Mark Cuban: 'Horrible' state of college basketball hurting NBA

[Eleazar]

Mark Cuban says 'horrible' state of college basketball hurting NBA

DALLAS -- The "horrible" state of college basketball is hurting the NBA, Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban said.

Cuban said he doesn't enjoy watching the college game, but his bigger concern is that the physical, slow-down style that has become common in the NCAA results in prospects who are poorly prepared to jump to the NBA.

"If they want to keep kids in school and keep them from being pro players, they're doing it the exact right way by having the 35-second shot clock and having the game look and officiated the way it is," Cuban said Wednesday night. "Just because kids don't know how to play a full game of basketball.

"You've got three kids passing on the perimeter. With 10 seconds on the shot clock, they try to make something happen and two other kids stand around. They don't look for anything and then run back on defense, so there's no transition game because two out of five or three out of five or in some cases four out of five kids aren't involved in the play.

"It's uglier than ugly, and it's evidenced by the scoring going down. When the NBA went through that, we changed things."

Cuban, an Indiana alumnus often asked by disgruntled Hoosiers to buy out coach Tom Crean's contract, said he is actually a fan of Crean because he coaches a faster-paced, freer-flowing offense than the vast majority of his NCAA counterparts.

Cuban hopes that the NCAA's rules and officiating style change to allow faster offenses to succeed instead of rewarding teams that milk the clock and play boring basketball.

"It's horrible. It's ridiculous," Cuban said. "It's worse than high school. You've got 20 to 25 seconds of passing on the perimeter and then somebody goes and tries to make a play and do something stupid, and scoring's gone down.

"The referees couldn't manage a White Castle. Seriously, the college game is more physical than the NBA game, and the variation in how it's called from game to game [is a problem]. Hell, they don't even have standards on balls. They use different balls. One team's got one ball, the other team's got another ball. There are so many things that are ridiculous."


http://espn.go.com/dallas/nba/story/...ll-hurting-nba

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

wow, big ball of crap here.

NBA is just blaming CBB for their complete lack of discipline in the handling of talent.

Just like the NFL always giving talented players 'another chance' after breaking the rules.

WTF are you talking about? The NBA has its best product ever right now. College basketball is the worst I can ever remember it being.

NBA owners have every reason to criticize colleges for not preparing their students to earn a living at their craft. Have you ever been at a bar that had NBA and college games playing at the same time? If you watch the NBA game for a few minutes and then switch back to the college game on a commercial, it's like switching from men's college basketball to women's.

NBA players fly up and down the court on offense and defense. The ball has to be whipped around like crazy because the defenders are so fast. Big men knock down 15 footers like its nothing. Saying that the NBA is doing a poor job of handling talent is completely misguided.

The players getting drafted out of Europe are much more skilled and NBA ready than those coming out of college even though they don't have as much talent on average. If anything, the NBA should drop the one year out of high school requirement, but that would be the exact opposite of your suggestion to stop drafting on potential.

[Buehler445]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I honestly think playing internationally is better than playing in the D-League for guys that can't make an NBA roster.

Wasn't there a kid that didn't want to go to college, so he went to the international game for a year? I don't remember the kids name.

Anyway, how did that work out? Was the kid worth a ****?

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I have heard many NFL coaches complain about how the spread has made things worse for NFL prospects especially at the QB position.

It absolutely has. Not to turn this into the conference realignment thread, but there's a reason that Big 12 QBs have all failed in the NFL. They spend their college careers learning to play in the spread, and that doesn't fly in the NFL. It's not that different than when the option game was popular. You didn't see option QBs playing QB in the NFL.

I love watching well run option teams and well run spread teams, but I completely understand why the NFL doesn't love it.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

WTF are you talking about? The NBA has its best product ever right now. College basketball is the worst I can ever remember it being.

NBA owners have every reason to criticize colleges for not preparing their students to earn a living at their craft. Have you ever been at a bar that had NBA and college games playing at the same time? If you watch the NBA game for a few minutes and then switch back to the college game on a commercial, it's like switching from men's college basketball to women's.

NBA players fly up and down the court on offense and defense. The ball has to be whipped around like crazy because the defenders are so fast. Big men knock down 15 footers like its nothing. Saying that the NBA is doing a poor job of handling talent is completely misguided.

The players getting drafted out of Europe are much more skilled and NBA ready than those coming out of college even though they don't have as much talent on average. If anything, the NBA should drop the one year out of high school requirement, but that would be the exact opposite of your suggestion to stop drafting on potential.

You're completely missing the point.

The NBA controls the one and done athletes, not CBB.

College players see the immediate payday, know that it doesn't matter if they are a polished player or not, and the bolt. The college player knows that if they stick around in college that it's just as likely to hurt their draft status as help it.

What does everyone say? If you are a 1st round pick, you go. That is controlled by the NBA, not college. The NCAA face major legal challenges if they try to force college player to stay, they really can't. It's the NBA that has set the draft bar almost completely on potential and flash.

Now they are complaining because they got what they asked for.

The college player is just reacting the NBA. The college coaches draft one and done players because they HAVE to, not because they want that player. The college coaches have to get players to the NBA to help their recruiting. That means they have to worry as much about showcase players as teach fundamentals.

NBA has the money, they ultimately control the results.

[WilliamTheIrish]

Originally Posted by Prison Bitch

As someone who watches a metric ton of college hoops, I think a lot of these suggestions are absolutely terrible. Reducing a shot clock to 30 is fine, but 24? You'll see bad possessions constantly. Putting the 3-point line out further is an even worse idea because 3pt % isn't that high right now (35% ish?) and if it's moved back NOBODY will go out to guard it. It'll be even more packed than it is today.


A couple simple fixes:

(1) reduce TO from 5 to 2 per half. These egomaniac coaches don't need any more micro-managing and idle hands are the devil's playthings. You get 5 breaks anyway, talk to them then.
(2) No TO when the ball is in play. Get trapped? Find a way out.
(3) 1 review per half, like the NFL coaches' challenge.
(4) Eliminate the ability to foul under 10 seconds up 3. It's the most exciting play in the game and douchebags always foul with 5 seconds to kill any thrill. Foul under 10 and it's 2-shots and the ball.

Definitely agree with the TO situation.

[morphius]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

The players getting drafted out of Europe are much more skilled and NBA ready than those coming out of college even though they don't have as much talent on average.

That would lead me to think that College isn't as much the problem, as is their HS and whatever other training they have had. Maybe a bit too much, great athletes aren't forced to try hard enough to be better because they have been beating everyone with their superior athleticism over their actual skills, and coddled by their coaches just happy to have them on their team?

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

It absolutely has. Not to turn this into the conference realignment thread, but there's a reason that Big 12 QBs have all failed in the NFL. They spend their college careers learning to play in the spread, and that doesn't fly in the NFL. It's not that different than when the option game was popular. You didn't see option QBs playing QB in the NFL.

I love watching well run option teams and well run spread teams, but I completely understand why the NFL doesn't love it.

So we agree then at least with certain positions college football isn't preparing those players for the NFL. What the 3-year rule though does for the NFL is allow the players to mature both physically and mentally\emotionally before they come into a grown man's league.

[Saul Good]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

So we agree then at least with certain positions college football isn't preparing those players for the NFL. What the 3-year rule though does for the NFL is allow the players to mature both physically and mentally\emotionally before they come into a grown man's league.

Yes, but high school kids aren't physically ready to play in the NFL. High school basketball players often are.

[DaKCMan AP]

Originally Posted by Buehler445

Wasn't there a kid that didn't want to go to college, so he went to the international game for a year? I don't remember the kids name.

Anyway, how did that work out? Was the kid worth a ****?

Brandon Jennings did it and Emmanuel Mudiay did it this year. Jennings ended up being drafted 10th overall and is having a nice career. Mudiay will likely go top-5 in this year's draft.

['Hamas' Jenkins]

Originally Posted by Bob Dole

Don't you mean Hero Ball?

(Yes, that moronic commercial pisses off Bob Dole.)

Anyone who calls the NBA "Hero Ball" probably hasn't watched an NBA game this decade.

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

Mandatory minor leagues for the NBA(ala baseball) would pretty much solve the entire issue.

If players know they are going to have to spend several years in a minor league system for the NBA they are much less likely to come out early. The NBA could promote players through the system faster for the truly special athlete or the ones who are better prepared.

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

wow, big ball of crap here.

NBA is just blaming CBB for their complete lack of discipline in the handling of talent.

Just like the NFL always giving talented players 'another chance' after breaking the rules.

This is aggressively ignorant.

1) Baseball does not have mandatory minor leagues--baseball keeps players in the minors to arrest their service time and allow them to develop, but if Steve Nebraska were available with the #1 overall pick this year, you can be assured that he would not be headed to the Gulf Coast League.

2) The NBA does not have an issue handling talent. If they did, you wouldn't have so many tremendous players who are 25 and under.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

The NBA is not blameless though. Rookies in the NFL seem to perform better than rookies in the NBA because IMHO they are required to stay for 3 years. The one and done rule is not good for the NBA or college.

Being a rookie in the NBA, I think, is a bigger transition from college to pro than football, just in terms of schedule, practice and travel.
Once the season starts I don't think most NBA teams practice much, really.
So if you're a rookie you're all of a sudden in longer games with guys that have played hundreds of games, you barely practice and you constantly travel and play back-to-backs.
Just from that standpoint alone I would expect NBA rookies to struggle. I don't know how much playing 3 years would make a difference.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Mr. Laz

You're completely missing the point.

The NBA controls the one and done athletes, not CBB.

College players see the immediate payday, know that it doesn't matter if they are a polished player or not, and the bolt. The college player knows that if they stick around in college that it's just as likely to hurt their draft status as help it.

What does everyone say? If you are a 1st round pick, you go. That is controlled by the NBA, not college. The NCAA face major legal challenges if they try to force college player to stay, they really can't. It's the NBA that has set the draft bar almost completely on potential and flash.

Now they are complaining because they got what they asked for.

The college player is just reacting the NBA. The college coaches draft one and done players because they HAVE to, not because they want that player. The college coaches have to get players to the NBA to help their recruiting. That means they have to worry as much about showcase players as teach fundamentals.

NBA has the money, they ultimately control the results.

I agree with most of this. But your head coach isn't helping matters any running an offense that doesn't resemble anything close to NBA offenses.

[blaise]

Originally Posted by 'Hamas' Jenkins

Anyone who calls the NBA "Hero Ball" probably hasn't watched an NBA game this decade.

Steve Francis has been gone a long time.

[dirk digler]

Originally Posted by Saul Good

Yes, but high school kids aren't physically ready to play in the NFL. High school basketball players often are.

I agree

Originally Posted by blaise

Being a rookie in the NBA, I think, is a bigger transition from college to pro than football, just in terms of schedule, practice and travel.
Once the season starts I don't think most NBA teams practice much, really.
So if you're a rookie you're all of a sudden in longer games with guys that have played hundreds of games, you barely practice and you constantly travel and play back-to-backs.
Just from that standpoint alone I would expect NBA rookies to struggle. I don't know how much playing 3 years would make a difference.

That is a good point as well and something I hadn't considered. Which is why I think the NBA should cut the season in half and get rid of back to backs, maybe only play 3 days a week at most.

[Mr. Laz]

Originally Posted by dirk digler

I agree with most of this. But your head coach isn't helping matters any running an offense that doesn't resemble anything close to NBA offenses.

There are certainly things that CBB and the coaches can do to improve the game.

Can college coaches use an NBA offense when they only have 4 months to teach it? They don't have time to teach a complicated system because player bolt for the NBA.