development be damned. if oden is a top 3 pick, he'd be insane not to go pro. Just because he could be a top 3 pick doesn't mean he's ready to play in the NBA. They are two completely different things. You are forgetting one big factor: $$$ You obviously didn't read or didn't understand what I wrote. Just because he is projected to go high in the draft and could make a ton of money doesn't mean he is ready to play in the NBA. In baskeball, all you hear about in regards to the draft is "potential" and "upside". You don't hear that anywere close to as much in football (since somebody brought up Matt Leinart). You rarely hear about teams drafting "projects" in the NFL but you hear that many times every single draft in the NBA. I don't think Oden is ready offensively for the NBA. Defensively, he's an animal. I really think staying at OSU for another year will benefit him in the long run. He's going to get good coaching regardless of whether he stays or goes pro. I really don't understand your point. If he's going to get the good coaching regardless of where he is, then why not get paid millions to get the good coaching, rather than only hundreds of thousands.(Yeah it was easy and lame, but somebody was going to follow up with it anyways) Game experience. He won't play all the time at the NBA level and when he does, he won't be be the center of the offense. He'll be better served playing 30-35 minutes per game at OSU and getting the ball regularly than 15-20 in the NBA without getting the ball much.