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Spelling bee

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Coaches beware: Recruits eye gold of NBA**

Stephon Marbury has yet to wear a Georgia Tech uniform. Yet from the day he signed with the Yellow Jackets last spring, his name has been one of the most frequently mentioned among Atlantic Coast Conference circles.

The biggest question surrounding the point guard, who hails from Lincoln High School in New York, isn't how many points or assists he's going to average. It's how many years he will stay in school.

The exodus of three of the conference's sophomore superstars--Joe Smith, Rasheed Wallace and Jerry Stackhouse--has caused a tremor among ACC coaches and players. Now, before a player is recruited, one of the questions a coach must ask is, `Are you going to stay four years?'

That's a question that used to have an automatic answer. Players leaving school early was an exception to the rule. Michael Jordan was one of the first big-name stars to leave the ACC early, when he said sayonara to North Carolina after his junior year. But he's Michael Jordan--enough said. Now, before dribbling the ball in a college game, Marbury has already told everyone who will listen that he only plans to stay two years at Georgia Tech.

Hype is the one factor Cremins could do without. Cremins admitted that even he was guilty of overhyping his superstar, calling him the best player he had seen out of high school. He compares Marbury to Notre Dame quarterback Ron Powlus, who entered South Bend as the next Joe Montana, but so far has been the next Vinny Testaverde.

"Everybody has him as an All-American before he's played one game," Cremins said. "It would be like me having to win every game. I would hate to coach like that. I just think that the expectations have gotten out of hand."

Yet in this vicious circle, it's the hype that causes players to think they are capable of making it to the NBA before the age of 20. More and more, players are telling their coaches they're planning to leave before four years. That decision has a profound impact on whether a coach will take a kid.

Duke head coach Mike Krzyzewski hasn't faced that dilemma, since he stresses Duke's academic side--only one player in the Coach K era has yet to finish his degree.

In doing so, Coach K discourages a potential All-American, who could help his ballclub for two years, from enrolling at Duke. It's a strategy other ACC coaches have yet to adopt.

"How can you turn down a great player?" Cremins asked. "You can't turn down a great player, even if you have him for a year, or two years.

"Can you see a high school All-American come into my office and say, Coach, I want to come to Georgia Tech.' and I say,No. I cannot take you because I know you're going to turn pro soon.' That's unrealistic."

The early exodus has also put a kink in recruiting after a star signs. Florida State head coach Pat Kennedy noted if Marbury is even considering the idea of leaving after his freshman year, then Cremins needs to find a point guard to replace him.

But what high school senior superstar would want to go to a school where he's a backup? Thus Cremins has to convince his potential recruits that Marbury is leaving. It's a new part of the recruiting game no one likes to play.

Ironically, while many coaches are concerned about the early exodus, they all are unwilling to prohibit kids from leaving early. Money is the main reason. Many of the great stars, like a Stephon Marbury, or a Chris Webber before him, come from poor families. As North Carolina senior Dante Calabria said, what college sophomore would turn down a job that pays a million a year?

Said Kennedy on the financial aspects of entering the NBA: "If the money's there, and the youngster needs the money for his particular situation, then he should go."

So what is the NCAA to do? Does it go back to the days of old and make freshmen ineligible? If it does that, not only will fans be disappointed, but high school stars are indirectly encouraged to pull a Kevin Garnett and jump straight to the pros.

Does it sit back and do nothing, allowing players to use college as a pit stop for the pros? Then the NCAA would indirectly sideswipe the reason most people go to college--to get an education, not to play basketball.

The NCAA is at a crossroads, and it needs to re-evaluate the system before it's too late. Maybe a committee needs to be formed to discuss the situation of collegiate athletes leaving early. Whatever is done, it needs to be done fast, before even more wonderkids have to make a decision between going to college or playing in the NBA.

John Seelke is a Trinity senior and associate sports editor of The Chronicle.