A lot of college basketball have dreams of playing the game they love on a professional level once they leave college. Ideally being selected in the NBA Draft is a great first step in starting this adventure, however this year's NBA lockout may alter that traditional path.
With the absence of a summer league and opportunity to sign in the league as a free agent very unclear, many well-known college players aren't waiting around and instead are packing their bags and heading to Europe to find work. Among this group are Virgina Commonwealth University's Jamie Skeen and Virginia Tech's Malcolm Delaney, both undrafted and both heading to France to continue their careers. Skeen will play with ASVEL and Delaney will join Chalon.
Obviously both players were disappointed they went undrafted, but the silver lining is they know they will be playing and getting paid to play this come year.
When asked for his take on the situation, Delaney simply replied via his Twitter handle, @Foe23, " ain't affectin me. I got a job."
While there is comfort in job security, players like Delaney and Skeen may also be getting a leg up experience wise on their drafted classmates.
Drafted rookies will likley find themselves in limbo if the lockout continues, as it is still unclear exactly what the players' union will advise and/or allow them to do. Since they have not signed contracts it is possible the drafted class could join the undrafted guys in Europe or even be allowed to play in the Developmental League, but the details of any such agreement are very much up in the air. Meanwhile, the undrafted players will be at work, honing their skills and gaining valuable professional experience.
In the long run, at the end of the 2011-2012 season the undrafted players may very well come out a step ahead in their professional adventures of their drafted counterparts.
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