High School Junior going Pro in Europe

Top Rated High School Junior Jeremy Tyler and his family have announced his decision to play professional ball in Europe next season. Rather than throw down dunks on 6,3 power forwards in San Diego, the 6,10 Tyler has opted to take his game to the next level where he'll face grown and grizzled men competing professionally.

By by-passing the usual routes (and ruffling many feathers in the process) Tyler, along with Brandon Jennings last year, has truly ushered in a new era of amateur basketball. The times when teenage basketball phenoms went unpaid are quickly ending and college basketball as we know it may be in jeopardy. Pressure is mounting on NBA decision makers to lift the ban on 18yr olds and on the NCAA to consider sharing revenue with the players and end the back room dealings.

Jeremy Tyler will not make a whole lot of money when he signs a pro contract in Europe but he will be able to sign endorsement deals including a likely shoe contract from one of the big companies. And he'll get to face real competition, improve his game and learn a ton about basketball, business and life.

In 2009 the annual questions about professional eligibility resurface, this time with a potentially game changing twist.