Big G League announcement - $125k offer not to go to college

[Duke Blu]

Great news for Duke, which will simply go back to getting players who maybe come from money and value a top education. Duke can get it done via the Okafor route or the Jon Sheyer Route in my opinion. Not saying Jon comes from money and Okafor doesn’t but I think you get the point.

 

[Ron Mehico]

Don't think this will be too big of an immediate issue. But if they start paying like they do overseas, to some of the bigger recruits (ala Brandon Jennings) OR if every team has a minor league team it will become a major issue. Cal is right though, long term NCAA needs to address the giant elephant in the room. Either pay players or offer them some sort of incentive to come back to college.

What a thoughtful, eloquent response. Thank you HagginHall 1999!

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

2022 could be the tsunami for all of college basketball.

This G League thing is just a small wave. It's probably not enough, unless the player just really, really, really hates even the idea of school. One and done is the proven path, so most guys will stay on it.

If they allow players to go straight from HS directly into the real draft, not just the G League, that's a game changer, because now an 18 year old can gamble on being drafted, and even if he's not, he has 125K waiting for him in the G League.

It will be especially acute if the NBA negotiates a multi-year either/or with the player's association in 2022- a player can either enter the pros at 18, or he's not eligible for the draft again for 2 or 3 years. If they go that route, college basketball as we know it is gone.

@mj2k10
What's your gut instinct tell you will happen in terms of setting a new paradigm? Silver has been blatant about his dislike for all the OADs in the draft? What's his solution, having 20 high school graduates instead? I don't get it. It seems like he's creating a multi-level argument that contradicts its basic intent.

You seem to keep locked in on what's going on, so I trust your opinion.

 

[mj2k10]

@mj2k10
What's your gut instinct tell you will happen in terms of setting a new paradigm? Silver has been blatant about his dislike for all the OADs in the draft? What's his solution, having 20 high school graduates instead? I don't get it. It seems like he's creating a multi-level argument that contradicts its basic intent.

You seem to keep locked in on what's going on, so I trust your opinion.

I honestly don't know. I'm really not that locked in, though I do think Silver tends to think of the one and done rule in a similarly ambivalent way to how I see it (with his focus more on the business aspect, I'm sure). He recognizes that the one and done rule is absurd, and that numerous 18 year olds have highly desirable skills, but he doesn't want the NBA to take on the full load of player development the way that baseball does. Why should they, when they have a system in place that's worked pretty well for 70 years (or even just the last 11, if you only want to look at the current structure)?

I think the NBA is going to try to design a system that will allow the top talents to skip college, without drawing dozens of HS kids away from college every season (when 75% + would be doomed to fail). However, I also think you will see some experimentation over the next 10+ years, as the NBA will want to discover to what extent they can minimize the college game without hurting their bottom line. They'll want to get a feel for just how many eyeballs will follow unknown prospects with no college affiliation. How many people will watch for the talent, versus the uniform the player used to wear?

If they decide they don't really need the college game, then college basketball will end up very much like college baseball. And I do think that's an eventuality, but it could take a very long time.

 

[mj2k10]

And one other thing: I wouldn't be totally surprised to see some NBA clubs start their own basketball academies, IF some kind of agreement could be made that would allow teams to have draft rights to the players in those academies. Which, admittedly, might not be doable.

Top basketball prospects are normally easier to identify at 14-15 than in just about any sport. An NBA team with an academy could control a player's basketball and overall education for years, for a minimal cost. And for the really special ones, there would be years where the team's fans were salivating for his arrival.

That might actually be better for the NBA. One of the main problems the NBA has is that its fans tend to follow players more than teams, to an extent waaaaaay beyond any other pro sport (although, OTOH, that might help it in other ways, like international appeal. Easier for fans in China to focus on a player as opposed to a team in a city 5,000 miles away). NBA fans just aren't as invested or hardcore about a team the way that college fans are, or NFL fans, or even baseball fans. Start developing kids from 15-18, and that could change.

 

[~Keyser Soze~]

So how many top players are headed to the G League in 2019 instead of college. I still do see the huge influx that was promised, hell, I don't see anyone going that route.

 

[TNCatfanforever]

haha. Yes, 125K sounds like a big paycut for some!

Kansas Duke and UNC players will have to get food stamps...they couldn't live on this they make 10 times this much already...

 

[FrankUnderwood]

Great news for Duke, which will simply go back to getting players who maybe come from money and value a top education. Duke can get it done via the Okafor route or the Jon Sheyer Route in my opinion. Not saying Jon comes from money and Okafor doesn’t but I think you get the point.

Lol right

 

[the stat man]

Does this mean they will have to take a pay cut if they don't opt to go to KU or Duke?

Yea Zion wouldn’t have given up his million dollar house plus what other money’s he got for the poltury some of 125k

 

[DonkeyDwayne]

Not sure this is a good thing for college basketball

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...-prospects-not-wanting-go-one-done-route-ncaa

They have to be competitive with the college price.

 

[LukaszObrzut]

Why would any top player want this option. The joys of college basketball far outweigh that of the G League.

 

[bigblueinsanity]

Mark emmert is overseeing the slow death of college basketball

 

[Wildcats1st]

Why would any top player want this option. The joys of college basketball far outweigh that of the G League.

Not if you’re a loser idiot who can’t read. UNCheat would have never been able to field a team if this were the rule for the last 30 years

 

[KyCatFan]

They have to be competitive with the college price.

Was it Bill Walton that said he had to take a pay cut to go pro?

 

[buck8113]

ok NBA pays them, then NBA should be forced to do something for the kids that go G league and don't make it. NBA should pay for them to go to a trade school since they cannot go to college

 

[shaolin style]

Great news for Duke, which will simply go back to getting players who maybe come from money and value a top education. Duke can get it done via the Okafor route or the Jon Sheyer Route in my opinion. Not saying Jon comes from money and Okafor doesn’t but I think you get the point.

If anyone ever wonders why people make fun of Duke for being pompous, holier than thou douchers...

 

[RKulmer]

Was it Bill Walton that said he had to take a pay cut to go pro?

Yes. While he was doing a UCLA game on ESPN.

 

[LineSkiCat14]

Lmfao at who made this topic.

 

[miracle7s]

If anyone ever wonders why people make fun of Duke for being pompous, holier than thou douchers...

meanwhile he couldn't spell Scheyer right. So much for that top tier education.

 

[Son_Of_Saul]

Great news for Duke, which will simply go back to getting players who maybe come from money and value a top education. Duke can get it done via the Okafor route or the Jon Sheyer Route in my opinion. Not saying Jon comes from money and Okafor doesn’t but I think you get the point.

I like how you guys expect K to be there until he's 90 years old.

 

[Jkwo]

I don't see the market for this. College fans tend to care about their schools much more than players, and NBA fans only tune in to non-NBA ball during March to get a megadose of basketball and future draft prospects.

Yeah, viewership doesn't matter to the league outside the main product, but it could certainly be a factor for some of these kids.

They'll also live much less glamorously than they would've at any elite college, and most of these five star high schoolers outside the top 3-5 would be getting absolutely hammered against the 24 year old former college stars in the G league.

The only upside is if you were thinking about going to UNC to have a secretary take your classes; this is so much simpler than that.

 

[Fox2monk]

NBA won't do this because they don't want their product watered down with 17/18 yr olds who aren't ready for the league. This gives them an opportunity to improve their game against legit competition while not being thrown to the wolves in the NBA right away. Will be interesting to see what prospects take the 125k, and what prospects choose to play the year in college, then jump to the NBA.

I believe it will be fringe guys like Brian Bowen who were looking to get paid all along. The big dogs won’t risk it IMO. Why take a chance on losing a 10 million dollar deal over 125k.

 

[thepip]

Not sure this is a good thing for college basketball

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...-prospects-not-wanting-go-one-done-route-ncaa

Buys a Tahoe and after taxes almost an Escalade.

 

[kev69]

Yawn.

So, who exactly are they gong to be competing against and who’s going to be watching?

 

[Blueaz]

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Did they the rules agents before college?

 

[Blueaz]

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Wink, wink

 

[know1]

Haven't read the whole thread, but what if Cal decided to coach in that league? He's always saying that his primary goal is to help the players, change their lives, etc. I know the money won't be as good for him as his salary and other incentives at UK, but this seems like a great opportunity for him to do what he says he believes in.

 

[Blueaz]

It will matter to UK.

In 2022, if they lower the age restriction, we won't just be losing out on the Walls of the world. We'll likely lose out on the Bams and the Murrays as well.

As long as we still get the highest tier is whatever is left.

Btw. The NBA will (is) destroying itself. Almost all College fans will start turning it off.
What casual fan wants to see just three Super team.
Patriots gave shown a great dynasty team follwed by tons of fans, doesn’t have to be made. I think that is part of the appeal.

 

[trueblujr2]

I’m looking forward to the kids who jump straight from high school into the G League getting absolutely eviscerated, and millions of people suddenly realize Cal was right all along. 1) These are kids. Super talented kids, but kids. 2) “One and done” was never the plague it was made out to be. Not that many players are truly NBA-ready in high school.

What kind of Strength and Conditioning or dietary programs do the G-League teams have? What level of coaches are coaching in the G-League? What kind of exposure will they be getting? How many G-League teams are on college campuses overflowing with attractive coeds fighting for your attention? What level of practice facilities are the G-League teams working in? I know 125K is a lot of money to an 18 year old. but I think the vast majority, would prefer at least one year being able to develop their bodies in state of the art facilities with high level programs, while playing for some of the top names in coaching, while getting on National TV multiple times, all the while shagging all the trim they can handle on campus. Also, if they go to the G-League and manage to get injured, what level of treatment, care and rehab would they get compared to what they would at a high level University?

 

[trueblujr2]

Haven't read the whole thread, but what if Cal decided to coach in that league? He's always saying that his primary goal is to help the players, change their lives, etc. I know the money won't be as good for him as his salary and other incentives at UK, but this seems like a great opportunity for him to do what he says he believes in.

I looked through the list of G-League Coaches and recognized exactly one name. Stan Heath. Cal is making about 8mil per year. He will not leave his cushy gig for a G-League. So no money won't be as good...by a long shot. G-League coaching salaries generally don't even reach 6 figures.

 

[DerekMcPwn]

What kind of Strength and Conditioning or dietary programs do the G-League teams have? What level of coaches are coaching in the G-League? What kind of exposure will they be getting? How many G-League teams are on college campuses overflowing with attractive coeds fighting for your attention? What level of practice facilities are the G-League teams working in? I know 125K is a lot of money to an 18 year old. but I think the vast majority, would prefer at least one year being able to develop their bodies in state of the art facilities with high level programs, while playing for some of the top names in coaching, while getting on National TV multiple times, all the while shagging all the trim they can handle on campus. Also, if they go to the G-League and manage to get injured, what level of treatment, care and rehab would they get compared to what they would at a high level University?

Yeah, no question, the G League sucks. It’s a blue-collar, bring your own sandwich to work kind of basketball.

 

[BlueBlood66]

As long as we still get the highest tier is whatever is left.

Btw. The NBA will (is) destroying itself. Almost all College fans will start turning it off.
What casual fan wants to see just three Super team.
Patriots gave shown a great dynasty team follwed by tons of fans, doesn’t have to be made. I think that is part of the appeal.

The NBA is as popular as it’s ever been and is growing every year. The NBA probably has gained more viewers in China in the last 10 years than all of college basketball fans combined.

 

[Drcatfan]

To me, regardless of which prospects take this route it is just a pain in the ass for the NCAA coaches to try to figure out if a kid is going to even play college bball or not. Should I recruit a kid or not? What if Cal recruits a reload class of 6 freshman, then 4 or 5 of them decide to go g-league at the last minute. We could get caught without enough players to hardly field a team. If this occurs, they need to make the kids declare early if going to the G-league.

 

[Catzman]

I still don't think it makes sense. Take $125k a year early and risk losing millions over the course of the next 15 years. And it's not like elite college players are living in cardboard boxes. They're staying in nice dorms, working out in the nicest practice facilities, playing in front of some of the best fans in the world with some of the best coaches/trainers in the world eating as much top quality food as they can ask for. All the food, clothes, travel, living conditions, etc add up to a lot of money a year that they don't have to spend which is almost like income in and of itself.

The other side is you get money up front, yeah, but you're with teammates and coaches who are about themselves more than they're there for you, there's zero glamour to your life and schedule as you ride grayhounds to games in front of 75 "fans". Yeah you have enough money to buy some Jordans and a nice new necklace, and sure it sucks going to class, but the amount of money you get and "professional training" doesn't offset what a school like UK would give you.

 

[~Keyser Soze~]

To me, regardless of which prospects take this route it is just a pain in the ass for the NCAA coaches to try to figure out if a kid is going to even play college bball or not. Should I recruit a kid or not? What if Cal recruits a reload class of 6 freshman, then 4 or 5 of them decide to go g-league at the last minute. We could get caught without enough players to hardly field a team. If this occurs, they need to make the kids declare early if going to the G-league.

But no kids have taken this route. A grand total of zero so far.

 

[Blueaz]

The NBA is as popular as it’s ever been and is growing every year. The NBA probably has gained more viewers in China in the last 10 years than all of college basketball fans combined.

move the eff to china then

 

[BlueBlood66]

move the eff to china then

Game times are better in the states.