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Monday, May 15
Stay in school, before it's too late

By Dick Vitale
Special to ESPN.com

I recently was the guest of a radio show hosted by ESPN's Kirk Herbstreit. One of the other guests was Ohio State's Michael Redd. That's right, the junior jammer who put up plenty of points in Columbus, hooking up with Scoonie Penn to lead the Buckeyes to the Final Four in St. Petersburg a year ago. Mr. Redd was on talking about his decision to put his name into the NBA draft.


	Michael Redd is a top-notch scorer, but is he ready for the NBA game?

I was a surprise guest, and I guess I didn't exactly say what Redd wanted to hear. I asked him why he was coming out. He said that the scouts told him he would be picked between numbers 17 and 23 in the first round, which would give him guaranteed dollars.

As I said on the show, it amazes me how we keep hearing from NBA executives and hierarchy that they want these kids to go back to school, that they are not ready for the professional game, and that basically everyone -- the NBA, the college game and most importantly, the individual player -- gets hurt. I wonder what is coming out of the scouts' mouths because they say exactly what the kid wants to hear.

I told Redd that I have heard about 50 guys who are going to be drafted in the first round. Come on, not many more than 50 players get picked over two rounds, yet so many kids are "projected" to go early, to get the quick fix, the guaranteed bucks. The scouts fill the players' heads with visions of grandeur, send the word out and want to see as many people as possible on that draft list.

Let's not be hypocritical. They do everything they can behind the scenes to indicate that players will be high draft choices.

Then word filters down that Florida's Donnell Harvey is in the same situation, thinking about leaving Florida to go into the draft. Harvey has a long way to go to learn how to get a shot off and how to score on the inside before he is ready to battle in that league. I just can't understand some of the logic being utilized by some of these youngsters, or where they get their advice.

Redd, meanwhile, has many parts of his game that still need work. As I told him, if he didn't sign with an agent, it is not too late to really sit down and analyze the situation. Remember, agents and scouts will tell you what you want to hear.

The disturbing part is the conflict that we hear from the NBA office, where I believe David Stern when he says he doesn't want these kids coming out, and the scouts, who say the opposite. That bothers me.

The late first round is the magical wording players want to hear because of the guaranteed money. They don't get a dime guaranteed if they go later than round one, and then it becomes a case of "make the team, baby, to get any money." Or maybe even off to the CBA, where the check is smaller.

Look back over the years of some players who left early and regretted it. There was Korleone Young coming out of high school in the '98 draft, picked in the second round. Or God Shammgod in '97, or Darnell Robinson and Ronnie Henderson in '96. Go back to the Scotty Thurmans and Anderson Hunts. Yes, there have been a number of success stories, but I worry about kids getting questionable advice when they can improve their skills with another year in college.

Good decisions
There was some good news from the NCAA when Ohio State's Ken Johnson was given another year of eligibility as he is now on track to graduate. Temple's Quincy Wadley was also extended another year of eligibility.

Both Johnson and Wadley came into college as non-qualifiers, and the NCAA recently changed its rules, giving both players a break.

One loaded conference
Another interesting bit of news came at the University of Houston, where Ray McCallum was hired as coach, replacing Clyde Drexler. I look at Conference USA right now and all I can say is ... WOW! Think about it -- what a league! There are no automatics in the conference. Houston has a rich basketball tradition despite seven straight losing seasons, and McCallum should provide great guidance in turning things around. He was so successful at his alma mater, Ball State.

Then there is John Calipari taking over and creating excitement down at Memphis. With Memphis and Houston in the hunt, joining Cincinnati, Louisville and DePaul, it should be a super conference. Throw in Marquette with an up-and-comer in Tom Crean on the sidelines, and South Florida has a team on the rise with some solid returning talent in B.B. Waldon and Altron Jackson. Mike Slive has quite a league coming together. Keep an eye on Conference USA next season.

The addition of McCallum and Calipari will bring depth to a conference that has made noise since coming into existence in 1996.

What a thrill
Last week at the Dick Vitale Sportsnight in Sarasota, we honored tennis star Monica Seles. What makes Seles so special is not just her dominance on the court over the years, but the way she handled herself in adversity. What a special lady she is!

She was thrilled to tears when she received a standing ovation at the event, which raised many dollars for the Sarasota Boys and Girls Club. In two years, over a quarter-million dollars have been earned from these special dinners.

What really broke me up and brought me to tears was the announcement that they were naming the new physical education and training center for the Sarasota Boys and Girls club after me. Wow, I can't believe it.

I don't really deserve such an honor, but I was touched big-time! I just want to thank all the beautiful people down in Sarasota for this special honor!


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