Simons Says: Time to pay players, get rid of one-and-done rule
Anfernee Simons is one of the most dissected high school prospects in recent years as the five-star prospect out of IMG Academy (Bradenton, Fla.) has the chance to forge a non-traditional path by forgoing his college eligibility and jumping straight to this June’s NBA Draft. A year removed from his high school’s graduation and of the appropriate age, Simons has the opportunity to earn millions this summer or instead, play for a college program of his choosing.
He has agreed to take part in a weekly journal for Rivals.com, discussing his life at IMG Academy, his future on the hardwood and much more.
What’s up guys? I am back for another journal entry before I kick off my final few games of my prep school career. We are heading to Connecticut this week for the National Prep School Championships. We have been working really hard to prepare for it every day. I think that we can go pretty far in it and win it all. We just have to play together and everybody needs to do their job in order for us to do so.
I feel pretty good going into it. I have been playing well lately. I had about two bad games, but that comes with the game. I just have to get back into the gym and continue to believe in what I can do in getting better.
These past few weeks in college basketball have been wild! With the whole FBI investigation, it is just a crazy situation, but I am not really too focused on all of that.
It was sad to see someone like Shareef O’Neal, who was in a similar situation as me, have to decommit from Arizona following some of the news that came down last week. It is a really sad and depressing decision that you have to make because you had everything planned to go to that school and having to decommit makes you have to basically start all over again. There is a blessing behind everything like that with where you just have to trust in God that He will find you a new school and opportunity.
There has been a lot of talk about the recent reform issues surrounding the college game. Do I think we, as college athletes, should be paid? I do. The schools and NCAA are making a lot of money off of the student-athletes. Some of them will not get the opportunity to leave college and then play professionally but they have contributed to the success of their team and college, so they should profit, as well. How much, I am not sure, but the NCAA should be able to see how college basketball has changed lately and from it, come up with something to benefit the student-athlete.
I also think the rule needs to be fixed that if you are good enough to go from high school to the NBA, you should be able to. We should have the freedom to choose our own destiny and go that route, if we feel it is best for us.
All right guys, gotta run. Nothing new here. I am sure you want to hear the latest on my recruitment, but I have my same schools as before and I am pretty open with my recruitment. I am hearing a lot from Tennessee, Minnesota, Florida, NC State, SMU, Dayton, UCF, and Illinois, but I am just taking things one day at a time.
See you guys next time!