Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports
The Big Aristotle has spoken, and he says stay in school! Shaquille O’Neal was a guest speaker for a NCAA convention on Wednesday and used some of his time to address the one-and-done habit of college basketball players today.
“A lot of guys do it because of their financial situation and they need to do it. That’s the only way to provide a better means for their family. So when you look at it from that aspect, I understand it,” said O’Neal. Never one to hold back his opinion, Shaq has taken on a strong topic.
O’Neal believes that the rule should be three and done and he was not to shy to share that with the NCAA president, Mark Emmert and those in attendance for the convention. O’Neal, who now has a doctoral degree in education which he received last May from Barry College in Florida, is known for speaking his mind dating back to when he was a player at LSU from 1989-1992.
As coincidence would have it, LSU also happens to be the school at which Emmert was the chancellor. Maybe he knew what Shaq was going to say? Maybe Emmert was using Shaq to push his agenda?
Shaq left LSU before graduating but kept his promise to his family and eventually graduated, receiving his diploma in 2000. However, how many players leave college early and never take the time to go back and finish something they obviously did not value in the first place? A lot.
The money of the NBA, the influence of “friends” and the sly advice of agents pulling young players away from college basketball and all reasons this happens. Some of these guys can play right away, like Derrick Rose and Kevin Durant, but some, like Tyreke Evans and Brandon Wrightm are getting bad advice. The NCAA has a responsibility to protect players from themselves, and the bad influences. Will the rule change? Maybe Mark Emmert just used Shaq to help strengthen his cause.
