Walter Bond, former NBA player, gives students powerful advice

Walter Bond and James E. Rosenbaum make an odd couple. But last week, Bond, a former University of Minnesota and NBA basketball player joined Northwestern University professor Rosenbaum, to give high school students entertaining, powerful advice.

For almost an hour, Bond captivated about 100 high school students, describing his life in Chicago, his basketball career, and lessons he learned. Bond does not represent the often cited, inner city, raised in the projects by a single mom, story that is true for some African American athletes.

Bond was raised in a two parent family, and attended the high school where his father was principal. Bond described himself as cocky in high school. He was an Illinois all state basketball player. Many universities recruited him. He chose Minnesota.

Then, he met Willie Burton, another U of M recruit. Burton was 4 inches taller than Bond, and not just all-state, but high school All American. Bond spent much of his time on the bench at the University of Minnesota.

But he had set a goal to play in the NBA. He worked much harder in college than in high school. Ultimately he played in the NBA for several years – including serving as starting guard for the Dallas Mavericks.

Bond set goals like playing college and NBA basketball, and reached them. But he wasted a LOT of time. He’s clear: more high school practice would have produced more playing time.

That’s where Professor Rosenbaum comes in. At the same meeting where Bond spoke, Center for School Change staff passed out a one page article. In it, Professor Rosenbaum describes some “cold, hard facts.”

1. Almost all high school students want to go to college.

2. But less than half earn a 2 or 4 year degree within ten years of graduating from high school.

Rosenbaum is clear that there are plenty of good jobs for many graduates of 2 year colleges. BUT – his second set of cold, hard facts is about the relationship between high school grades and earning a college degree. His research shows that 63.9 percent of students with an A average in high school earn either a 2 or 4 year college degree within ten years of graduating from high school. That compares to 37.1 percent of B students, and 13.9 percent of students with a C or below average.

These facts bring Bond and Rosenbaum together. Both urge high school students to focus, set goals, and understand that they are developing vital habits. Will they learn to waste a lot of time? Or will they learn that while some time can be spent with friends, part of the high school years should be spent pushing and challenging yourself to do your best. People who learned to do this succeed in college, and the work world.

It is not, mostly about how smart you are. It is about your attitude and your behavior. Those vital messages, coming from Walter Bond and James Rosenbaum – two quite different, but quite wise people.

Written by: Joe Nathan