5 years ago there was a very strong attempt by a still employed BA staff member to attempt to give BA a veto over ANY Australian kid from going to the US for college - it was strongly resisted by a number of those running the player development programs at that time.

There is no doubt that the college system is best for those players who have the capacity to get through the NCAA academic requirements and to do ( and pass) the college level courses while also competing ion the NCAA sports.

There is also a strong argument that the NBL, with only 9 teams, is nowhere near performing as successfully as a young player development league in the same way as it did when there were 12 - 14 teams and players such as Glen Saville, Mark Dalton, Shane Heal, Simon Dwight were able to get significant court time and also impact the league while still being developed as players.

A lot of players these days go to College, get an idea of where they sit talent wise. Try to crack the draft, if they can't they come back. IE Walker, Allen, Bruce etc.
I think College should be the first option if you're a young player, it's a life style every player should experience if they can.

College is not for everyone, but it has the added benefit of a free education for those offered scholarships and the chance to play the sport they love at the same time.

My nephew is over in the states at a D1 school and they look after the whole package for him eg schooling, accomodation, medical, merchandise and the list goes on and on. This is a big D1 school so it probably a little different at some of the smaller schools.He's a freshman and will definately do his 4 years as he loves it.

Who is the nephew may I ask?

To be fair, the BA priority is basketball within Australia, not so much college and so on. Players can take either path - their own choice. There have been successes and failures either way.

I think basketball is doing alright considering. We have a competitive NBL, we have 1-2 guys at NBA level (about the same as we've ever really had concurrently), fair few over in college, but a great number in Europe compared to 10-20 years ago. I think Europe is the biggest threat to the NBL. Imagine if all those guys were back here: Maric, Baynes, Ogilvy, Andersen, Barlow, Newley, Ingles, Jawai and so on - huge.

Maric, Baynes, Ogilvy, Andersen, Jawai, Khazzouh, Shench.. That's 7 big men.. 9 teams.. Almost every game would be a epic big man match!! Which also means more open perimeter shots.. NBL would be a lot different.

I would have said the AIS are now taking in younger guys due to the introduction of the U17 world champs???!!! Exum got in as one of those younger guys just as 1 example...

My friend's son is also at a D1 college and I agree with Happy Days, the colleges do look after their players with everything from food, accomodation, uniforms, shoes, schooling etc. Why would you turn down a free education, playing college ball and the whole college life experience to sit on the bench for an NBL team and get zip? My friend's son is in his junior year and still loves it and is doing really well with his study and playing great ball. Yes he gets homesick but that's a small price to pay for the life experience.

really depends on what the individual and families concerned want - half your luck if you can crack either.

My nephew goes to Auburn University on a track and field scholarship.

No contest...college! Get to play the sport you love, free education, wonderful atmosphere (which you will never get in the nbl), make great friends, etc, plus I would consider the coaching to be better. Of course getting a scholarship is not so easy, although there are many companies now offering their services to help get you in....(for $$$).

Very old said there is "no doubt" the College system is best for those that are academically capable.

While there have been a number of our guys who have been College "busts" some of our guys that have done well in College have also not gone on to perform somewhere else. That is, the College system gave an inflated view of their capacity because their conference was weak, they were a significant player on a weak roster etc etc. NCAA is a notoriously inconsistent standard of basketball - the poor conferences are very poor.

But the main reason I dispute that is because recently we have too little evidence from guys who have chosen the NBL pathway over College - Norton, Creek and few others. And here I am talking about guys who were "in the system" and had a genuine College or NBL choice.

Thomas Abercrombie may be a guy who found the NBL system suited him better and you would argue almost all his development has occurred in the NBL.

A paid for college education plus learning your trade (obviously basketball in this case) in what is probably the best junior system on the planet or trying to make it as a young Aussie in the NBL...I think I know which path I'd choose.

Age old debate

I still wish our schools and university had of gone down the path of sporting scholarships. They are the organisations that could have funded many teams across australia. My university made a $9m profit in 2004. Easily could hold a team when you have no player payments.

No mention of SEABL, etc. Do these leagues offer development?

I think the US college experience is overrated in terms of coaching young men and women - many college coaches appear to still use the 'break 'em down and build 'em up' approach - hardly suited to personal development, particularly most Australian young athletes.

I know of several young players who spent between 2 and 4 years in the college system. They have said the 'career development' and academics are quite laughable compared to Australian opportunities.

i'm gonna be biased but college is the way to go imo

the experiences each kid have will be highly variable depending on which program and which state they go to.

the US system is also very different, coaches tend to welcome additional work but it's always up to the kid to ask for more etc. a more laid back attitude here sometime may not fit.

now the reason why i endorse college system, a lot of times people don't realize what making college sport really means. if you're at a decent program, work hard you can have time of your life! (I'm sure Drmic is having a blast right now!)

at college you get high media exposure, access to 1st class strength and conditioning staff and facility, medical staff not to mention you have access to indoor gym whenever you feel like shooting in most programs! you literally get a lifestyle that's better than most professional organization.

in addition to the high salary many coaches are on, i know some program spends between $4-$10mil on their basketball facility ALONE. and that's just their everyday practice center, not playing stadium!

if i have the opportunity i'd definitely go to college than staying in NBL and play pro. at the end of the day, you get 1 chance at going to college and you can play NBL for the next 10+ years!

finally, going to college you get a degree out of it! many athletes and coaches have benefited from this, some ended their career early while coaches needs a degree to be a college coach! so personally college will always be a way to go for me

why doesnt BA set up the AIS team as an NBL team and have an agreement with certain universities so that the players get a degree as well from an Aussie university?

The NBL is generally of a higher standard than US college games and the best young Aussies would get experience playing together.

The AIS also has an international reputation so players would get drafted from the AIS' NBL team if they were performing well.

In a few Asian soccer leagues the under 21 national team is its own club in the national league.

It depends on the individual. If you are already at NBL level then playing against men will prob be better for you. If not, then playing in college will help develop to that standard.

In the end, some players succeed and some players fail from both routes.

I guess one issue with college is most people have to do extra tertiary study once they return to have their degree recognised because there is a disparity in the level of education between most colleges in the USA and Australia.

If education was a big thing a good player could negotiate for an NBL club to pay their HECS while they study and play here. Of course, being a big fish in a little pond over at a US college can be one hell of an experience! Mind you, girls at Aussie unis dont mind a pro athlete either!

After college, those kids are going to be back in the NBL or Europe (or NBA if they're that good) anyway. They're not lost forever.

Lewis, how many ex-college kids are back here and making an impact? Lucas Walker certainly isn't overwhelming - not much skill apart from his jumping ability.

Yes it must be said that with the 100s of Aussie players with college experience, they may have scored with the ladies and had some stories to tell, but at the end of the day very few of them become bonafide stars in any pro league.

In which case, have they made the right decision to head to a US college?

If they were fringe NBL and stayed in Australia, they could earn peanuts from a development spot and ABA while paying to study.

If they'd gone to college, they could return having found out their place in the basketball pecking order, but hopefully with a degree they can apply to work in Australia.

Obviously there are all sorts of exceptions and variations. Not sure if someone like Tovey went to college, but he has decent options. Gower hung around the NBL/ABA periphery after some time at college. Gibson went from AIS to gradual improvement in the NBL and representing his country. Ng studied locally and has played some years in the NBL now. Allen had time at college and is probably fringe NBL.

re: "The NBL is generally of a higher standard than US college games"
Do you even watch college ball Curtley?? No way Nbl is stronger than college, of course some of the smaller conferences /schools would be, but the majority of the teams shown on tv wouldn't have much trouble against an Nbl team.
Like it has been mentioned before college isn't for everyone. Some find it easier to go through the junior ranks here and land a spot in a development squad and then earn their way to Nbl.

It's often raised on here, but an ABA team with Brett Maher and only one real big were 10-15 points behind a college team that saw multiple guys make the NBA (I think three are still in there?). The Wildcats and Breakers would hold their own pretty easily I imagine.

Which college teams are we talking about here anon?? The top teams in the bigger conferences would not lose to an Nbl team, sorry mate. Some of these kids in college are amazing athletes, their coaches have them playing incredible D and some of these kids can straight up shoot...oh and remember they are kids.
I'm not bagging Nbl here, I just don't think the level of comp is as strong.
I understand what you are saying about nbl teams thrashing college teams in practice matches, but I wouldn't be using that as an argument as most of those teams are pretty mediocre compared to the more elite college teams.

This will be an ongoing argument no doubt as everyone has their own views.

Off to watch Kentucky vs Florida now so I can become more 'knowledgeable' Isn't that right Anon?