Recent federal indictments issued on January 15, 2023, have implicated several college basketball players in a game-fixing scandal, igniting outrage among fans, analysts, and media outlets. While many explanations emphasize sports betting, greed, and moral failings, these narratives often overlook a critical aspect: the backgrounds of the athletes involved.
Mark Mitchell, an adjunct professor of finance at the University of Chicago Booth School of Business, has undertaken research examining the high schools and counties where these players grew up. His findings reveal a troubling trend: many of these athletes hail from areas with low economic mobility. These regions are characterized by limited opportunities for upward social mobility, which significantly affects the prospects of children born into low-income families.
According to county-level mobility estimates developed by economists Raj Chetty at Harvard University and Nathaniel Hendren at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the counties where the indicted players grew up rank near the bottom nationally in terms of economic mobility. While this does not excuse any criminal behavior, it raises an important question: why do high-stakes failures—academic, disciplinary, and now criminal—occur so frequently among talented individuals from similar backgrounds?
Mitchell, alongside research co-authors F. Andrew Hanssen from Clemson University and Maxwell Mitchell from Northwestern University, is exploring this issue in the context of elite high school football. Their analysis of over 33,000 top-ranked recruits from 2005 to 2022 reveals that many players who fail to transition successfully to college football come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Notably, nearly 1,000 elite players have not made it onto Division I rosters due to academic or disciplinary challenges, despite having scholarships from major programs.
The researchers found that these players often originate from weak schools and impoverished neighborhoods. In addition, they frequently come from counties with low mobility, as highlighted in the comprehensive research by Chetty and Hendren. This pattern suggests that in low-mobility areas, high school sports can become a primary avenue for young people to escape their circumstances. This creates a paradox in which these regions produce a disproportionate number of elite athletes relative to their population size.
Yet, the same environments that nurture talent often lack the necessary institutional framework to guide these young athletes into adulthood. Schools may not adequately prepare students for the academic demands of college, guidance resources are limited, and families often struggle to provide the support necessary for success. Consequently, many talented football and basketball players find themselves derailed, leading to lost opportunities and a diminished future.
When viewed through this lens, the recent basketball indictments can be interpreted as part of a broader pattern rather than isolated incidents. In communities where young people face limited chances for redemption, the consequences of their mistakes can be far more severe, and the allure of quick financial gain may become overwhelming.
The conversation surrounding these issues often lacks depth. One side advocates for stricter enforcement and punishment, while the other calls for increased government intervention and funding for social programs. Both perspectives fail to address the root causes that lead to these outcomes. Many on the right tend to view young athletes as examples of failure, while those on the left often believe that additional bureaucracy can compensate for the lack of familial support, quality education, and community structure that these individuals have missed.
Mitchell expresses empathy for these young men, acknowledging that they are under immense pressure with limited support systems. They are expected to excel academically while meeting rigorous eligibility standards and facing public scrutiny, often lacking the resources available to their more privileged peers. This challenging environment exacerbates their struggles, particularly when they are seen as their family’s best hope for achieving upward mobility.
Coaches and administrators are aware of these challenges and work diligently to support their players. However, individual efforts can only achieve so much. The research conducted by Mitchell and his colleagues underscores that the outcomes faced by these young athletes are not random occurrences nor mere moral failures. They are predictable results of growing up in environments that lack the necessary institutions to nurture and guide their exceptional talent.
While no straightforward policy solution exists, addressing the issue requires a shift in perspective. Acknowledging that traditional measures, such as integrity seminars and additional paperwork, cannot replace the foundational support these young individuals lacked from the outset is crucial. Only by recognizing the systemic challenges can society begin to craft effective strategies to prevent future scandals and provide genuine support for promising young talents.
