This also assumes a player has not hired an agent, an act that permanently forfeits a player's right to compete at the college level. Draft experts predicted him to be selected in the top five. Then Odom announced his wish to stay in school, a request that should have been considered honorable. But instead he was punished for wanting to return to school. Odom had hired an agent.
Players miss the chance to graduate, but they also miss the chance to mature as people.
The four years of college are meant to be a transition from childhood to adulthood, as it is for most of us. The NCAA is hurting, too. Powerhouses such as Arizona and Michigan State are forced to contend with the fear of losing their superstars at season's end. Recruiting a highly talented player means recruiting someone who will most likely spend only two or three years in the program. It's not fair to the universities, coaches, teammates or fans.