Makur Maker, one of the top high school prospects in the nation, may be the next player to bypass college on his road to the NBA, writes Evan Daniels of 247sports. The 6’11” center, who attends Pacific Academy in Irvine, California, has already received interest from the G League, the NBL and other professional leagues, according to his guardian, Ed Smith.
“It’s definitely appealing playing against grown men, although you’re playing against grown men in college too,” Maker said. “Competition is going to be there no matter what.” The thing about college is you play on national TV every night so you’re getting that exposure from the country and basically the world. That’s very appealing to me.”
Maker is considered a top-five college prospect. He is the cousin of Pistons center/power forward Thon Maker, who was drafted without ever playing college basketball.
More players are seeking alternatives to the NCAA as they plot out their futures. Top 2020 prospects R.J. Hampton and LaMelo Ball both opted for the NBL. K.J. Martin Jr. is training privately instead of going to college, while potential 2021 draftee MarJon Beauchamp plans to train with Chameleon BX, a private company based in San Francisco.
Maker has plenty of suitors if he opts for college basketball. He named Kentucky, Oregon, UCLA, USC and Washington State as heavy recruiters, and he may visit Howard this fall.
“The thing about college is it keeps you relevant, and from my perspective it helped Zion (Williamson) a lot,” Smith said. “He did get better, but it also helped his career standpoint. You have to keep an eye on that.”
That’s the first time I’ve seen LaMelo Ball called “a top 2020 prospect” anywhere.
In other words, you haven’t looked anywhere else.
Some think he’s a lottery pick.
You should do some reading
Here’s one alternative to college I wish these guys had to go through. Go work in a factory for a year or more like a lot of kids graduating high school that can’t afford college have to do and then realize what a gift a free college scholarship actually is.
It’s not free. To get this “free scholarship”, they give up a year of earnings to work for zero dollars. Every dollar that factory worker gets for that year is a dollar more than these guys.
Use some logic and common sense rather than just riding the narrative.
No it isn’t. That factory worker is going to have to give those dollars to the college in order to get the same education the player can get for playing a game. It is free because otherwise to get the same education that player would have to fork over thousands of dollars. Since he doesn’t have to spend thousands of dollars, that makes it free. The players are getting something of value in exchange for playing. THAT is logic.
If you can’t understand that, maybe you should spend more time with your own education instead of arguing why others don’t need one.
If you honestly think a year of college for these guys is an education you’re crazy. They take easy, 100 level classes, rarely go to class, and then ditch it after one or two years.
I’m not saying they use it, but it still has value. If you get a $100,000 car for free and all you do with it is park it the garage and never drive it, it isn’t worth anything to you.
Sure there are some that take it for granted and don’t appreciate it, but that doesn’t mean it is that way for all of them.
As far as taking easy 100-level classes. All freshmen do that. 100 level classes are FOR freshmen. Are you expecting them to take junior and senior level classes in their first year?
Their labor (playing elite level basketball) is worth so many more millions of dollars per year than 24 college credit hours lol
Get a grip.
Traditional (not online) college is also the exposure to an environment that is many positive things simultaneously– reflective, ambitious, educational, shared. Attending should have a re-directional effect that at its core has been shown to lead to more of the same as life goes on.
Well that’s the ideal. Some prefer to reject it but how many who did go wish they never went? Not many I think, unless it’s the debt from loans, which a scholarship player does not have to worry about.
You had to work a regular job after high school because you don’t have any talent in sports. Don’t speak on things that don’t concern you.
Jealous
Sounds like another dumb Maker.
Yeah and you’re a genius. Why don’t you go cure cancer or something with that big ol’ brain of yours instead of spending your time bashing people who you know nothing about? Oh yeah you love the attention
Wow, and that was posted before my “traditional college” lecture-post!
You won’t be saying that when you meet our Maker
Ineligible for high school this year – because of all his transfers, he’s used up his eligibility according to California rules – only options go to a prep school or sit out. Can’t reclassify because the transfers also resulted in him not having close to enough credits to graduate early and didn’t meet NCAA A thru F requirements or entrance test minimums
He should come to the NBL, and play for the Brisbane Bullets. The Bullets have a two really good guards in Jason Cadee and Cameron Gliddon and they also have a strong PF in Mika Vikona. Maker wouldn’t habe to be a force in the paint on D or attack because the team has Vikona who plays a more traditional big role. But by having two good guards and a vet like Mika he would come in and make them a strong team
The NBA’s age limit is a farce. The NCAA’s unwillingness to pay players is outrageous. AAU is corrupt and getting worse every year.
I’m a huge fan of basketball, but there is a lot to dislike. I hope the NBA leads the way, drops the age restriction, and puts pressure on the NCAA to compensate players beyond a scholarship and a small stipend.