For many parents, seeing their children graduate from high school is the proudest moment of their lives.Jeremy Tyler’s parents won’t get to see that moment.Tyler, a 6-foot-11-inch center and high school junior, announced his decision last week to skip his senior year to play professional basketball in Europe.Yes, a high school junior.This is the first time a high school basketball star has done something like this, but it could lead to a dangerous trend among those who believe they possess superior athletic skill.In the past, players were able to go straight into the NBA from high school. But now, the NBA’s collective bargaining agreement adopted in 2005 requires entrants into the draft from the U.S to be one year removed from high school and turn at least 19 years old in the year of the draft.Though the agreement was adopted in 2005, the rules didn’t go into effect until 2006. The byproducts of this rule have helped the league get more mature and pro-ready players, and it makes sure the college game gets more legitimate stars. Last year, point guard Brandon Jennings decided to jump from high school to play in Rome for a year, effectively bypassing the rule.Tyler, who has yet to turn 18, made the decision to do the same, but before he even graduates.These aren’t decisions 17-year-old kids should make. They oftentimes aren’t mature or smart enough to do what’s best for them in the long run.Tyler is going to drop out of high school because he averaged 29 points as a junior and a few magazines and Web sites list him as an elite professional prospect.That’s not smart, and it’s pretty irresponsible for his parents to allow it.Their son may soon find out he isn’t as big of a stud on the court as he thought and could probably use more development time.This kid is a beast against other high school players, but he’s a big fish in a small pond.He could very well get to Europe and fizzle out without the necessary tools to make it in the professional game.Not everyone is Dwight Howard or LeBron James. Most, even elite level, players don’t make the transition from high school to the pros and dominate.Kids need more development.Not only does Tyler’s decision impact him, but the ripple effect it may create could be catastrophic for college hoops programs.All across America, young hoops stars are probably thinking they can follow in Tyler and Jennings’ footsteps and go play overseas for a few years before jumping to the NBA.If fewer kids aspire to play for college programs, we’ll again see the days where college teams get the best of the rest, and the quality of the game will diminish.The NBA needs to work with these foreign leagues and the NCAA to come up with a system that doesn’t allow kids to jump out of American high schools and go pro — perhaps placing an embargo of sorts on exporting athletes and requiring them to attend college for a season or two.Sure that seems rash, but something needs to be done about these kids who want to circumvent the rules so they don’t have to attend college.Don’t get me wrong, I don’t believe college is for everyone in all walks of life. But I do believe basketball players would be better served with the one-on-one type of instruction they get in college where the concern is developing players and winners rather than making money like many pro teams.And if athletes needed a deterrent from entering the pros, Jennings only averages 6 points and 2 assists through 25 games for his Italian team, Pallacanestro Virtus Roma, where he doesn’t even start. —-Contact Johanathan Brooks at [email protected]