This topic contains 4 replies, has 5 voices, and was last updated by AvatarAvatar Cheesus 11 years, 5 months ago.

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  • #43686
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    LOFTY
    Participant

    The LDS church announced today that the age requirement to go on a mission has changed form 19 to 18 affective immediately. My question is do you think he will stay and go to one of those 5 schools or do you think he will leave now rather than later?

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  • #719009
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    mikeyvthedon
    Participant

    That Jabari would be amongst the group of Mormon athletes who basically "skipped" their mission. This list includes, to my knowledge:

    • Danny Ainge
    • Steve Young
    • Jimmer Freddette
    • Haloti Ngata
    • Manti Te’o

    Those are just some off the top of my head that did not go on a mission. As an Oregon football fan, also know that Ricky Heimuli (a DT for us right now in his junior season) was also granted an exception from his mission. Remember that someone asked what would happen if Jabari played his freshman season than chose to go on his mission. Used the Shawn Bradley scenario, where big Shawn played one year at BYU, did a two year mission than entered the 1993 Draft, going 2nd. Believe Jabari would more than likely enter the draft AFTER his mission as opposed to before it.

    If he did indeed not play a year at the NCAA level, things might be different. My guess is, if he does ultimately go on the mission as opposed to being on a college campus next year, he would probably choose to enter the 2015 Draft (as opposed to entering 2014, when he would first be eligible and a year removed from HS). I will say, still ultimately believe that Jabari, despite his obvious devotion to LDS and his Mormon beliefs, will somehow be on a college campus next year and decide against doing a mission. Have no inside information, just a gut feeling and know that their have been some other star Mormon athletes who decided against going on a mission.

    Found an article explaining why Jimmer chose not to go on the mission. Apparently, they are "encouraged" rather than "required" to serve them. I am sure Jabari must feel a pretty strong urge to go on the mission and it will not be an easy decision. Just guessing at the end of the day, he may sort of feel like Jimmer, only with a shorter stint in college and more than likely a top 5 spot in the 2014 NBA Draft:

    http://voices.yahoo.com/did-jimmer-fredette-serve-lds-mission-8222793.html

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  • #719017
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    Lebron’s Hairline
    Participant

     Career wise, Jabari going overseas for 2 years with no physical activity at all(it’s not allowed) would REALLY hurt his career

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    • #719019
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      Lipstick
      Participant

      No physical activity is allowed? Why? 

      That sounds both odd and like the perfect religion for Shaq and Charles Barkley to endorse in their new commercials!

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  • #719031
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    Cheesus
    Participant

    As a member of the LDS church and returned missionary I can tell you daily excersize in not only allowed but strongly encouraged.  Every mission might be different, but I went to Brazil and we had 30 minutes every morning set aside for light excersizing (jogging, push-ups, sit ups, pull ups, etc).  Than every Wednesday we had our prep day where we played soccer quite often.  I much would have rather played basketball, but there are hardly any courts in Brazil.  

    That being said and also with no inside info, I am willing to bet that Jabari will choose not to go on a mission.  I get the feeling that he is strongly considering it, has a desire to go, and would make a good missionary.  I just look at him like Jimmer, he might make a better "missionary" if he stayed home and concentrated on basketball.  I think that would help his career too.  He comes accross as being such a good, humble kid, and has already got a lot of media attention about being mormon, he might as well stay home and concentrate on his basketball.    

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