Out of the 60 draft slots from the NBA draft data taken from 2015, 46 were for NCAA players and the other 14 were for international players who were not U.S. college or university attendees. An additional 343 student-athletes from Division 1, 89 from Division 2, and 27 student-athletes from Division 3, then either played in the NBA D-League or internationally. The statistics show that there is a higher probability in either NBA draft, NBA D-League, or playing internationally, that Division 1 athletes will be chosen. So it is thought throughout the nation that Division 1 colleges and universities are where the better athletes are. However, it is statistically proven that the only true measurable difference between Division 1 and Division 2 schools is the availability of finances that are devoted to their respective athletic programs.
Taking a look into history,there have been multiple Division 2 student-athletes that were taken in by NBA League teams. These teams include the Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, Philadelphia 76ers, and the Golden State Warriors, only to name a few. However, it has now been about eight years since a D2 student-athlete received the opportunity to play for the NBA or ABA. But wait! All hope is not lost for D2 student-athletes! Let's take a look at our most recent D2 basketball player that has peaked the professional league's interest; Kevin Capers. Kevin Capers was originally from Florida Southern College. In his years playing for Florida Southern, Capers won multiple honors and awards from his 2012 Sunshine State Conference Freshman-of-the-Year honor to the Sporting News 2014-15 Preseason All- American. Kevin Capers was an all-star student-athlete that possessed the playing skills and statistics to receive attention from the NBA. Capers was the final pick in the third round of the 2015 NBA D-League draft. Being able to play for the official minor league of the NBA granted an even bigger possibility and easier access into the major pro league of the NBA. Kevin Capers is now a guard for the Westchester Knicks averaging at 5.7 points per game.
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So, to all my Division 2 student-athletes out there do not lose hope! According to the great amount of facts, history, statistics, and success stories, it is yet and still possible to reach professional league heights in basketball as a Division 2 student-athlete!
