
Monday’s NCAA championship game is the latest example of why development still matters in college basketball
College basketball isn’t a democratic sport. The winningest teams with the biggest budgets and best coaches tend to score the most gifted players. That’s how they keep winning and convincing the next wave of teenagers to play for them. It’s an unfair cycle that never ends.
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April 5, 2015 11:00 PM
Somewhere, I'd like to read about the importance of a real education for the player's future, not about how much money they "passed up" to get another year's seasoning.So sad for them.
April 5, 2015 10:59 PM
Okafor is a great player, but I think Kaminsky is better.Bo Ryan showed that he can shut down a great Kentucky offense.If Wisconsin plays well, I look for them to beat Duke.
April 5, 2015 10:58 PM
GOOO DUKE!!!
April 5, 2015 10:57 PM
These are two programs that have great, stable coaches. They have defined systems. They also have polished, NBA caliber big men in the middle. Only a few college teams can match that. Okafor is going to be the 2nd coming of Tim Duncan.
April 5, 2015 10:56 PM
Go Devils!
April 5, 2015 10:56 PM
Actually, there is a rationale for one-and-done, though it is not really a part of college basketball. it mainly benefits star players and calls for a special kind of coach.Except for a few extremely talented players like LeBron James, they are not equipped to go from high school to the NBA. They have not have learned to become team players because they have always been vastly better than everyone else around them. That is they main thing that they learn from their experience and the coach in their one year in college ball. They would have a hard time learning this in the NBA, where they would be competing with their teammates for a limited number of roster spots.
April 5, 2015 10:56 PM
Go Badgers!! Dekker will be game MVP.
April 5, 2015 10:55 PM
Wisconsin is the better team. The key to this game is balanced officiating. Teams that play out of conference away games use refs from the visiting team's conference. This is how they try to balance the home court bias. Duke got many, many decisive calls when they played Wisconsin on the road earlier in the season. Straight up, with good officiating Wisconsin definitely wins this game.
April 5, 2015 10:54 PM
Go Dook!
April 5, 2015 10:52 PM
Notice that the best player on each team is from Illinois. And that the University of Illinois did not even make the tourney.
April 5, 2015 10:51 PM
If you don't like Wisconsin, you don't like chicken on Sunday.
April 5, 2015 10:50 PM
Sad part is I really want Wisconsin to win: just as sad is I am a Duke fan and would love to see them win. Bummer either way.
April 5, 2015 10:50 PM
Dear Wisconsin, I want to kindly thank you from the bottom of my heart for the UPSET vs. Kentucky!Do it again, break a leg. Love, The Big Ten.
April 5, 2015 10:49 PM
Much more important things going on in the world tonight, but I'll take the time to watch this throwdown.Ultimately, these two teams are about being that, teams, not just a collection of individuals of remarkable talent. Calipari falls short (though he may not always) because his players, however gifted, don't get the chance to meld. Wisconsin certainly has.I second the vote of Sir Charles, who said that Sam Dekker is his new favorite player in college basketball. The kid can defend, shoot dribble, rebound and, most important, inspire his teammates to play harder and better. Apparently an underachiever until recently, he seems to have a true joy found in playing the game that will make him a standout.According to ESPN, people hated Christian Laetner for how he played (and beat them) in college. I think Sam Dekker will make people hate him for how he plays in the pros.
April 5, 2015 10:48 PM
It's going to be a hell of a game.Go Duke.
April 5, 2015 10:48 PM
go duke!