CINCINNATI - It's been two decades since Kevin Garnett opened up the NBA Preschool Learning Academy by jumping immediately from high school to the NBA draft. Since 1995, the Association and its fans have adjusted to the rush of kids, accepting that potential has become the driving force in player selection and that it is better to gamble on getting the next Kobe Bryant or LeBron James than to be cautious and face the wrath of missing out. Major league baseball has not reached the point where the NBA is, but it does seem to be undergoing a shift in the conventional wisdom of how to best develop an exceptional young prospect. High-quality young talent isn't being held back the way it might...
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