[Matt Velazquez] Henry Ellenson's NBA decision looming

[Windyplayer]

I might, if I thought he needed to mature a little more before entering the hard and fast world of professional basketball.

In January this year the Wolves were playing in SLC and and Towns, Wiggins, LaVine and Tyus Jones were turned away from a bar and grill where they stopped for a burger after the game because none of them were 21. This was news, so you gotta wonder how many bars/clubs admit them because they are NBA players (doubt they could get away with a fake id). They say the male brain is not fully developed until age 25 (for some of my kids I'm sure it took longer than that), so suddenly making millions and taking on the lifestyle of a pro athlete could be tough for a 19 year old to handle.

But that's just the mom in me talking.

Well said. And 100% correct regarding the male brain--the prefrontal cortex (thinking part of the brain/executive function) doesn't mature until 25. It plays catch-up until then to the amygdala (emotional part of the brain--associated with impulsive, rash actions). Legitimate concern of how an 18-year old handles that kind of fame and money. Of course, the anecdotal evidence is abundant, but science can finally tell us why.