Missouri senator slams "one-and-done" players after Duke win
Sen. Claire McCaskill (D-Missouri) ignited a Twitter storm in response to Duke's defeat of Wisconsin in Monday night's NCAA final.
McCaskill tweeted, "Congrats to Duke, but I was rooting for a team who had starts that are actually going to college and not just doing semester tryout for NBA."
Congrats to Duke,but I was rooting for team who had stars that are actually going to college & not just doing semester tryout for NBA.
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) April 7, 2015
With her tweets, McCaskill waded into the divisive issue of college basketball's "one-and-done" culture, which recruits talented players for teams at schools around the country for one year before they eventually jump to the NBA.
The lineup on Wisconsin's team included a mixture of sophomores, juniors and seniors. But Duke won the championship thanks in part to at least four freshmen and one senior.
Many players at Duke have been quickly recruited into the NBA after just a few semesters of enrollment. High school basketball players are expected to wait at least one year before joining the NBA.
But after a backlash of comments, McCaskill insisted that her comments weren't directed at the players, but at the college basketball system.
"To be clear folks, this isn't about the kids, this is about the system," she tweeted. "This is about the NCAA/NBA. I don't blame the very talented athletes."
To be clear folks, this isn't about the kids,this is about the system.This is about the NCAA/NBA.I don't blame the very talented athletes.
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) April 7, 2015
But her clarification didn't stop angry Twitter users from singling her out.
I see I have stirred things up. Sorry, but I'm sad about the one & done thing.I understand why it's happening,but I don't have to like it.
— Claire McCaskill (@clairecmc) April 7, 2015
"I see I have stirred things up," McCaskill tweeted. "Sorry, but I'm sad about the one & done thing. I understand why it's happening, but I don't have to like it."