A Star is Born

Brandon Jennings is the next big phenom to hit the NBA. He was already a prodigy because of his unique path to the NBA.

Jennings chose to go overseas to play professional basketball since the NBA's regulations did not permit him to go pro right after high school.

He is a trendsetter and because of this 55-point game against the Warriors, a lot more will follow in his footsteps. The media isn't actually making this any easier, hence, I'm writing about it right now. I'm referring to the more popular media.

Jeremy Tyler, another former high schooler, has set his sights on the ultimate goal that is the NBA. He has done it in a similar way to Jennings. He has left after his junior year in high school. He will be one of many gifted players to make this transition from high school to overseas professional basketball.

What many people forget is that many foreign players in the NBA, past, present, and future have been playing professional basketball as early as 14 years old. So when you see these players come to the NBA, they are more physically and mentally prepared than some of the more publicized players coming out of your big name colleges.

That's one of the main reasons that Jennings chose this path. Even though his experience was rocky over in Europe, his confidence never weaned. During the pre-draft camps he even said how overrated other celebrated point guards were that were in this year's draft class.

He was selected number 10 in the first round of this year's NBA draft by the Milwaukee Bucks and they have surprisingly taken off during the first month of November.

November has already been a daunting task when you factor in the injuries the team has been dealing with. Jennings is the main reason why the Bucks have been so successful and that 55-point, 5-rebound, and 5-assist game is the exclamation point to the first half of this month. Not to mention that he is the fastest person to reach that plateau in NBA History completing this only in his seventh career game.

Originally I thought that Allen Iverson had a 50-point game in his rookie campaign, and he did, but it was not a double nickel. Jennings is with the likes of Wilt Chamberlain, Rick Barry, and Earl "The Pearl" Monroe, all Hall of Famers.

To a struggling franchise trying to stay relevant in a mounting Eastern Conference, Brandon Jennings is definitely a huge step in the right direction.