Keion Brooks Jr. Commits to UK

[IUwins0708]

Again if they are good they will be found.  Ask most athletes, it’s not what you do to in practice to get better it’s what you do on your own time to get better.  Prep school is like AAU ball in the middle of high school basketball season.  It’s an unfortunate trend for us who enjoy watching home grown talent mature through the years.  

[milehiiu]

There's a reason why players don't go on to the next level.  There's also a reason why there is a cut system in prep ball.  Players listed by IU Scott do not fit into either category. 

Isiah Thomas was cut from USA BB.  And the great Michael Jordan got cut from his prep team.  Both rose above. Despite adversity.   Some do, some don't.   In the end, not rising to the next level is not the worst thing that can happen to a young person in life.  As with Thomas, and Jordan, we can see how many rise above adversity, in other ways. In the end.  To have played at all is a life experience few of us can relate to. 

[ADegenerate]

2 hours ago, FKIM01 said:

That's about as objective as you can get.  I'm all for letting a kid decide what is his best path, but I just don't see a ton of evidence that clearly shows the value of a year of prep school.  There might be a little bit of marginal growth but it's hard to say there's any clear evidence of a real advantage.

I love reading your input on the boards FKIM01 because I think we're on total opposite sides politically and I think we think very differently in how we view and process things yet I still I think we could still have good rational debates and discussions. Sometimes I don't handle myself well on here if I feel like there's no wiggle room for some sort of consensus/middle ground and my passion gets the best of me at times but you always handle yourself well so big respect there from me. 

I took a few days off because I figured I would be in the minority and piss a few people off but it looks like the debate is hot and heavy. I'm not sure there's much wiggle room on this one and the infighting and negative attention the kid might receive about his choice is only going to push him away. I can't see how that does anybody any good here so I wish we could just drop it.

 

[ADegenerate]

2 hours ago, FKIM01 said:

That's about as objective as you can get.  I'm all for letting a kid decide what is his best path, but I just don't see a ton of evidence that clearly shows the value of a year of prep school.  There might be a little bit of marginal growth but it's hard to say there's any clear evidence of a real advantage.

For me there is some value in the way you're spoiled at these prep schools. Maybe the less solo focus you have on your school work, the travel, the lifestyle, the focus more on basketball rather than being a typical HSer prepares you better for your freshman year. This value wouldn't really show for someone who is clearly a 4 year college player that will get about 5 minutes a game his freshman year but I think it does have some pretty big value for someone who will come in and play 15-25. I think it's good for confidence and self belief too. They are basically preparing themselves as professionals a year early and whether folks like it or not...the competition is always getting tougher and tougher and edges smaller and smaller must be maximized to stay ahead of the game. 

 

[FKIM01]

2 minutes ago, ADegenerate said:

I love reading your input on the boards FKIM01 because I think we're on total opposite sides politically and I think we think very differently in how we view and process things yet I still I think we could still have good rational debates and discussions. Sometimes I don't handle myself well on here if I feel like there's no wiggle room for some sort of consensus/middle ground and my passion gets the best of me at times but you always handle yourself well so big respect there from me. 

I took a few days off because I figured I would be in the minority and piss a few people off but it looks like the debate is hot and heavy. I'm not sure there's much wiggle room on this one and the infighting and negative attention the kid might receive about his choice is only going to push him away. I can't see how that does anybody any good here so I wish we could just drop it.

 

Appreciate the kind words, even if they do come from a degenerate (VBG!).  I'm mostly a live and let live kind of guy so we'd probably get along just fine as long as you don't speak in absolutes (VBG again!)

This is Keion's decision and in the grand scheme of life, I don't see it really hurting him.  On the flip side, based on everything I see, I don't see him helping him much either, to be honest.  You see it as a much bigger advantage and you may be right.  Some kids may benefit more than others, but other than the eyeball test, I doubt any of us will be able to do anything beyond speculating how much it really helps players prepare for the next level.  If Keion thinks it is a benefit in preparing him for college, he should be able to make the decision to transfer without adults (term used loosely) with nothing better to do calling him selfish in his Twitter feed.

[ADegenerate]

2 minutes ago, FKIM01 said:

Appreciate the kind words, even if they do come from a degenerate (VBG!).  I'm mostly a live and let live kind of guy so we'd probably get along just fine as long as you don't speak in absolutes (VBG again!)

This is Keion's decision and in the grand scheme of life, I don't see it really hurting him.  On the flip side, based on everything I see, I don't see him helping him much either, to be honest.  You see it as a much bigger advantage and you may be right.  Some kids may benefit more than others, but other than the eyeball test, I doubt any of us will be able to do anything beyond speculating how much it really helps players prepare for the next level.  If Keion thinks it is a benefit in preparing him for college, he should be able to make the decision to transfer without adults (term used loosely) with nothing better to do calling him selfish in his Twitter feed.

We definitely would get along. Poker took absolutes way off the table for me for the most part although I do sprinkle a few in on here from time to time when I get frustrated (Mistake!!)! It's a recipe for disaster and stunts your growth if you think like that. Some of you drive me crazy and I'm sure I drive some of you all crazy so I guess it's balanced in the end.

[CauseThatsMyDJ]

2 hours ago, milehiiu said:

There's a reason why players don't go on to the next level.  There's also a reason why there is a cut system in prep ball.  Players listed by IU Scott do not fit into either category. 

Isiah Thomas was cut from USA BB.  And the great Michael Jordan got cut from his prep team.  Both rose above. Despite adversity.   Some do, some don't.   In the end, not rising to the next level is not the worst thing that can happen to a young person in life.  As with Thomas, and Jordan, we can see how many rise above adversity, in other ways. In the end.  To have played at all is a life experience few of us can relate to. 

Michael Jordan didn’t go to prep school. 

[ArchieBall13]

3 minutes ago, CauseThatsMyDJ said:

Michael Jordan didn’t go to prep school. 

Don't go giving Scott another non-prep high school player to add to his list 

[CauseThatsMyDJ]

Just now, ArchieBall13 said:

Don't go giving Scott another non-prep high school player to add to his list 

I can’t  believe he hasn’t brought up LeBron yet. 

[CauseThatsMyDJ]

3 hours ago, IUwins0708 said:

Again if they are good they will be found.  Ask most athletes, it’s not what you do to in practice to get better it’s what you do on your own time to get better.  Prep school is like AAU ball in the middle of high school basketball season.  It’s an unfortunate trend for us who enjoy watching home grown talent mature through the years.  

Precisely, it is selfishly upsetting to grown men and that’s the problem. 

[PoHoosier]

15 minutes ago, CauseThatsMyDJ said:

Precisely, it is selfishly upsetting to grown men and that’s the problem. 

I was about to post the same thing.

In the end, it's easy to see all sides of the argument.  With each individual being different, we will see each player making different decisions making judgements in our own myopic view.  Hard for me to criticize either way.

[DocHoosier]

Anytime the discussion regarding prep school vs HS wants to end, you have my blessing. 

[ArchieBall13]

Keion, what up man??

[IU Scott]

14 hours ago, milehiiu said:

Jason Gardner. Another name to add to the list, IMHO.  Played at North Central.  Mr. Basketball in Indiana.  Current coach in Indiana. 

I don't think he was drafted.  I just was showing all the Indiana kids that played high school basketball in Indiana and still got drafted.

[IU Scott]

10 hours ago, CauseThatsMyDJ said:

I can’t  believe he hasn’t brought up LeBron yet. 

I am only talking about Indiana kids.  I would bet a lot of money the people who are against Indiana kids going to prep school grew up in Indiana.  I would also bet most of th epeople who are on the other side did not grow up in Indiana.

[ColtsIUDomer]

1 hour ago, IU Scott said:

I am only talking about Indiana kids.  I would bet a lot of money the people who are against Indiana kids going to prep school grew up in Indiana.  I would also bet most of th epeople who are on the other side did not grow up in Indiana.

I grew up and played in Indiana. I don't like it, but I get it. I still hope like heck he ends up in Bloomington.

I've always assumed these prep teams are 'by invitation only', is that correct?  I mean i know Daddy can probably buy his kid a spot on the team... 

[Seeking6]

I was born in Chicago. I despise most things related to AAU and Academy factories. If we ever meetup in person I could tell you off the record exactly where the bodies are buried on several high profile Chicago recruits.

I love Indiana high school basketball. 3 generations of Hoosiers on both sides of family played, lived and died with high school hoops since the 50's. With that said. If a kid wants to go to an academy. Cool. I gave up on "what things used to be" thinking around 1995 when I left IU. I think part of the reason our program hasn't been to a Final 4 since 2002 is that we are stuck in the proverbial what things used to be like. Respect our past but darn....let's get out of it and move forward. 

[OGIUAndy]

11 hours ago, CauseThatsMyDJ said:

Michael Jordan didn’t go to prep school. 

But he also didn't get "cut" from his high school team. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1020151-michael-jordans-high-school-coach-exposes-another-mj-myth https://sports.yahoo.com/michael-jordan-really-cut-high-school-team-215707476.html

 

[FW_Hoosier]

I guess an IU degree is probably required to understand that millions of dollars are more valuable than a high school state championship.

[zerawkid]

1 hour ago, OGIUAndy said:

But he also didn't get "cut" from his high school team. https://bleacherreport.com/articles/1020151-michael-jordans-high-school-coach-exposes-another-mj-myth https://sports.yahoo.com/michael-jordan-really-cut-high-school-team-215707476.html

 

If memory serves, he didn’t make the team his freshman year of high school, yeah?

[dgambill]

1 hour ago, FW_Hoosier said:

I guess an IU degree is probably required to understand that millions of dollars are more valuable than a high school state championship.

Why can't you see that all he is saying is that one does not mutually exclude the other. Going to HS doesn't mean you can't go on to be successful in the NBA and get millions. You can do both. You can also do it your way and not end up in the pros too. It can and does work both ways so there is no one right answer for every case. Right now there is just as many professional players that played HS basketball as those that went to a prep school. Personally I only care as much as I would selfishly like to see Indiana HS basketball stay strong and I look forward to sectionals and semi state etc and watching our greats compete with one another. I fully understand there are many legit reasons to go to a prep school....for one if a kid needs special educational help to qualify to go to college. Or if a kid is living and going to school in a horribly unsafe environment (gangs, drugs, violence). Thirdly if the school does not have the adequate facilities, coaching, or competition to advance the kids skills. It absolutely makes sense....but lets be real...not every prep school and player at a prep school is better than at many high schools. There are plenty of rich daddy's boys on those teams too. It's the parents choice to send them and I absolutely applaud the right of parents to send their kid to whatever school they choose...but for just basketball purposes...I am not prepared to say a kid is always better off going the prep route...and they will certainly miss out on many of the things that are special about high school...on and off the court.

In this one instance with Brooks...it sounds like there is some animosity likely from teammates and coaches and possibly parents and the school in that he was kicked off his HS team and I am sure that is a major factor in him leaving but lets not just act like this is as simple as if he goes to prep school he has a better shot at playing in the NBA then if he stayed in HS....because that is not a proven fact and there are many factors that decide that...and those factors are different from kid to kid. Anyways...decision is made...and I especially hope that this is the best thing for Brooks...and he uses his time to get better...and of course he comes to IU and we benefit from that. Nobody wants these kids to fail. I fully understand both sides on this argument and honestly both are correct to a great degree. There are many circumstances where a prep school is a huge advantage and then there are some where HS makes sense (especially since many of these AAU kids are coached by these same HS coaches). Are there some shady things that happen at these prep schools...probably...but then again there are some shady recruiting happening all over the country out of HS too. This absolutely could be the best thing that could happen for Brooks...or it may not...let's hope it works out!

[IU Scott]

19 minutes ago, dgambill said:

Why can't you see that all he is saying is that one does not mutually exclude the other. Going to HS doesn't mean you can't go on to be successful in the NBA and get millions. You can do both. You can also do it your way and not end up in the pros too. It can and does work both ways so there is no one right answer for every case. Right now there is just as many professional players that played HS basketball as those that went to a prep school. Personally I only care as much as I would selfishly like to see Indiana HS basketball stay strong and I look forward to sectionals and semi state etc and watching our greats compete with one another. I fully understand there are many legit reasons to go to a prep school....for one if a kid needs special educational help to qualify to go to college. Or if a kid is living and going to school in a horribly unsafe environment (gangs, drugs, violence). Thirdly if the school does not have the adequate facilities, coaching, or competition to advance the kids skills. It absolutely makes sense....but lets be real...not every prep school and player at a prep school is better than at many high schools. There are plenty of rich daddy's boys on those teams too. It's the parents choice to send them and I absolutely applaud the right of parents to send their kid to whatever school they choose...but for just basketball purposes...I am not prepared to say a kid is always better off going the prep route...and they will certainly miss out on many of the things that are special about high school...on and off the court.

In this one instance with Brooks...it sounds like there is some animosity likely from teammates and coaches and possibly parents and the school in that he was kicked off his HS team and I am sure that is a major factor in him leaving but lets not just act like this is as simple as if he goes to prep school he has a better shot at playing in the NBA then if he stayed in HS....because that is not a proven fact and there are many factors that decide that...and those factors are different from kid to kid. Anyways...decision is made...and I especially hope that this is the best thing for Brooks...and he uses his time to get better...and of course he comes to IU and we benefit from that. Nobody wants these kids to fail. I fully understand both sides on this argument and honestly both are correct to a great degree. There are many circumstances where a prep school is a huge advantage and then there are some where HS makes sense (especially since many of these AAU kids are coached by these same HS coaches). Are there some shady things that happen at these prep schools...probably...but then again there are some shady recruiting happening all over the country out of HS too. This absolutely could be the best thing that could happen for Brooks...or it may not...let's hope it works out!

Great post and agree with what you say. I just don't base all of my decisions solely on money and I feel sorry for people who think money is the only thing that matters.  To me the memories you make playing for you local high school team would totally be worth not going to prep schools.  I feel sorry for some kids where there parents are riding on their coat tails and pushing them to hard for a scholarship and not letting kids be kids.

[BDB]

1 hour ago, IU Scott said:

Great post and agree with what you say. I just don't base all of my decisions solely on money and I feel sorry for people who think money is the only thing that matters.  To me the memories you make playing for you local high school team would totally be worth not going to prep schools.  I feel sorry for some kids where there parents are riding on their coat tails and pushing them to hard for a scholarship and not letting kids be kids.

You don't base your decisions solely on money and some people don't base their decisions on a high school basketball team.  

[OGIUAndy]

2 hours ago, zerawkid said:

If memory serves, he didn’t make the team his freshman year of high school, yeah?

He didn't make varsity his sophomore year. This was the 70s when I believe most people still went to junior high/middle school (grades 7-9), so he wouldn't be in high school his "freshman" year. At least that's what I've read. So his high school career started at 10th grade, when he was much shorter. And he didn't get cut, he just played for the JV team.  http://www.interbasket.net/news/19696/2016/05/michael-jordans-high-school-stats-and-accomplishments/

 

[IU Scott]

13 minutes ago, OGIUAndy said:

He didn't make varsity his sophomore year. This was the 70s when I believe most people still went to junior high/middle school (grades 7-9), so he wouldn't be in high school his "freshman" year. At least that's what I've read. So his high school career started at 10th grade, when he was much shorter. And he didn't get cut, he just played for the JV team.  http://www.interbasket.net/news/19696/2016/05/michael-jordans-high-school-stats-and-accomplishments/

 

I went to school at that time and our middle or junior high was 7th and 8th grade. Our high school was 9th through 12th grade.