quickness and speed and jumps to the moon for the ball.

a little more trivia:

The high school football coach at Newport News, VA coached both Micheal Vick and Marcus Vick (his yournger brother). Who was the best high school QB he ever coached? Suprising answer........Allan Iverson. The quickest guy he's ever seen in the pocket with a great arm.

 

[Chris]

This kid will get eaten alive in thee NBA. He may be good within 5 years if he can stay out of trouble.:nono:

 

[fletcher]

no-one remembers when i followed him this summer for ten days out here along with 12-15 others to watch and i told you that the scouting director of the lakers said he was better skilled then byrant at this stage of the game.
the team aau he was on was no match for the team from atl and mich and can't leave out the 2 SoCal teams but he was a great player and yes i said great,speed size ,quicks good shooting range and can jump out of the gym i have all kinds of pictures of him slamming away,and with a nice little sig from him on each one,he is far from stupid,talked to him a few times while watching other games,very soft spoken and very well mannered.he was a joy to sit with a few times during that ten days. even traded a gator baseball shirt for a aau shirt from him.
he will be a force in a few years and i said that this summer for the guys that like to go back there are a few write ups on him and others from me in mid summer on here,i am sure they are either under gen. or college hoops you might enjoy them,even though i am a poor writter,gives you an idea of him and some others that will be impact college and pro players in a few years,heading is probley big time hoops tourny.

 

[JSMOOTH]

LeBron is a media hound this week in my local paper. Today's article had a story of an NBA scout who confided in his coach.

The scout told the coach.....
"LeBron James is not the best player in the country.....he's the best player in the world!"

You guys wait...it sounds like Fletcher and myself are the only 2 to see him play. And Fletchers right, he's a well educated young man, and represents his community and catholic HS very well.

His teams home games have been moved to the University of Akron's Rhodes Arena and during last years sectionals, the gym in my hometown gave up after 2 games in the tourney and had to move the championship to Youngstown State's, Beeghly Center.
And oh yeah, They set a new attendance record that night!

After watching LeBron signing autograph's as a 16 year old sophomore in the Salem HS gym after playoff games, i thought...
Gimme a break! This year, I just might wait in line myself!

 

[Chris]

I hope you are right that he is a educated man. I have seen way to many of these sure things over the years and then a knee blows out and so does there life. One good thing for this kid if something ended his basketball life he would still be very young and could do the college thing. If either of you hear more I would love to hear more about this kid as the reports come out.

 

[wondo]

you guys gotta be kidding me. the opportunties that these guys coming out of high school have are unparalleled in many cases. even if he signs for only 2-300k, its still more money than I would make in five years! what if he goes to college and blows knee and cant play? no more money..... not everyone at that age is equipped emotionally to withstand the pressures, but there are some opportunities that you can't pass up. the A's signed a guy this summer after his junior year for 175k, and there are tons of kids i see everyday that would do better for themsevles the sooner they get drafted and sign.

fletch or skeeter or you other baseball guys especially -- how often do you see the kid out of high school pass up the big bucks in the draft and play at college and then god forbid have a lousy junior year, get drafted lower and not want to go, and then either take the pitful money that we give a senior or just settle for the college type money rather than the bonus a high schooler can make. i'm sure skeeter, you hate to see your recruits go in the draft and sign, but you gotta admit that sometimes its the best decision for the kid.

colleges jerk their players around as much as the pros do, so dont give me that crap of the pros taking advantage of people. now some college coaches are giving like 25% the first year and then promising 50% and 75% the next succesive years to keep their players from signing and having leverage in the draft..... but it's the same college coach that 'forgets' that gentlemans agreement he had when the guy can't get anyone out his freshman year at school and that promise of 50 or 75% is out the window and the kid is screwed.

its a tough world at college and pro and there's a lot of money to be made by everyone... but it all should come back to parents and their guidance and having a couple honest people you can trust and staying the f--- away from some of those agents!

 

[deeznuts]

whats up fellows?i went and seen james play last night at the jar in akron.they beat east liverpool by 28.in my opinion he is still alittle wet behind the ears.a great talent ,dont get me wrong, he put up 26 while being garded by a 6-2 pklayer.brett green a wvu football recrute.the team is outstanding though.there coach is actualy from eastliverpool,and his son is there point guard,dru joyce jr.he ius a hell of a player too.article in todays local paper said coach joyce is trying to talk james into atleast 2 years of college,i think it would help him alot.

 

[chefbookie]

16 yr old Millionare

16 yr old Millionare

I do not doubt this kid will be a force in the yrs to come in the NBA. I hope that someone teachs this kid about life. I really do not want to read another story about a superstar that has ruined his life by looking for the quick buck. I personally think that the NBA should not allow this. I think that a player should have to spend at least 2 yrs in college away from "home" to learn about life other then mommy and daddy's world. I hope that the NBA and his Parents are smart enough to take away almost all of his money until he is at least 18 if not 21. Again I just do not want to read about a superstar gone down. I really hope that this kid gets a chance beacuse if he is talented as the you guys say then I cant wait to watch him play.

 

[wondo]

chefbookie --

i'm not trying to single you out or start anything personal... but i get very fired up and passionate about this topic because there are so many people that say exactly what you are saying. i hate to make assumptions, but i might venture to say that you havent seen what's going on in college the past few years. the top colleges that this player or similar players would go to are in need of young guys that can step in and get it done right away. they (the coaches) know that their players might not be around for 4 years so they recruit the ones that they think can help them win right then. this mentality does not lead to developing players in the way you describe or wish for. they need something in an instant. if the freshman comes in and doesnt get it done, he's swept in the gutter just the same as he is in pro ball but only he doesnt have the $$$ to show for it. not every potentially really good player can step into a program as a freshman and get it done, so they risk getting the boot the same in college as they do in pro sports. plus, not every college coach is exactly the 'father figure' that you'd want for your son. not to say that pro guys necessarily are, either. i cant speak much for nfl and nba but when you look at the young baseball guys out of high school they almost always go right to the rookie ball (no matter the bonus) and there they wake up in the morning, practice, have lunch at the stadium, play in the afternoon, have dinner on their own and have to get to bed because they have to wake up so early for the team practice or individual work the next day. it's a very structured program that is supposed to help mold these young men into mature adults -- to help themselves because in helpin themselves they help the team.

anyway, just because you go to college and just because you're at a college with a very well known and 'good' coach doesnt mean that you learn ANY of lifes' lessons nor does it mean that you are developed as a player..... this is not a knock on any of you college guys out there because i was a coach too, but i'm just saying how it is.... the decision to sign or not sign has got to be an individual decision and i really think the only people that can make the best decision are parents that have been a positive involvement in the kids life all along.. the college coach is biased, as is the pro guy and the other bloodsucking scum that get involved are biased as well. it's too bad that some of these kids dont have good family and by that i dont mean it has to be 2 parents but just have someoen who has the kids' best interest at heart.

this isnt meant to be personal to you or anyone but sometimes the media plays it up like the college coaches are freaking gods and turn everyone into model citizens and the pro guys are the damn devil. the washington post had an article on latin players in mlb a couple months ago and the damn article wasnt lies, but it was completely misinterpreted facts and things taken so out of context and not related to equivalent players, but the only thing people got out of it was that pro ball is out for its own good only.... true in a sense but not the people within pro ball necessarily.

 

[fletcher]

spoken like a true scout i use to love you guys that had one of my guys not yours under control and try to tell me about his pitch count:nono:

i looked for all of my guys to be gone each year when i was at one of the top juco's in the us hint in fl.and really didnot care in d1 alaways another out there.

but in a ball when i was with hagerstown suns guys were better off coming to the pro's if they got the money,get in a hell of a lot of less trouble there then in college. anyone can go back to school,but if you are a top prospect and offered first round money and bouns you are a fool not to go,it only takes one freak thing to happen to lose major stock and value or never even get the chance if you get real messed up. if you sign for top money you are insured through the help of agent then if you blow something out you are still set for life. take what you can when you can if its over 6 figures and a nice signing bouns . this is a chance that cannot be passed up in baseball i have seen it happen to many times due to stupid parents and hs school coaches who talk there kid out of it and not knocking hs coaches but alot are just there for extra income so donot know the real story ,till you been around it and in it,its haed to understand but need to take what you can get when you can get it.

 

[hellah10]

looks big

looks big

 

[wondo]

thats funny fletch

i was out at the hagerstown stadium a ton this summer and also trying to get some wacky lefty to d&f at the hagerstown juco (assume your talking maryland) or out near madjack at garrett co. co.

constant battle between scout and coaches but one that cant ever be resolved... i think some guys pass up too much money like you said, but then again i love what i do but wont ever see that kind of dough so I guess it's a different perspective.. coaches are in the same boat too not making the money they deserve, but obviously want to win so its tough on them too.

did you ever cross paths with matt nokes at det? ive been spending time with him this winter doing lessons and thought you may have been in the organization around the same time. seems like a good guy. still really enthusiastic and good with the kids.




(said essex by mistake... think jack lives out near garrett)