Andy Katz of ESPN.com has investigated the problem with New York-area hoops. Why are Rutgers, St. Johns and Seton Hall so bad? Why can’t they get the best coaches, the best players, or even get much fan support? This is a very interesting article that seeks to get to the bottom of the issue, right down to the bedrock of talent in the New York area. Every year there are great basketball players who graduate from New York high schools, so why don’t they decide to go to college locally? There are a lot of answers, but I think the real reason lies in the mindset of high school seniors.
If you’re a kid who has an opportunity to go to school anywhere in the country, where would you go? Southern California? Florida? Texas? Ohio? New York? To a lot of urban teens, the prospect of going to a bigger, filthier, noisier city is just not appealing. Would you rather walk to practice in sunny, 75-degree weather, or ride the subway next to Stinky the Hobo? It seems like Los Angeles-area athletes like to either stay where they are or go to Texas. East coast talent likes to go to the SEC, and Northeast talent goes anywhere but New York.
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