But why has college basketball degenerated? I am eager to hear your opinion on the mechanics of the fall from grace.
Wow, how long do you have?
First, high school ball. Many kids need remedial basketball skills training when they reach college because they played so much AAU, all-star, Riverside Church freeforall type hoops at the high school level that they haven't been ingrained with the basics. One thing that amazed me the first time I watched Carmelo, when SU beat Missouri in 2003, was his technical acumen.
Second, talent drain. Too much talent has been lost in the straight-to-the-draft ethos, plus the early entrants like Carmelo or Corey Maggette or Luol Deng. It opens up playing time for lesser players, hence lower quality.
Third, the 1991 Knicks. As bad as the Pistons were for the NBA game with their brand of thug ball, the Knicks were worse. That team lacked skills but won because of thug-ball squared. When the NBA essentially accepted that style, it became acceptable in college.
That's a decent start.
Commenting by HaloScan
