ClayK said:
You wonder what kind of a career Crocker (and players like her) would have had if she hadn't gone P5. My guess is she's a three-year starter on a decent team and has a much more satisfying athletic experience.
Of course, she does have Cal degree, but the value of that is uncertain, though it is definitely more than Colorado State. Then again, she might have made $100,000 more playing in Europe if she'd had a great college career ...
There's not many people who are willing to tell a 17-year-old the truth about her ability, and in fact it's in a lot of people's interest to tell her she's better than she is. Unfortunate, but that's the way it is ...
"The value of that is uncertain." I have no idea what that means-relative to what the degree is in? What about her experience overall, and how Cal might have taught her read, write, and expand her thinking? And hey, I won't say that can't happen other places besides Cal, but as an alum, I will say that my experience was amazing, not related to what my degree "cashed out" to be...
The "athletic experience" is pretty broad-my nephew just finished his second year in D-III...he loves where he is at, all league academic kid, but you don't think he wouldn't have given anything to be at the P5 level, even with a sub-500 record? Women's basketball in the Pac-12: Crocker will never have to ask "what was it like to play against the best"....she did it.
And so, she was maybe told she was better than she was, but she was maybe good enough to make 100k in Europe? Any other scenario you want to cover?