The Sooner's Blake Griffen is headed to the NBA

04/08/2009 01:50 pm

After assembling one of the most successful individual basketball seasons in University of Oklahoma history that culminated with Sunday's acceptance of the Naismith Trophy as the national player of the year, sophomore Blake Griffin met with reporters Tuesday afternoon to announce that he will forego his final two seasons of collegiate eligibility to enter the 2009 NBA Draft. We'll miss him around Norman!

04/08/2009 09:20 pm

I heartily agree that Blake is perhaps the most talented college basketball player on earth! I wish him well, and know he'll be a star in the NBA...

HOWEVER, I feel that any college athlete who forsakes their education for playing pro ball is losing an incredible gift: the gift of a free education at one of the best universities in the country. Thus, I also believe that an athlete that turns down this golden opportunity to graduate should pay back any scholarship money wasted on him or her that COULD have gone to another student in financial need.

A university, no matter how big, can only accept so many students. When one of those precious spaces is occupied by someone who doesn't believe an education is more important than a job (ANY job), then I feel they have a duty to make up what they have wasted, and pay the university back for their faith in them. And IF Blake does, indeed, go pro...and I honestly hope he does, for his sake...I'm sure he can afford it!

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