I love college, but if someone offered me a $2 million-a-year job, I wouldn’t hesitate for a second—I’d be gone.
Sadly, that job offer isn’t coming my way any time soon. It’s absurd to consider it even a possibility. None of my sophomore classmates have any kind of skills that valuable. That is, except for one.
Greg Monroe must love college more than Asher Roth, because that job offer has been in his hands for weeks now, and he’s still sitting in class. Professional basketball and its riches await the 6-foot-11-inch center, who has until April 25 to declare for the NBA draft.
If Monroe were to enter the NBA this year, he would in all likelihood be taken in the draft lottery, which is comprised of the first 14 picks, and certainly in the first round. That’s important, because every player chosen in the first round is guaranteed a two-year contract. He would make no less than $850,000 in his first year out of college.
Monroe’s in line for a lot more than that, though. ESPN has the big man ranked as the tenth-best draft prospect. NBADraft.net has him going sixth in its latest mock draft. Assuming he was selected with the tenth overall pick, Monroe would be guaranteed $3.8 million over two years. The average American with a bachelor’s degree makes $2.1 million over the course of their entire career, according to a recent Census Bureau report.
So Monroe doesn’t need a Georgetown degree. By leaving for the NBA now, he could be set for a comfortable life by the time his classmates are picking up their diplomas. If it’s all about the money, Monroe should and would declare for the draft today.
But in this case, it’s clearly not all about the money. If it were, Monroe would have left after his freshman season, when his stock was just as high.
Photo by Lynn Kirshbaum
For all the millions of reasons Monroe has to go pro, there are equally compelling (if less numerous) arguments for staying in school. Barring catastrophic injury, that NBA payday will still be there in a year or two. In the meantime, Monroe can return to a completely intact team with the talent to compete for a national championship and try to avenge this season’s embarrassing first round NCAA tournament exit.
Coming back could also be the wiser long-term career move for Monroe. An extra year of collegiate seasoning could make the big man—who, it must be said, was not always dominant this season—a better NBA prospect. He can look to the example of Evan Turner, the Ohio State guard whose breakout junior season propelled him to the consensus number two pick in this year’s draft.
And then there’s that glorious college life, which by all accounts Monroe loves. He gets to enjoy being the literal and figurative big man on campus, and he has teammates he seems to really get along with, at least if Twitter interactions can be used as a window into team chemistry.
Last fall before the season started, head coach John Thompson III rattled off similar reasons explaining Monroe’s decision to return.
“He likes the collegiate experience,” he said. “He has goals and desires not just to be in the [NBA], not just to be a professional basketball player, but to be a good one … He cares about his education.”
There’s no reason to think that Monroe’s feelings have changed. That is a hopeful sign for all the Hoya fans rooting for one more season of the man they call Moose. More hopeful might be the sophomore’s own comment on the issue after Georgetown’s first round NCAA loss to Ohio.
When asked if that had been his last game in a Hoya uniform, Monroe replied, “No, it wasn’t.”
Of course, 30 minutes after what must rank as one of the most disappointing losses of his basketball career is hardly the time for Monroe to make a reasoned, rational decision. And that’s exactly what his decision needs to be—going pro will be one of the biggest choices Monroe ever makes.
That is why, as much as Georgetown fans—myself included—would like to see Monroe back in blue and grey next year, our opinion is completely irrelevant. There are strong arguments for both staying and declaring, and ultimately Monroe will decide what is best for him and his family, not anyone else.
If he goes pro, I can’t blame him—I would have done the same thing.
Otherwise, hang tight Hoya fans. Just ten days until you can exhale.
