Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Thomas Robinson. Here’s s chart of what those names mean to you, based how much of a sports fan you are.
Level of Sports Knowledge | Who are Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Thomas Robinson? |
I love sports so much, I’m going to marry Fangraphs.com | 3 of the most talented and best college basketball players in the country. Davis is going to be the player of the year this season, and he’s been regarded as the next Tim Duncan, likely 1st pick in the draft. Glichrist is going to be the 2nd overall pick in the draft, 2nd best player on UK to Davis. Robinson is going to be the player of the year runner up this season and is a defensive nightmare. |
I like sports a lot but I’m going to marry a human being. | Those guys are really good players, they’re going to be get drafted pretty high right? |
I follow sports. That’s all. Cool story I know. | I’ve heard of one or two of them, but don’t they only play college basketball in march? |
I only watch sports when it’s already on the T.V., but I’d rather watch whatever cool show is on the discovery channel like Deadliest Catch | I’ve heard their names, but I can’t remember where. I think they were contestants on Cash Cab. |
Sports are dumb, pay attention to something meaningful. | I don’t know who they are, but I like the 2nd dude. Hyphenated last name, always a crowd pleaser. |
People still do that? Play sports and all? | No clue, but oh boy, Kidd-Gilchrist is a sexy name. I really enjoy that hyphen. That’s all I got. |
I’m an Alien, just arrived from Jupiter! | Wow that hyphen is nice… |
So there you go. That’s the state of college basketball. Those are three of the absolute best college basketball players in the country and nobody knows who they are. I’m willing to guess even Aliens know who Lebron James or Kobe Bryant are.
March. That’s college basketball’s month. Curiously enough, that’s also its only month. The only time the average sports fan really cares and wants to know about college basketball players is March. So for one month, people know who Anthony Davis, Michael Kidd-Gilchrist and Thomas Robinson are. Unfortunately for college basketball, April comes 30 days after the beginning of March. It’s an annual thing. April steals all of March’s thunder just like that. Pretty soon after the Final Four is over, baseball’s opening week and the NFL draft take center stage, and fans quickly move on after all of their brackets are torn to bits. Everyone forgets those players all over again.
But at least now that fans at least know those players names, they’ll be more interested in college basketball in the fall right? They want to watch those same player they grew to know and love the prior March right? Right… if those same players are still in school, and not in the NBA. Unfortunately, that’s normally where those players are. Players who fans see in March making spectacular plays, usually leave school for the NBA draft after one or a breakout season in college. Consequently, fans don’t know the new college basketball players for the new college season. Naturally, fans lose interest in college basketball because they don’t any of the players anymore. The NBA is also going on during the same season, and I head some of their players are alright. Then March comes around and the entire cycle repeats itself. It’s basketball’s version of the water cycle, except less boring!
Luckily for college basketball, young college student minds like me are on the job of fixing the sport. As opposed to old college student minds. Here's the deal. In order for college basketball to return its glory years, when great players like Michael Jordan and Larry Bird finished 3 years in college, the one and done rule must be eliminated. Instead, players should not be prohibited from going to the NBA straight out of high school, like Lebron and Kobe. However, if players choose to go to college, they must stay at least 3 years. This way, college players will be much more well known and the game will evolve as the team concept of basketball will be emphasized. The college game will evolve, and players that actually want to be in college will be for multiple years.
Today, North Carolina announced Harrison Barnes, Kendall Marshall and John Henson are all leaving for the NBA draft. Marshall and Barnes stayed just two years. 4 of UNC’s 5 starters won’t be returning even though 3 of those players have several years of eligibility remaining. It’s likely that most Kentucky starters are going to leave as well, including the likely number 1 and 2 picks in Davis and Kidd-Gilchrist. Duke guard Austin Rivers, the son of Doc, also declared for the draft earlier this week after his freshman season. So get ready for another great college basketball season next fall with players you don't know! And by season I mean March.
Shout out to hyphens!
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