I had the opportunity to watch a high school basketball tournament held in Bender Arena this weekend. The teams were from various prep high schools from around the country, and former players from the same tournament include Wake Forest superstar Chris Paul and the notorious Pacers forward Ron Artest. While the tournament was fun, it was the style of play that really struck me.
In high school basketball, the kids are not concerned with padding their statistics. They are not concerned with looking good for SportsCenter. They are not concerned with signing a big endorsement deal. Most of the kids out there will never play at a higher level, and so their primary concern is helping their team win on any given night. This is a startling thing.
It was refreshing to see a group of young men work together and genuinely play a team game.
The stars of the team, like DeMatha Catholic High School's Mamadi Diane, who is headed to the University of Virginia, never whined when they were benched. Diane and his teammates sat on the bench with their arms linked and watched as the seconds ticked away as their team captured the title.
When the final whistle was blown and the tournament was over, the first thing the players on the two squads did was not what one normally sees at the conclusion of a championship. Each player on both teams went over and shook the hand of every member of the opposing team and congratulated them on a good game. It was a refreshing sight.
Two weeks ago, I wrote about how selfish the NBA was and how the college game was far superior. Little did I know that the high school game was just as good.
Sure, the game wasn't as high-scoring, and mistakes were often made and quickly repeated, but the mindset of the players was the right one. It's hard for me to believe that these same kids often bypass college for the NBA, and it makes me quickly question where to place the blame.
Society has gotten to the point where a level beyond perfection is the only acceptable level. Fans are willing to allow cheating in the form of illegal drug use in order to see bigger superstars, and this mindset has taken its toll on the athletes.
As I watched these kids this weekend, I thought to myself that they have no idea what they're in for. At every step from this point onward, people will only look at them in terms of dollars and cents rather than human beings.
It's important to understand that oftentimes these are kids who have nothing. They are given an unbelievable talent, and society molds them as products rather than people. They have no choice but to go along with the flow.
After the tournament, I saw some of the kids who hadn't made the finals and wouldn't play past high school talking in the stands. One commented on how cool it would be to play in Bender Arena for the Eagles with thousands of fans screaming at them on every possession. "Yeah," said the other one. "But you don't get paid, and how am I gonna afford my cars without the money?"
If this is the thought process of our young athletes, sports are certainly in trouble and we need to realize it. Now.
