Future of Recruiting

Evin Demirel has an interesting lead essay in today's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette (pay link) on the rising globalization of basketball, specifically how Americans are now seeking to bypass even the one-year stay in college before reaching the NBA. The dramatic title --

At what price do you give up your youth, or your child’s youth? Well, the answer is: millions . . . and counting

doesn't exactly convey the depth of the piece. We get the usual "hypocrisy of American amateur sports" business and the hints that maybe we should pay those poor college athletes.

Basketball is the focus of the piece, and maybe we should be honest about a couple of things. America was once the place where the world sent its youth to learn our game (be truthful -- basketball is the only 100% born on this soil pro sport). Now there are viable alternatives.

We are to basketball what Europe is to soccer -- the elite. Part of what Demirel details in his story is how futbol has worked around the world, and baseball functions in the Western Hemisphere today. The more interesting passages are devoted to the lengths a handful of American families are going to advance a young athlete's pro potential. In this area, Demirel does his most meaningful work.

At the end of the day, I'm left with this thought. Parents and relatives pushing a talented child ahead, and traveling across the country in search of training or advantages. A system that seeks out, identifies and then uses these young people. Who are these lost youth?

They call them child stars. Paging Macaulay Culkin.