I grew up in Dayton, and though I did not get as enthused about the hometown Flyers hoops team as many of my classmates did, I did enjoy looking through my most recent edition of NBA Digest and seeing the name of Negele Knight when I gleaned through the rosters.
That's because he was the only player from the school listed for a decent portion of my childhood, and it made me think, Hey
I watched him.
Somehow that made me feel important, as if every little feat that Knight accomplished was in some way an achievement for me.
Now, I'm in college - almost finished with college - and the feeling is still there. People like to know others who succeed. I still root for my high school classmates, the Waleskowski brothers, Keith and Adam, who play at Dayton and Florida State respectively. Even though I never was incredible friends with either, it still brings some joy to think that I have scored over both of the 6-foot-8-inch brothers. I still see them in church on holidays and at various high school events.
The same now goes for Ohio. Brandon Hunter is now playing with the Boston Celtics. I guess I just feel as if we share something in common.
That's what I fall back on when I see the negative images coming from professional sports. I think about how not all of these athletes skip practice, do drugs and get caught with guns
I watched Hunter last year - sometimes in practice, sometimes in games - and he worked hard. Fans wouldn't see him Uptown doing bad things. He kept a clean profile, and that was admirable. Though he may or may not realize it, he represents the school. How many of us have mentioned to people that we go to Ohio, and they say something about Gary Trent?
It's tough to recruit really good players in the first place, but schools should take a good look at their athletic departments, including the funding or lack thereof going to the programs.
Yeah, if you go to Duke, Stanford or Michigan, chances are you will have a classmate who will be drafted in the lottery. That's part of why those schools attract some of the smartest kids in the nation. It's no coincidence that these are some of the top schools in the nation.
Most of the NBA talent that comes from the Mid-American Conference is developed during college. Former Miami star Wally Szczerbiak and Chris Kaman of last year's Central Michigan roster did not fully develop right away at their respective schools.
And it is getting tougher with more and more players coming from overseas and high school. Four-year college players are almost becoming the exception.
But it is special when it does happen. Coaches definitely see it in the standings. Classmates should too. 17
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Eric Phaler
