THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Saturday, April 15, 1995 TAG: 9504150429
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: FINAL
TYPE: Column
SOURCE: Bob Molinaro
DATELINE: NORFOLK LENGTH: Medium: 74 lines
It's a bad system that puts a bright young man in a position where he feels pressure to auction off a year or two of his youth.
However many millions Joe Smith earns next year as an NBA rookie, the money will come at a cost, however intangible, however private.
This sobering thought was not in play Friday at Maury High, where friends and fans cheered Joe's announcement that he is passing up his final two years of basketball eligibility at Maryland in an attempt to out-race the proposed NBA rookie salary cap.
They cheered for Smith as if he had won the lottery, which, in a way, he has. But maybe some in the crowd stopped to think about what he is giving up. Aren't college experiences worth cherishing?
Joe, who always seems to know the right thing to say, explained his primary motivation for moving on.
``My mother raised seven kids on her own,'' he said. ``It was time to give back.''
There is no arguing with this sweet sentiment. But as Joe spoke, and shed a few tears, you realized just how young this 19-year-old is to be making a decision of such magnitude.
You also got the sense that a part of Joe knows that turning pro now is a case of too much, too soon, but that, for the sake of his family - for the money - it is what he wants to do.
That he announced his intentions from the Maury gym instead of College Park, Md., suggests that Smith wants to savor what's left of his youth before setting off for the grown-up world of the pros.
``This is where it all began for me,'' he said.
So what's next? The money and exposure of the NBA provide a glamorous veneer to an existence that can seem cold and lonely to a kid just departing his teens.
The Smiths appear to be going into this with their eyes wide open. Friday, Joe's mother, Letha Smith, said she would live with her son for at least his rookie season.
``Eating alone, living alone, I don't want him to go through that,'' she said.
The NBA lifestyle is only one thing to consider before giving up on college ball. But if Smith is making a hasty decision, don't blame him, or his advisers. Blame a system that dangles lottery winnings in front of kids who still have some growing up to do - on and off the court.
``Another year (of college) wouldn't hurt,'' Smith admitted. ``But this is a once-in-a-lifetime thing.''
What he means is, the rookie salary cap could cost him as much as $2 million a year starting out.
It all comes down to the threat of the cap. Without it, Smith would be content to remain in school one more year.
Friday, Letha Smith said, ``Joe has reached his goal. Now he wants to reach his ultimate goal.''
If the ultimate goal is to get rich, Smith has made the savvy choice. Without the cap, chances are good he will sign a contract in the neighborhood of $50 million.
But if his goal is to become the best pro player he can be, another year in college wouldn't have hurt.
Smith may be today's best college player, but he is not the pro prospect he could be after another year. The market favors him right now because the most talented who would be upperclassmen have already been drafted. But another season in school would make him stronger, physically and emotionally.
That said, it's also true that few athletes of his talent and celebrity are as level-headed as Joe Smith. To be 19 and to make a decision of a lifetime .
Go get 'em, kid. MEMO: Related stories on page C1. by CNB