News Flash: Darnell Robinson is headed to the NBA.

I know what you are saying, and it's probably along the lines of "Darnell who?"

Unfortunately, that's probably what professional scouts are saying too.

To bring you up to speed, Robinson is a 6-foot-11 junior center at Arkansas. He has yet to play a full college season because of injuries. He missed 13 games this year thanks to a broken foot, but still found time to average 12.7 points a game. Big deal.

I rarely agree with underclassmen leaving school, but when there are guys with little or no chance of making an NBA squad anyway, you really have to wonder what some guys are thinking.

I like to call it Scotty Thurman disease.

You remember Scotty don't you?

That's okay. I didn't think you did. Scotty was a guard at Arkansas (Is there some sort of pattern here?) until last year, when both he and Corliss Williamson decided to forgo their senior seasons with the Razorbacks for a shot at the NBA. Williamson rides the bench for Minnesota, and Thurman is stuck somewhere in the CBA. Good choice, guys.

Or how about Sean Higgins?

He's the guy who tipped in a shot at the last second to send Michigan to the NCAA Championship game against Seton Hall in 1989. After the 1990 season, Higgins left Michigan and hasn't been heard from since.

Like I said, there are some guys who are smart enough and talented enough to leave school and enter the NBA. Magic Johnson was just a sophomore when he left Michigan State in 1979. Shaquille O'Neal was a junior when he left Louisiana State in 1991. Jason Kidd would have been a senior this season at California. Can you imagine that team with Kidd at the point? Scary. While we're on the subject of Cal, I'd be willing to bet that Sharif Abdur-Rahim leaves for the NBA after next year. And don't be surprised if Mike Bibby is able to do the same after two years at Arizona.

But even guys who look like sure things don't always make it. Chris Webber left Michigan after his sophomore season and has never really played up to expectations.

Everybody should listen to the story of John Wallace. Wallace was going to leave Syracuse last year, but his prospects were slim, so he returned for his senior year. Now, after a stellar senior season, Wallace has played himself into potential lottery status. Not to mention the fact that he's a year older, and a year wiser.

Marcus Camby came back, too. Now, he and his UMass Minutemen teammates are two wins from an NCAA Championship. Camby will most likely walk away with player of the year honors - not to mention the fact that he, too, is another year older and a little bit wiser.

Another trend that scares me is guys like Kevin Garnett who go to the NBA after graduating from high school. An NBA contract is nice, but in 20 years, when Garnett retires, he'll need the college education that he never even started.

As for Darnell, I wish him the best of luck because he's going to need it.

But don't be surprised if he ends up as a teammate to Scotty Thurman again.

Craig Degel is assistant sports editor of the Arizona Daily Wildcat.