MBB | Skipping school

Brandon Jennings chose Europe over college. Will others follow?

By: Michael Bonner

Posted: 11/11/08

Brandon Jennings went to see his coach last spring after he took his final exam at Oak Hill Academy in Virginia. Jennings, the top-rated point guard in the nation, had the talent to excel at Arizona, where he had signed a letter of intent. The issue was whether he could boost his academics to meet Arizona's standards.

After Jennings took that last exam, Oak Hill head coach Steve Smith knew his prized point guard would never step on a college court.

"He's capable, but he really doesn't like school," Smith said. "From the day he took his last final here he said something to me like 'Coach I just went to my last class.' I knew right then he wasn't going to college."

Whatever his test scores turned out to be, he was done with school. Done with junior college. Done with prep school.

But the Oak Hill grad's options were curtailed by the NBA's famed one-year-rule: the much publicized, three-year-old edict which requires all potential draftees to be one year removed from their high school class and at least 19 years of age.

So Jennings went to the only option he saw available. He signed a three-year deal with Lottomatica Virtus Roma, an Italian basketball team. The contract allows Jennings to buy out the remainder of the deal after each season, meaning he can return to the United States to submit his name in the NBA Draft as soon as next season.

The move was seen by some as a monumental precedent. Jennings seemed to blaze a path for other talented high schoolers: Evade college while earning a nice payday in the process. But while Jennings' migration opened up another route for talented recruits, the talent level of European basketball could prove daunting for many teenagers. Most college coaches maintain the likelihood of high school recruits rushing to sign European contracts is an unlikely prospect.

Syracuse head coach Jim Boeheim is one of them.

"I don't think I'll be dealing with multimillion-dollar contracts. It's not a trend, it was a one-time thing," Boeheim said. "Guys like Michael Beasley and Derrick Rose, one-and-done guys, they get more publicity over here.

"If he got his grades up he'd be at Arizona right now."

But he's not a Wildcat. He's in Italy. And he may not be alone.

"I think it's going to happen and I think it should happen," Louisville head coach Rick Pitino said. "I think if someone does not want an education or does not qualify to get his education, he has to go to Plan B, and Plan B is to go to Europe and make a half million dollars."

James Southerland was in the same spot as Jennings last year, but Southerland didn't turn to "Plan B." Southerland signed a letter of intent to play for SU this season but, like Jennings, academics prevented him from suiting up for the Orange. Instead of heading overseas, Southerland went to Notre Dame Prep School to fully focus on improving his SAT scores.

Of course, Southerland's situation is different. The small forward doesn't possess Jennings' immense talent. European teams probably wouldn't have had much interest in Southerland.

Even if Europe was an option, Southerland said he wouldn't bite.

"My main goal with playing basketball was to go to college and get a free education," Southerland said. "There's no place like college. The experience, the people I don't think you'd get that overseas like you do in college. Maybe he just wanted to start a trend. Maybe do his own thing, get people to talk about something."

But while Southerland would likely be overwhelmed by European talent, other blue-chip recruits might have the ability to transition overseas. At the very least, Jennings' decision to go abroad exposed another route for top high school prospects.

"I do think that that's going to become an option," said South Florida head coach Stan Heath. "To be honest with you there will be some great players that don't experience college basketball but I don't see that having any affect on this game."

Smith said Jennings' original plan was to continue his career in Italy as if he were at Arizona: stay one year, and then submit his name in the NBA Draft. But if Jennings isn't a definite first-round pick, he could return to Lottomatica Virtus Roma for another year of development.

But in playing against older, more developed players in European competition, Jennings runs an inherent risk.

"He might go over there and have a tough time and struggle," Heath said. "He might get exposed. … All of a sudden he may be a guy projected out of college to be a top 5 pick and now all of a sudden he falls down that list. It could happen. So I think a lot will be learned as things turn out with Brandon."

Jennings' league consists of a plethora of former college standouts, including Allen Ray (Villanova), David Hawkins (Temple), Christian Drejer (Florida), Erazem Lorbek (Michigan State) and Ibrahim Jaaber (Penn).

"The pitfall is you're playing with men," Pitino said. "Jealous men over there, you know 30-years-old who are very physical. And you could get lost, you could get swallowed up…it's not made for every 18 year old."

Jennings hasn't been swallowed up, but to a degree he has been lost in the shuffle. The McDonald's All-American comes off the bench in Italy, playing behind an eight-year veteran.

When he has played, Jennings has struggled. In Italian league games, the 19-year-old point guard is averaging five points a game in 18 minutes. He's shooting 28 percent for the field, and a meager 18.8 percent from beyond the arc.

Smith said Jennings doesn't regret going to Italy in any way. That sentiment is certainly aided by the $1.2 million Smith estimated his former guard will make this season. That includes his salary from his Italian team, plus a shoe deal with Under Armour.

But a shoe deal can't soften the competition he faces.

"(Jennings) said 'Coach if you get a chance, tell them it's not what they think,'" Smith recalled. "He meant about playing and how good the players are in Europe. He said 'Tell them they're probably not ready.'"

Smith said the NBA is far from Jennings' mind as he fights for playing time. Before he tosses his name into the NBA Draft mix, Jennings wants to hone his own game. To transform his reputation from the YouTube phenom who opened the door for high school recruits to play in Europe to a complete basketball player.

Whether other high schoolers will follow him? That remains to be seen. Smith isn't betting on it.

"Brandon is really, really talented and a really good player and it is still an adjustment for him," Smith said. "I just don't know if a lot of kids are good enough to do it. You hear 'Oh Brandon broke into something new, all the kids are going to follow.' I don't know how many will follow. It won't be many."

mibonner@syr.edu