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Anyway, some other stories worth nothing from last week were:
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Bob Huggins signs an 11-year contract with West Virginia
(Good for Huggs. And West Virginia.)
Kelvin Sampson joins the Milwaukee Bucks staff
(Insert your own cell phone joke here.)
Sixty-nine underclassmen declare for NBA Draft
(Insert your own sex joke here)
Seriously, 69?
When the official list was released I knew it'd be a high number. But 69 is silly, and I'm ready to alter my stance that there's no harm in declaring early because you can always go back to school as long as you don't jeopardize your amateur status (or, more accurately, don't get caught jeopardizing your amateur status). Truth is, there is a harm, and the harm is that formally declaring for the draft when you're not capable can turn you into a punch line, and I'm talking about you, Derek Bailey.
In fairness, I don't know a thing about Derek Bailey.
But that's kind of the point, isn't it?
I'm familiar with most all of the early entrants -- from Michael Beasley to Kiwan Smith -- because it's my job to be familiar with relevant basketball players big and small. But this Derek Bailey character is a mystery, and I can't imagine a mystery will be invited to any workouts, which is why the NBA should do something and prevent the act of declaring for the NBA Draft from further becoming akin to jumping from the stands and running around a baseball field during a telecast. You know those guys, right? The ones who run around waving and smiling in search of the attention that comes from acting stupid? They started surfacing with such regularity in recent seasons that producers decided they would no longer play along, which is why streakers rarely make it onto TV screens these days.
Streakers are instead ignored, and the NBA should take a similar approach because it seems there are guys turning pro just to get their name on a list next to the names of Eric Gordon and Derrick Rose even though their name doesn't belong on that list any more than your name belongs that list. It's bizarre, and yet if I were a college student I'd almost certainly file the proper paperwork and declare for the NBA Draft because, honestly, what would be funnier than sitting around a frat house party with a keg and 15 buddies while watching CBSSports.com as your name appears on the list next to legitimate names like Brook Lopez and D.J. Augustin?
Declaring for the draft could become some sort of frat initiation.
Because if Derek Bailey can declare for the draft why can't everybody declare?
And if everybody declares how will I ever find the time to vacation again?
