Union Soldier
Page 3 Last fall, DeShawn committed early to Kansas – the school that had recruited him since the eighth grade. What followed was a series of events that bordered on ludicrous. While awaiting the results of his score on the SAT, DeShawn announced he was forgoing Kansas and making himself eligible for the NBA draft. This decision, reportedly, was against the wishes of his mother and spawned a large family debate. Just weeks before the June draft, after receiving a qualifying score of over 1100 on his SAT, DeShawn changed his mind again and opted to attend Kansas in the fall. The problem? The passing SAT score marked a 700-point improvement over his previous result on the test. With the validity of his score in question, DeShawn again made himself available for the draft. "It was a tough time for him," says Coach Webb. "Let’s be honest, he would have stayed at Kansas for a year, maybe two. He’s a great kid, he’s just not one to sit in classes all day. He probably would have liked (education) a whole lot more if he wasn’t so good at basketball." The truth about DeShawn’s SAT scores and NCAA eligibility will probably never surface, but DeShawn’s 3.2 GPA suggests he’s an intelligent kid. Unfortunately, the ease at which he blows by helpless defenders has rendered his desire for furthering his education a secondary concern. In the world of scholastic hoops, the phrase "student-athlete" has all too often gone the way of the two-handed set shot. With the inevitable reality of million dollar deals awaiting the most talented high school ballers, the perceived benefits of an education pale in comparison to the lure of Kobe-like fame and fortune. DeShawn is no different, and maybe that’s the problem. ***
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