The All-American and his shot at the NBA
Following Jeffries final season at Trinity, his list of acolades seems endless. First Team All-American, back-to-back Southland Conference Player of the year awards and the all-time leading scorer and both Trinity and Southland conference history just to name a few. The success translated to a significant amount of professional interest in his talents, and in 1969 he was drafted by both the NBA and ABA. Choosing to play for the Detroit Pistons of the NBA, Larry went to training camp excited for the opportunity of a lifetime. However, the Pistons had been struggling economically during a time long before revenue sharing kept many NBA franchises afloat, and required whatever could earn them the most money. Despite having both team members and fans that were minorities, the Pistons attempted to farm out their younger players to minor league teams. Following that process, the Pistons planned to sign players with more regional popularity from their college days, primarily white players, in the hopes of attracting more fans. Whether or not this practice was effective in generating business, Jeffries took offense to the notion of having to play in the minor leagues when he had just been drafted to the ABA as well. He attempted to make the move to the Denver Nuggets, the team that drafted him, but was blocked because the Pistons owned his rights. Rather than conform to the stingent treatment the Pistons were giving him, Jeffries decided to just utilize his Trinity degree to work in the real world. Sports was very political in those early days, even more so than now. His decision to bet on himself worked out beautifully, and Jeffries now reflects kindly on his sports days with little remorse as he tends to the cattle and horses on his own ranch. Instead of chasing a professional sports dream, he became an asset to himself and his family, demonstrating his great moral character.
While on the subject of his professional sports career, it must be noted that Larry Jeffries also received a tryout for the Dallas Cowboys of the NFL followign his junior season. He declined the offer to play for the famed franchise because of the physical demands football requires of the body, believing his degree would be more important in the long run, a decision that has paid off handsomely in his business career.