You are exactly right. These people are getting screwed.
Few make it to the NBA for any significant period of time.
Academics. Due to their employment of playing basketball they don’t have time to get an education. (There are few exceptions, i.e. Bill Bradley and others)
When C.M. Newton came to Kentucky in circa the 1950’s, Adolph Rupp told him we did not bring you here to study, we brought you here to play basketball.
Adolph Rupp was a racist jerk.