Debate over college vs the pros

Comparing two different playoff systems and their merits

College basketball and the NBA can be connected in many ways. Multiple teams have five guys play on a court together, and try to fight for a championship. Although there are similarities, there are many differences that people don’t think of.
College basketball is a young man’s game. Athletes from high school across the country are recruited and are often able to pick the team they wish to play for. Coaches search across the country to find the student-athletes that could best represent their college and have a good IQ for the game.
“I like college basketball more because of March Madness. The first two rounds are the best because it gives smaller schools a chance to pull off an upset,” said physical education teacher James Ynson.
In the NBA, there is no recruiting. Instead, the NBA draft takes place every year to allow each team to pick a player from college. Usually, the worst teams pick first to give them a better chance to improve their team and equal out the teams a little bit.
NBA teams, however, have a lot more money than the college teams. Therefore, they are able to pay players who are free agents and try to persuade them to come join their team. This gives unfair advantages to the teams with more money because they are able to buy players for their teams using money instead of building through a draft.
Both types of basketball are fun to watch, especially the playoffs and March Madness. For college, March Madness could be considered the best playoff for any sport. Sixty-four teams from four regions are looking to win the national championship. This is what all of the players play basketball for, to win a national championship and to make it to the NBA.
During March Madness, fans have the ability to print off a bracket or to create a bracket to have a chance to win a bet with friends or a huge amount of money on ESPN.
“My friends and I have a bracket bet. We also give the guy with the least amount of wins the “Toilet Bowl” trophy,” said Ynson.
In the NBA playoffs, there are sixteen teams (eight in each conference). Based on their record they are seeded from best to worst. However, in the NBA the top four teams in each conference have home field advantage which gives them a better chance to move on. From there, the team with the higher seeding has the home field advantage.
Overall, both games of basketball are filled with anticipation once the playoffs or March Madness begins. Each has their own style of game, but both play with the same rules. Deciding which one to like more is hard, and depends on a person’s preference.
“NCAA [College] basketball is more competitive; the athletes don’t get paid and do it for the love of the game,” said sophomore Brandon Woo.