Athletes Turning Professional Early
For years college athletics has been a place for athletes to improve their skills and to mature on and off the court. However, this aspect has been drastically changing over the last ten years. Many people believe that athletes should be able to leave school whenever they choose. Although it is the athlete's choice the NCAA should play a major role in their decision. This controversy is fueled by athlete's merely foregoing college altogether. These athletes feel that by participating in college athletics they would be wasting their talent. However, athletes should not be allowed to turn professional early regardless of the circumstances.
Many athletes that turn professional right out of high school end up having an assortment of problems adapting to the professional game. For many athletes their bodies are not completely developed. By playing at the speed of the higher conditioned and developed players in the professional league, young underdeveloped athletes run the risk of suffering an early career ending injury.
Elton Brand, a player for the Chicago Bulls, says, "Because my body was underdeveloped I had to ice down my knees and ankle everyday after practice."(Taylor 86). Also these athletes minds are very immature and underdeveloped both in their sport and in the aspect of life. When you let a player come right out of high school to play a professional sport it is like let a young child loose in a billion dollar world with no guidance. This aspect of having millions of dollars to spend is too far out of reach for these youngsters to grasp. These athletes have no aspect of money management skills, because if they see something they want the will buy it regardless of its price. This reckless abandonment usually results in bankruptcy and the youngster...
Lots of thought and research
You did a good job in researching your topic. You presented your opinion without coming off as "preachy." Keep up the good work.
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