In an episode of KG Certified, Kevin Garnett and Tracy McGrady talked about the elite high school “crew” that entered the league directly. KG goes on to say on the episode, “I always call the high school guys, the special ops. You know you got the Navy, right? Then you got the special ops and the SEALS, and they are on a different level.” Some of the NBA players who are members of the “Special Ops Crew” before the NBA changed admission rules in 2006 are Kevin Garnett, Tracy McGrady, the late Kobe Bryant, Lebron James and Dwight Howard.

Drafted as the 13th overall pick in the 1996 NBA draft by the Charlotte Hornets, the five-time NBA champion and Lakers legend believed in his own greatness. Entering the pros directly after high school is a bold career move that only a handful of NBA players were able to make, one of them being the late Kobe Bryant.

A young Kobe shared his NBA dream with his All-American teammate

By the age of 17, Kobe had led his high-school team to their first state championship in 53 years and was even Southeastern Pennsylvania’s all-time leading scorer. Awarded the ‘Gatorade’ and ‘Naismith High School Basketball Player of the Year’ as well as being a McDonalds All-American, Kobe Bryant had already proved himself to the world as an elite-level athlete.

In a recent interview with Ramel Lloyd, Kobe’s roommate during the All-American game week, he talks about the 17-year-old Kobe’s mindset and the moment when Kobe told him about his decision to skip college and directly play in the NBA.

Ramel says, “There are guys in the team who were in the hallway of the hotel, we were trying to do most to get out of the hotel. You know, Kobe’s in a room watching film (basketball games and plays).”

He further says, “We are like 17 years old, and he was watching film. At the time, the big topic was where everyone was going for college and Kobe said that he was going into the NBA.” – classic Kobe Bryant!

Was Kobe right in his decision?

At the age of 18, Kobe Bryant entered the league as a basketball phenom. The Black Mamba, however, went scoreless in his first NBA game against the Minnesota Timberwolves. He was given a decent amount of playing minutes only after a couple of months in the NBA which goes to show that Kobe was not the most naturally gifted player but definitely one of the most hard-working ones.

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However, another member of the Special Ops is Lebron James who was hailed as a ‘prodigy’ almost immediately after entering the NBA. An 18-year-young Lebron scored 25 points in his first regular season game for the Cleveland Cavaliers which speaks volumes to the innate basketball talent that Lebron possessed from the very beginning of his career.

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What are your thoughts on the Special Ops and the importance of a college education? Let us know in the comments below!