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    COLUMN: 'One and done' the new norm in UAAP and NCAA. Get used to it

    More and more UAAP and NCAA players are leaving college early - and it ain't that bad
    Jun 30, 2023
    rj abarrientos, tubu, jolina dela cruz, carl tamayo
    commentary

    GONE are the days of chanting “one more year” during college games; and players exhausting their eligibility in the varsity ranks are all but a thing of the past.

    Now, we’re seeing collegiate superstars – both in basketball and volleyball – uproot their careers in the UAAP and NCAA without much hesitation to pursue greener pastures in the pro ranks.

    It’s one, two years of playing for school pride before they head to the races in leagues, either here or overseas.

    READ: Tubu reveals main reason behind move to turn pro

    Most recently, a troika of promising young stars from the Adamson Lady Falcons volleyball team took their talents to rookie team Farm Fresh Foxies in the Premier Volleyball League (PVL).

    Trisha Tubu, a promising rookie, along with Lady Falcons mainstays Kate Santiago and Aprylle Tagsip all decided to forgo their remaining years of eligibility with the San Marcelino-based squad to turn pro.

    Even “super seniors” who had at least a year of collegiate eligibility left were also signed by multiple clubs in the PVL – UST’s Eya Laure, NU’s Jen Nierva, and Cess Robles, and DLSU’s Jolina dela Cruz and Mars Alba, to name just a few.

    It hasn’t been any different in basketball, where we've seen ace rookie RJ Abarrientos of the FEU Tamaraws leave Morayta after just one year to play in the Korean Basketball League, where he has dazzled with the Ulsan Hyundai Mobis Phoebus.

    RJ Abarrientos KBL Rookie of the Year

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    Carl Tamayo of the UP Fighting Maroons also gave up three years of eligibility to sign with the Ryukyu Golden Kings in the Japan B. League.

    With all these stars quickly shifting to the pro ranks, it begs the question – are their early departures good or bad for the future of Philippine sports?

    First, a non-judgmental take on this would argue that this is in fact, not uncommon for college stars; at least in the US where 'one and done' has been the pattern for decades now.

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      Among top Division 1 players, most of the top prospects usually spend only a year in the college ranks before declaring. In the recently concluded 2023 NBA draft, all players coming out of college in the Top 10 played only one year in the US NCAA.

      Meanwhile, top draft pick Victor Wembanyama did away with college altogether, playing professionally in France.

      The truth of the matter is, it’s just always going to be infinitely attractive, and eventually irresistible, for players to try and earn big money in the pro ranks than to continue playing in college games.

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      Trisha Tubu

      Of course, players who take more time trying to reach their full potential will likely spend more time in the league than blue-chip recruits who do not need to boost their credentials in college games.

      But at the end of the day, when opportunity comes knocking, it’ll be hard not to say no.

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      Most, if not all of these student-athletes are keen on providing for their families through their athletic skills. As much as they can, athletes will want to earn while they’re still in their primes to get the best possible compensation.

      Having established that it’s good for the players, and that there isn’t too much incentive to stay except for those who want a opportunity to get a good education, how does this affect their teams and universities?

      SEE ALSO
      SEE ALSO

      At first glance, it seems detrimental to the teams and collegiate leagues to have such coveted stars leave so early. And if you’re a passionate fan of your alma mater, seeing a player hang up his/her jersey so quickly does leave a bit of a sting.

      But there's also the other side of the coin. These departures will serve to encourage schools to work harder - both in terms of recruitment and in developing talents that may not have been as heralded as the 'one and done' stars.

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      This process will only inspire schools to cast a wider net to try and find those so-called diamonds in the rough.

      This has inevitably become one of the many talents of basketball programs in the US which were forced to reinvent themselves. With their stars leaving for the NBA so early, each and every year has posed a different challenge to find their next go-to guy.

      Such changes have also improved league parity, with the NCAA championship going to six different schools in just as many seasons.

      With stars moving on quickly, other programs will have a chance to catch up every offseason, if they land the right recruits and put them in a position to succeed.

      At the end of the day, it does warrant a little bit of getting used to, seeing these student-athletes go pro so soon. But obvious signs do point to a shift that will make these instances more and more common.

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      As for Philippine sports, it’ll be good to have talents in their primes having the option to either stay in college to get an education or head to the pros to make big bucks. Either way, it's good for them.

      But the best thing is, those departures will make room for more players getting the chance to shine. When you look at it that way, it becomes a win-win situation for everyone.

      So, we might as well just prepare ourselves to say goodbye to our favorite school’s superstar, sooner rather than later.

      Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph

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