The Unintended Winner Of The NBA Lockout: College Basketball Fans

For as much as the NBA Lockout sucks for pro basketball fans, it's turning into a boon for college basketball fans.

Take the news up in Syracuse, where it was just announced that Carmelo Anthony, Wes Johnson, Donte Greene, Jonny Flynn and many more former Orange will return for an exhibition game at Midnight Madness this Friday.

When could that ever happen any other year? Well, Donte Greene would probably be available, but, you know...

Throw in events like the Kentucky vs. Villains game, which features Joakim Noah and Kemba Walker, as well as the many exhibition games featuring NBA talent taking place in non-NBA markets across the country and you've got a golden time for alumni to come back home. Even if, in the case of Carmelo, they only spent a few months there to begin with.

Not to mention what kind of effect this might have on any recruits who might be in the building when their favorite NBA star is throwing down dunks while they sit in the front row...