Brandon Jennings Calls Skipping College 'The Best Decision I've Made'

A year ago, Brandon Jennings was the best high school basketball player in the country, and the kind of prospect college coaches dreamed of -- even knowing that he'd be one-and-done to the NBA. But Jennings decided to take a different path to the NBA: Instead of going to USC or Arizona, he decided to play professionally in Rome.

In a report set to air Tuesday on HBO's Real Sports with Bryant Gumbel, Jennings acknowledges that his year overseas hasn't gone quite as planned. But he insists that he's happy with the choices he's made.

When Gumbel asked Jennings whether he was glad he decided to play in Rome, Jennings answered, "Yes. No doubt. It's the best decision I've made so far."

That's surprising, considering the way his season with Lottomatica Virtus Roma has played out. Early in the season he was putting up paltry numbers and facing media criticism for his choice, and a lot of people think he's hurt his stock in the 2009 NBA draft.

But maybe it shouldn't be so surprising: The Real Sports report portrays Jennings as someone who has a close family around him (his mother and brother moved to Rome with him) and has become a millionaire at a time when his peers are playing for free. If the NBA keeps telling high school seniors that they're not welcome until they've been out for a year, many more top players might start following Jennings' lead.