By Lauren Burdick
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On April 5, 2010, Duke University senior Kyle Singler was announced as the Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four in the 2010 Men’s Division I basketball tournament. In doing so, Singler sealed his fate as an NBA star in the minds of many.

Singler, however, chose a different path. Just two weeks after defeating Butler University in the National Championship game and becoming the Most Outstanding Player, Singler announced that he would finish out his education at Duke, rather than jump ahead to the NBA. This positive choice is indicative of what all potential professional athletes should strive for: a college education that will sustain long after the games end.

According to the NCAA, only one percent of college athletes join the professional leagues. However, those with the ability to go pro often do so before graduating. This is the case with Gordon Hayward, who is leaving Butler University after his sophomore season and is projected to be drafted between the tenth and twentieth pick according to nbadraft.net.

According to nba.com, the average age of an NBA player is 26 years and 11 months, making employment after age 30 difficult and after age 35 highly unlikely. With no degrees to fall back on, athletes have few options outside of the sporting world for employment. While mountains of hard-earned NBA money and residuals may still surround them, only wise investments and savings will procure a satisfying lifestyle for former athletes and their families. Employment is much more plausible outside of sports for a former athlete than inside the sporting world.

Additionally, an athlete with obvious talent will survive the test of time during college, even if the professional league is four years away. With more time to improve skills and leadership, an athlete can raise his spot in drafts significantly with each passing year. While this may seem like an unsure strategy, it will provide numerous benefits in the long run, as athletes use their intelligence on and off the field or court. With players like Steve Nash, Tim Duncan, Danny Granger and Emeka Okafor succeeding in the NBA after getting their diplomas, talent will clearly remain stable during collegiate years. If not, at least a former NCAA athlete has a degree to fall back on. Also, as college sport stars gain notoriety and fame throughout the nation, they become the subject of adoration for youth, acting as role models for budding sport aficionados. If a college education is one of the highest goals for students in the US, then those athletes who represent the county should fulfill the nation’s educational goals. Athletes are often remembered for what they do off of the field as much as they are for what happened on the field, and an education is a large part of that reputation.

While Hayward, to the dismay of many, will never play another game as a Butler Bulldog, his opponent, Singler, is choosing to temporarily put aside dreams of millions of dollars for a diploma. Both show extreme basketball prowess and dedication to the game; however, each will take a completely different path on the basketball court next year. One can only hope that when Hayward decides to put away his basketball shoes and jersey he has the funds to provide for himself and his family as Singler surely will be able to, proving that an education is a guarantee of success and happiness that no star-studded career can replicate.