Imagine having the opportunity to be drafted first pick overall, but like Ben Simmons, 2016 first overall pick of the NBA draft, athletes are injury prone like how he fractured his right metatarsal bone during training camp. He was viewed as a future star player before his injury. All hope of a future in the NBA has been postponed for Ben Simmons or even worse, he could have no future in the NBA. What now? Attending college is important, especially when playing a sport that relies more on physical skill rather than mental skill. Injury or retirement, athletes need a plan B in life when basketball is over. Young athletes would be better off if they finished school before being drafted to the pros because it gives all athletes other opportunities for wealth after an injury or retirement.

Student-athletes need to go finish college to avoid a financial gap after retirement. Retirement can leave old athletes without a job, and if throughout the athlete’s career, if he or she was reckless with all the wealth being given then their going to need a plan B. Allen Iverson, a famous retired NBA star, went straight to the NBA after high school. “ For the past three years, as Iverson chased an NBA comeback, his marriage fell apart and much of his fortune.” Allen Iverson after retirement had no plan or future. In fact he wanted to go back to the NBA to get more wealth and satisfaction from the way he left in the first place. His money was going and his life was falling apart after retirement. But if college was an option for Iverson his outcome would have been different. “ ‘He has hit rock bottom, and he just hasn’t accepted it yet,’ says a former philadelphia teammate Roshown Mcleod.” Economically and mentally athlete’s like Iverson start going down hill after retirement, with no degree or plan B there is no way to escalate in their career compared to their NBA contracts.

Staying in school before the professional level of basketball will give athlete’s options and opportunities after an early or later on injury. Injury changes an athlete’s life, especially after a severe injury life a torn ACL or broken leg. Derrick Rose was a star player on the Chicago Bulls who ended up getting injured, “After struggling to return to his pre injury form, Rose once again injured his knee, tearing his meniscus during 2013-14 season.” After being injured once,  most players are prone to injury the rest of their basketball career. Similar to Derrick Rose, athlete’s careers will never be as expected because of the risk of injuries, which leaves question for a plan B. College could give Rose something to look at after he can no longer play basketball. But like Rose, a former NBA player, Tracy Mcgrady’s injury stop him from going further in his career as an athlete. “Back injuries forced Mcgrady to adapt his game to realize he would be less explosive.” Tracy Mcgrady’s injury downgraded his game and he didn’t make as much as predicted. Injury destroyed Derrick’s and Tracy’s basketball career, but like most athletes, they had no idea what the future had in store for them. A college degree can go a long way when injury shortens a athletic career.
Going to college for at least a bachelor's degree can guarantee to teach maturity to young athletes who have no experience in adult life. People being drafted in the NBA range from ages 18 to 20. That's a young age to go from rags to riches so quickly. Athlete’s at a young age tend spend money unwisely and tend to do things unwisely. “Apart from the outlandish amount of money professional athletes receive; some of this money is given to athletes barely in their 20’s. College students are used to being broke.” Money is a gift but if put in the wrong hands, money can change people. Young athletes need to mature enough to receive more money than non-athletic people receive at their age and college can help with that. “The athlete could take a financial accounting class in his second year that could teach him the proper way to invest his money.” Going to college gives people a chance to acknowledge the basics of adult life in the United States and if athletes are skipping college then how will they learn the pros and cons of a NBA career. Staying in college leaves room for knowledge, improvement, and opportunities.

By going further in the education level, it gives student-athletes more experience and improvement in knowledge and in physical skill. The time in college can affect a player's overall strength and talent. More time spent in college is more time to work on improvement needed in order to be already adapting to the NBA style. Staying in school helps athletes really decide what they want to do with their lives. “Athletes have a gift physically and most have gifts intellectually as well.” Most students have many talents and if basketball isn’t an only talent why waste time on only one gift. College can give opportunities for athletes to express every talent they have, either being a basketball player or being a very skilled worker. “Other athletes like Troy Smith and A.Q. Shipley have put education first, while still reaching the professional level in their sports.” It took time to improved these players in order to be ready for the pros while still filling their brains with knowledge to improve their career in general. College gives athletes a chance to test their game, instead of going straight to the NBA with no experience with tougher opponents, social media, and the pressure. Same way there is pre-calculus or pre-algebra, there should be a “pre-NBA” where young athletes adapt to the NBA before being drafted.

The decision is the athlete’s, staying in college or go professional level, there are benefits for either way. But when considering what the future awaits, staying in college will guarantee a career in basketball or not. The time in college will improve an athlete’s skill, knowledge and opportunity. And based off former NBA players, some would say college is the best way to go. Players like Allen Iverson, Derrick Rose, and Tracy Mcgrady each had their own experience in the NBA life, But like any other human, we all make mistakes. People get injured or retire and then what? Staying in school will promise a constant career for athletes that basketball cannot promise, because of the risk of injury or retirement. It's better to learn from our mistakes rather than to run from them.