I know if you are a basketball fanatic, you have to be excited about this year's class of diaper dandies. It is the deepest class I've seen assembled in my 29 years calling games at ESPN. Just think about some of the great performances we have seen already this season. Guys like Michael Beasley of Kansas State, O.J. Mayo at USC, Derrick Rose of Memphis, Kevin Love at UCLA, Eric Gordon of Indiana, Kyle Singler and Taylor King of Duke, Jerryd Bayless of Arizona and the list goes on and on.

While these kids have shined already, I have a real problem. We have a rent-a-play mentality, one year and it is bye-bye for a lot of these players. The recent rule that keeps youngsters from going to the NBA right out of high school actually hurts some kids who belong in the pros already.

I don't think players should have the opportunity denied when they are truly ready for the NBA. If they have great ability like LeBron James, Kevin Garnett and Kobe Bryant, and they belong, why keep them out? They proved they can play at the next level and wanted to do it.

College is for those who want to go, to grow not only as athletes but through academics. In many of these cases, the youngsters don't want to go to college, but are forced to be there. There are some cases where these kids will disappear during class time. I am not saying that happens all the time.

Is that what college is supposed to be all about? Why not allow the best of the best to go to the NBA. Then the rule should be once you step on a college campus, you cannot leave for three years, just like the major league baseball rule.

Yes, it can work if the NCAA and NBA got together. It would add stability to the game and those who were qualified and good enough to go right to the pros would get their chance. They can fulfill their dreams and in other sports, like baseball, tennis and golf, they get their opportunity early on. They can make their living when they are ready.

It is not a good sign for college hoops to rent a player, put him on the floor and then say bye-bye. I know it is a thrill to get the chance to see these kids. Madison Square Garden was special for the Jimmy V Classic as Beasley, Mayo and Rose put on those college jersies. You know they will be back at the Garden playing at the next level soon.

Not many kids are ready for life in the NBA, but for those few superstar exceptions, why not give them that chance. You can have a blue ribbon committee of former NBA coaches, GMs and scouts put together a list of candidates ready for the pros out of high school and those individuals would be able to decide whether they go to college or not.

The Vitale plan would designate which kids would be high first-round draft picks. That would keep kids who are not ready away from making a mistake.

It could work. The NBA and NCAA would have to get together and make it happen.

Dick Vitale coached the Pistons and the University of Detroit before broadcasting ESPN's first college basketball game in December 1979. Send him a question for possible use on ESPNEWS.