The injury suffered by Clippers guard Shaun Livingston was gruesome, and it's made worse when you consider how much it hurt Livingston financially. Some people are looking at this injury and seeing it as evidence that Livingston should have gone to college. But I think that gets it exactly backward, and Dan Wetzel at Yahoo Sports has a much more perceptive view. If the injury demonstrates anything, it's the unpredictability of basketball (and life), and the importance of striking while the iron is hot.
Let's say Kevin Durant or Greg Oden suffered a similar injury. Wouldn't everyone say it was a tragedy that it happened before they were able to cash in on their basketball talent? Wouldn't it cause people to question the fairness of the NBA's minimum-age rule?
College basketball stars like Durant and Oden are risking their futures every time they step on the floor. Both of them are amateurs now, playing a waiting game until they can make their millions. The only thing more sickening than Livingston's injury would be a similar injury to a player who never got his chance in the NBA.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
3-03-2007 @ 9:08AM
Adam said...
Very interesting...
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3-03-2007 @ 9:19AM
Dave's Football Blog said...
Don't most of these can't-miss players take out seven-figure insurance policies that will cover them in the event of such an injury? I seem to remember this becoming the norm after Todd Ellis blew out his knee at South Carolina in the late 80s.
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3-04-2007 @ 4:50PM
mmcmahan said...
An injury to anyone would be terrible but not to get a chance at the main event so much worst. What would it do to a young person like Ogen. Well he could go into coaching and still make good money. Remember most of us only make small change, so if they take a chance by playing and getting an education, they are still ahead of a normal person. I say let them play college and be a real student like regular young people. Go Bucks
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