Students support Bibby's decision

Not at all.

Supportive?

You better believe it.

Shortly after announcing he is skipping his final two years of college to make himself eligible for the 1998 NBA Draft, sophomore point guard Mike Bibby found support from the University of Arizona student body.

"I am not at all surprised," accounting senior Dan Ballard said. "For himself, that was the right decision."

"I am happy he did it," added Marko Haarma, a business administration junior. "You go to school to make money."

His teammates also showed little surprise about the choice, but noted that it was not an easy one.

"The decision was difficult to make," said sophomore guard Josh Pastner, who doubles as Bibby's roommate and personal trainer. "Once you make it, your amateur career is over."

"It has been something that we all expected," sophomore guard Quynn Tebbs said. "We all knew at the start of the year that he wouldn't be around (for the next season)."

Tebbs, who was present for the announcement along with Pastner, noted that going to the NBA has always been a dream of Bibby's.

"It is something that he has worked for his entire life," Tebbs said. "Now that it is there, you have to jump all over it."

The tattoo Bibby sports on his calf, a basketball with the letters "NBA" inside, is a symbol of how much he has dreamed of playing professionally.

"He has the NBA tattooed on his leg," Tebbs said. "That is there for a reason."

Many students cited a possible injury as another good reason to turn pro.

"This way, he does not risk injury (during his junior year)," Haarma said.

"That is his career," Ballard added. "He can avoid injury and go to where the money is."

Communication senior Matt Taylor made the point that while there will always be the opportunity to go to school, playing in the NBA is a different matter.

"You can always go back to school, but you can't always go back to sports," Taylor said. "You are not always going to be able to go to the NBA."

After following up a national championship season by collecting a Pacific 10 Conference Championship, there was little the All-American and conference player of the year had not done during his two-year stint as a Wildcat.

"He accomplished everything he needed to for basketball," Ballard said.

"Mike is a talented and gifted player," Tebbs said. "I think it is smart for Mike Bibby to leave. What else can he accomplish?"