Coach Larry Brown says no way D-League is better prep than NCAA

SMU's Larry Brown, a Hall of Famer with 1,198 NBA coaching wins, strongly disagreed with Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban's suggestion that elite prospects would be better prepared for the NBA by playing in the D-League instead of spending one season in college.

"I admire him and I think he's one of the bright guys we have in our profession, but that was the worst thing I heard," Brown, who has won titles in college and the NBA, said during an appearance on 105.3 The Fan in Dallas.

They don't teach guys how to play, in my mind," Brown said of the D-League. "The head coaches in the NBA and a lot of the assistants do, but [college basketball] is the greatest minor league system in the world. If you didn't go to one class and just live in a college environment, then you're way ahead. And I think most coaches are responsible enough to make them go to class, make them go to study hall, give them life lessons.

Now, it's our job to make [players] realize getting an education is something that's important, because here's the deal: Life after basketball is a real long time.