Quick Edit: Looks like Da'Sean Butler did, in fact, have a torn ACL. He has since had surgery on the knee.
On April 4th, one week ago today, Da’Sean Butler
was a crumpled heap on the Lucas Oil Stadium floor.
After leading his West Virginia Mountaineers to an
improbable Final 4 berth, the All-American senior had faced an established and
well-coached Duke team in the heat of the national spotlight. Butler was the
main offensive option and strongest on-court leader for West Virginia
A win against Duke meant a trip to the championship game. But the Mountaineers were down big, and it
was up Da’Sean Butler to bring this Cinderella back.
On a decisive dribble-drive down the left side, Butler
But Butler
* * *
On April 4th, one week ago today, the Milwaukee
Bucks were facing the Phoenix Suns in a late regular-season NBA match.
Both teams were in the throes of the playoff race, and needed
the victory to secure a favorable match-up in the postseason. Amidst the “Fear the Deer” signs and rabid
chants of the Milwaukee faithful, the Bucks surged out to an early 12-point
lead over the talented Suns, and looked poised to run away with the game.
Off an errant shot by Amare Stoudamire, forward Carlos
Delfino found a streaking Andrew Bogut ahead of the defense. Bogut,
But as his momentum carried him forwards, Andrew lost his
grip on the rim. His body turned in
mid-air as he released, and he fell with the brunt of his 260-pound frame
directly on his right arm.
The arm bent unnaturally behind his back, under the full
weight of his fall. The arena went
silent as the training staff rushed to his aid, tending to the disfigured
joint. It was the most grotesque injury
in the NBA since Shawn Livingston’s knee catastrophe three years ago, and
possibly the worst arm injury in the history of the NBA.
* * *
Every single basketball player is playing with the house’s
money. Each time you step on the court,
you are putting your future games at risk, no matter how small that risk may
be. After enough games, after enough
plays, there is a near-certain probability that something will go wrong. It may be a turned ankle, it may be a
dislocated shoulder. But, odds are, it
will happen to you.
I have friends who blew out their knees in an empty gym,
shooting jumpers. Heck, Sam Bowie broke
his leg in an exhibition layup line with the Blazers in 1987. It’s borrowed time we’re all playing with, a
Russian roulette with sneakers.
And this is why I will never hold it against a player for
declaring for the draft early.
Look at it this way: Da’Sean Butler’s injury, though painful
and scary, turned out to be a simple knee sprain. Nothing worse. It probably won’t affect his career in the
long run. And though it shouldn’t affect
his draft status, it undeniably will. He
was originally projected as a potential lottery pick, and he has since fallen
deep into the 2nd round in mock drafts since the tournament.
As a lottery pick, Butler
It was just a knee sprain, (note - see edit at top!) but it serves as an example of
the worst possible outcome for pre-NBA stars everywhere.
Andrew Bogut’s injury was drastic and ugly, and turned out
to be way worse than Butler
Two injuries on the same day. One was dramatically worse than the
other. But the lesser injury may have
meant a loss of $30 million, and a chance at an NBA career. Doesn’t seem right, does it?
* * *
Players are admonished, both in the media and by collegiate
coaches and executives, for leaving school early in order to pursue their NBA
dreams. They say the training and
experience of four years in college pays substantial dividends when it comes
time to make the leap into the NBA. The skills learned on the college court will
translate into playing time in the league, and the life lessons learned in school
are invaluable.
Besides, they say,
if things don’t work out in the pro’s,
you’ll always have your degree to fall back on.
Bubkus, I say.
A top-tier player is sitting on a winning lottery
ticket. If they are a first-round draft
pick, that means a guaranteed contract, and a near-guaranteed opportunity. You pass that up, there’s no certainty that
the opportunity will present itself again.
The opportunity, plus a guaranteed multi-million dollar
contract, that is.
Now, I am not all about the money. But name for me a situation where it’s understandable
to withhold, say, $7 million from someone who has earned it. A CEO would spend years in the courtroom
trying to get that money back. And
that’s not to mention the Kevin Garnetts, the Kobe Bryants, the Dwight Howards
and LeBron James that came directly from high school to drive the NBA. Would the league really be better off if they
had risked one of these superstars for a year in college?
These kids’ lives revolve around their capacity to play
basketball, and a great number of them don’t get that opportunity because of an
injury occurring before they could be properly compensated. An NBA contract is a fail-safe. And you get no such thing in college ball.
You can always go back and get your degree, but you can’t
give back a busted body part. The window
of opportunity to play in the NBA is simply too small and too risky to pass up.
Thus, I am officially against the age requirement for the
NBA. Aside from the constitutional
arguments and the legality of the rule, it is simply unfair to the handful of
talented high-schoolers out there who are risking another year of potential
injury before they are eligible. If you are
a legal adult, have the skills and the ability to play in the NBA, and the
possibility exists for you to sign a contract that compensates your abilities,
no power on Earth should be able keep that from you.
Andrew Bogut was fortunate to make it through his two
seasons at Utah
His injury will almost certainly cost him millions. And that’s what makes his story all the more tragic.
* * *
Let’s hope there is light at the end of this tunnel. Butler
I think back to a week ago, as West Virginia Butler Butler
It makes me wonder what Coach Bob Huggins was whispering in
Da’Sean Butler’s ear. What would you
have said?
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