For my research essay I will be discussing the idea that NBA players should get a college degree either before entering the league, during, or after. I want to be able to find players who believe that getting a college degree is important, even though they are already making money just by playing basketball. 60% of NBA players go broke the first five years after their retirement because they do not have the skills to handle their money. The future is mysterious so NBA players do not know what is waiting for them after the NBA.
Background: This article discusses NBA players: Tim Duncan and Keith Van Horn both going to four year colleges. They were Number 1 and 2 draft picks of the 1997 NBA draft. They both got bachelors degrees and saw it as an opportunity if anything went wrong with their basketball careers. Both made promises to parents who passed away, which was to finish school.
How I Intend to Use it: This article will help me keep in mind that some NBA players did in fact stay in college for four years and get bachelors degrees. They were still able to come out of the draft as Number 1 and 2 picks, so it shows that their talents didn’t lesson just because they stayed in school longer.
Background: This article discusses Duke University using a three year program for their athletes to graduate sooner so they can get to the draft. The athletes do some summer school to make sure they have all their credits done in three years to graduate.
How I Intend to Use it: This article will help my argument that there is a possible way for the athletes to get their degrees. The athletes would just have to work really hard to get their degree in three years so they could go to the draft.
Background: This article discusses NBA players returning to school to get their degree. Many players went back to school after they retired, while some players continued to do school while they were in the league. Some players are even going for their graduate degree while they continue to play.
How I Intend to Use it: This article will help me show that there were people who got their degrees even while they were playing in the NBA. They all saw a life after basketball so they wanted to get their degrees to eventually have something to fall back on.
Background: This article discusses how NBA players attend college during their off-season to get their degree. About 60% of retired NBA players go broke after 5 years. Players can do their schooling at the actual University or online. Some NBA players during retirement will stay in the field of sports and others will do something that goes with their degree. They want to have a plan when they come out of retirement so that they don’t make bad investments or spend all of their money.
How I Intend to Use it: This article can help me prove what can happen to an NBA player if they don’t have the right resources when they retire. It shows some players who are currently in the league who went to college in their off season.
Background: This article talks about the “one-and-done” rule that the NBA has for prospects which is that they have to do a year of college before going to the draft. The NCAA has minimal requirements for athletes who are doing the one-and-done rule, the only benefit for that rule is the players are getting a chance to play more competitive basketball and the NBA teams are getting a closer look at them. Players that go to college first also get their name out to the public more, so once they get to the NBA, they’ll sell more items with their name on it.
How I Intend to Use it: This article shows some benefits of staying in school rather than skipping college. It is also showing how the one-and-done rule isn’t very logical.
a1175
aeks123
alyse816
bmdpiano
chancetoremember
chippy1313
dancestar10
davidbdale
dunkindonuts10
dupreeh79
Cleo
gossipgirl3801
greeneggsandham234
harp03
j6128
killerbeanforever
kingoflizards
krustykrabpizza7
nayr79
nickalodeansallthat
omgmafia
romanhsantiago
rose1029
samtheman1448
shaquilleoatmeal2250
Shiloh Vasko
sixers103
starbucks732
stripedsweater21
studentwriter1212
taxmanmaxwell
tenere84
More Money Maintenance
therealjohnsanchez
torthey
walmaarts
wentzwagon11
Counterintuitive 
This is a perfectly reasonable position to take, A, and no thoughtful person would dispute that a college degree is a good thing to have. You might also say that every high school student should take a course called Personal Finance so that she would be better prepared to handle her money wisely. But once we all nod in agreement that both those ideas are good, solid advice, would we all agree to mandate both? It would be easy for a school district to mandate a course as a requirement for graduating. Can a business, or a professional sports league, mandate a college degree legally or ethically?
You will certainly find many, and their anecdotes will be inspiring to some, but will their thoughtful decisions persuade your readers that thoughtfulness can be forced on all ball players?
That’s an astounding statistic, so surprising in fact that you might need some verification to make it really convincing, and it says a lot about how poorly young ballplayers are prepared for sudden wealth. But will it convince your critical reader that a college degree would have prevented that rich kid from blowing his fortune? Or is your argument instead that he might still crap out of the league in a couple of years without enough money to sustain the rest of his life, maybe even go bankrupt, but be better prepared for what comes after because of his degree? Whatever your position, you’ll need to make it very clear.
Is that helpful?