Roll with me here for a second.

Let’s say you grew up in a small town.

At a young age, you started a lemonade stand and it did quite well. You continued running different businesses as you grew older, like landscaping, and your success just kept growing.
Then came that faithful day — high school graduation.

You have a choice. Stay in your small town and go to the local liberal arts college or head off to a mid-sized university that offers a better degree.

What do you do?

Most of us would say go get the better degree. Sure, you have local ties. And your talents at the local school might help it look better. But in the long run, it’s what is best for you.

So why is there all the fuss over Jordan Threloff?

I know what you’re asking: Who? Threloff is a senior at DeKalb High School. The 6-foot-10-inch senior averaged 22 points and 11.7 rebounds per game as a junior.

On Friday, Threloff made a verbal commitment about where he’ll play basketball for the next four years. And let me give you a hint: It isn’t NIU.

The senior instead selected Illinois State as his next destination.
So why all the fuss? Some Huskie fans feel that Threloff should have gone to NIU to play ball. I mean, it is his hometown.

But that argument has no merit.

First off, Threloff has the skills to play in a better program and a better conference than NIU and the MAC, respectively. Is there a possibility that Threloff could greatly improve both the local team and conference? Yes. But does that mean he should join the Huskies? No. Otherwise, you would have to admit that the kid in our hypothetical example should have gone to the local liberal arts college.

The MAC is known as a one-and-done league in the NCAA tournament. By joining the Missouri Valley Conference, Threloff gives himself a better chance at living postseason dreams.
He’ll also have better talent on his, and his opponents’ team. This will push him to develop as a player and give him a better shot at playing after college.

Secondly, the DeKalb native was recruited by former NIU head coach Rob Judson. The connection between Threloff and Judson started when the baller was in third grade. If Judson was still the head coach at NIU, there’s a good chance the Huskies would have wound up with the Barb.

Instead, Judson is at ISU. The strong bond between the two made the Redbirds very attractive.
Finally, there’s no support for the Huskies.

NIU averaged 1,806 fans per home game last year. ISU brought in almost 8,600 fans per game in 2008-09. Heck, the annual DeKalb-Sycamore game brings out almost triple the number of fans that NIU brings.

Why would anyone want to subject themselves to the torture of playing in an environment like the Convocation Center?

And besides, when everything boils down, it’s Threloff’s decision.
Let the kid play, and let him have fun. It’s his life, not yours.

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