The REAL Reason Professor Isn't In The NBA...

Why did the professor never play in the NBA? So, this is a good question. Tons of people ask this question. I see it in the comments all the time. I'll say three things about this. You know, if a player is good enough to play in the NBA, then they are in the NBA. It's really that simple. There's no two ways about it. The competition is fierce and the talent pool is deep. You have to be the best of the best to make it onto an NBA team. Sure, there are plenty of players out there who have the talent, skills, and flair to play at the NBA level. But the fact of the matter is that there are only so many spots available on an NBA roster. So, even if a player has all the potential in the world, they may still end up falling short of making it to the NBA. It's tough to imagine, but there are probably countless playground legends out there who could have, should have, or might have made it to the NBA. But for one reason or another, they never did. And that's the reality of the situation. It's not just what you can do, it's relative to what everybody else can do, what you can contribute on a specific team against other teams at a championship level. And it's a job. A job that requires you to perform at your best day in and day out for a grueling 82-game season against the absolute best players in the world. I mean, have you seen how fast and how long these guys can run? Can your body even handle that kind of pressure? Now, have you ever wondered why some people don't make it to the NBA? I mean, there are so many talented players out there, right? Well, today, I want to take a closer look at one person in particular, The Professor. If you're a 90s baby and you're into basketball, then I bet you've watched your fair share of And1 Streetball mixtapes. And if that's the case, then you definitely know who I'm talking about when I mention The Professor. The Professor is a legend in the streetball world. Born Grayson Boucher, The Professor made a name for himself by being part of the legendary And1 Streetball team. This guy is a straight-up baller. His handles, his passes, his shots, everything about his game is just mind-blowing. But here's the thing, despite being so talented and having such a huge following, he never made it to the NBA. I mean, we've seen guys like Rafir Alston, a.k.a. Skip To My Lou, make the jump from streetball to the big leagues. So, why didn't The Professor do the same? That's a question that a lot of people have been asking for years. After all, if he's so good, why isn't he playing with the big boys? Well, the truth is the NBA is just a different animal. It's a whole other level of competition. Even the best streetball players in the world may not be able to cut it in the NBA. Why? Well, there are a lot of factors that go into being successful in the NBA. Size, athleticism, and basketball IQ are just a few of them. But before we focus on why The Professor didn't make it to the NBA, there's a case that he could have made it to the NBA. That's right, The Professor might have had a shot making it to the NBA if he caught a few more breaks early in his life. If The Professor was given the opportunity to play varsity basketball earlier in his career, or if he got a chance to play for a bigger school than Chemeketa Community College, he could have caught the eye of the right person and made it to the league. In his senior year of high school, he put up insane numbers and had a work ethic like no other. People who knew him back then described him as a beast on the court. So, here's the question. Could Boucher have made it to the NBA if he solely set his mind to it? Instead of going the route of trying out for AND1, which, let's be honest, is a completely different ball game. I mean, just think about it for a second. If Boucher had pursued a career in the NBA from the get-go, who knows where he would be now? By no means would he be the next LeBron James or Kobe Bryant. Instead, he was going to be a role player, someone who would come off the bench and provide support to the team. Boucher would have made one of the smaller players in the league during his time playing. According to various sources, he was only 5'9 and weighed 155 pounds. The closest player to that build that had a successful career in the NBA was Isaiah Thomas, who was listed at 5'9 and 185 pounds, and had a successful career in the NBA. The Professor could have potentially added 30 pounds of muscle in an NBA weight room to make him stronger and more durable for the league. But have you ever wondered what the Professor would be like if he played in the NBA? I think he'd be the second coming of Jason Williams. Now, for those of you who don't know, Jason Williams was a legendary NBA player known for his flashy play style and his ability to make insane passes. And when I look at the Professor's game, I see a lot of the same qualities. Both of them have some of the most outstanding handles you'll ever see on a basketball court. If you've ever seen one of the Professor's highlight reels, you know exactly what I'm talking about. While there is a case to be made as to why the Professor could have made it in the NBA, it is much easier to make an argument as to why he could not have made it in the NBA. The Professor is currently 39 years old. If he was drafted, the Professor would have been a part of the NBA draft class of 2006. Now, that was a different era of basketball. We're talking about isoball, mid-range shots, and defense being the keys to success. It was a time when the game was played differently than it is today. If you wanted to make a name for yourself as a point guard in the 2000s, there was one major requirement. You had to be at least 6 foot tall and built like a tank. Of course, there were a few exceptions to the rule, but there were few and far between. You see, back then, the game was dominated by some of the biggest and strongest guards the league had ever seen. Think guys like Jason Kidd and Gilbert Arenas. These were some of the best point guards of their time, and if you wanted to compete with them, you had to be able to hold your own on defense. Along with this, smaller guards would have been heavily targeted in the pick and roll. The early 2000s were dominated by Shaquille O'Neal, along with other dominant centers. So, if a team had a point guard that was too small and had no hope of stopping paint-dominant centers, they would give up an almost guaranteed basket every single time down the court. That's important how size and strength were in the 2000s. When looking at small players like Isaiah Thomas, Nate Robinson, and Spud Webb, they all had one major thing in common that the professor is lacking. Athleticism. He's not quite up to par with these guys. I mean, have you seen their first steps? Lightning quick. And when they go to the rim, they contort their bodies in ways that almost seem impossible to score those crafty finishes. Also, despite being an incredible basketball player, the professor didn't receive any sports scholarships from universities. So instead, he enrolled at Chemeketa Community College, which isn't exactly known for its basketball program. And then Anne Wundt put out a contract inviting him to go on tour. Here's the catch, though. If the professor signed the contract, he wouldn't be allowed to compete with the NCAA. Why? Because the NCAA doesn't allow students to receive money to play basketball, and he chose this path. The professor, in an interview, said, To play in the NBA, you have to play in Division I of the NCAA or compete professionally abroad. I started my career at the age of 18 with Anne Wundt. Despite this, the professor never gave up on his dreams and was able to play basketball, a sport he loved for his entire life as a career. It led to him being featured on TV shows, playing basketball overseas, and even starring in a handful of movies. And to top it off, he has become a social media superstar. What's truly remarkable is that he was able to make a career out of playing basketball, and even more so, his name is recognized and admired all over the world. The professor is not just a basketball player. He's a brand. And that's something that you don't see every day. He may not be in the NBA, but he's in a league of his own. He's one of the few players who's been able to achieve such worldwide recognition and success outside of the NBA. That's very rare. Even better. Thanks for watching and until next time, take care.