Is skipping college for the NBA good for players like LeBron James?
Let the debate begin. J. BRADY McCOLLOUGH jmccollough@tampatrib.com TAMPA – Bill Willoughby cornered LeBron James. There they were, two of an increasingly common kind, talking for 10 minutes in their hotel after a workout at last summer’s adidas ABCD camp in New Jersey. They were connected in so many ways, yet so far apart at that moment. Willoughby, who was drafted by the Atlanta Hawks out of high school in 1975, told James that a college education was important. That he should continue his schooling in the summers. “He just looked at me with his mouth open,” Willoughby said. “That’s what most of the players do. They just look at you confused.” Thursday night, James will become the second high school player in the past three years to be picked first overall in the NBA draft. The 18-year-old Akron, Ohio, native already has endorsements from Nike and Upper Deck combining for more than $100 million. He was named the USA Today High School Player of the Year after leading St. Vincent-St. M
