Darius Bazley, the million dollar intern.

[UK90]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/sports/darius-bazley-g-league-new-balance.html

You guys remember Bazley? The guy so many of y'all thought had made such a horrendously stupid mistake by skipping college, and then bailing on the G-League? Well, he landed a contract with New Balance ensuring at least a million bucks this year to do nothing more than sit around their offices for a few months as an "intern."

Hell, forget about the new 125K G-League contracts, this may end up being an even a bigger disincentive for top prospects to go to college. If shoe companies will pay you seven figures to play nowhere, no risk of injury, just spend the year preparing for the NBA Draft while cashing fat checks ..well, that's one helluva sweet deal right there.

 

[FrankUnderwood]

Nah

 

[GonzoCat90]

If you're a player like him, it makes a ton of sense.

Whatever you lose in exposure and proving yourself against competition, and therefore draft stock, is going to be less than the value of that contract.

So if you're a guy whose ceiling is to maybe be picked in the 20s, it's a great move.

 

[Smashcat]

This doesn’t sound curious at all. Can you imagine the media meltdown if he was living with Kenny Payne? Btw is Miller telling Wiseman he should skip college?

Currently training in Memphis and living with the Memphis assistant Mike Miller — one of James’s favorite former teammates — Bazley will move to the Boston area in early January to start his off-court business education.

 

[Cardsstink]

That the kid who committed to ‘Cuse? Lol but he has to rep New Balance, the shoes of old republicans who hate Nike.

She lost, get the hell over it already.

 

[Lempface]

She lost, get the hell over it already.

Triggered? Lol, enjoy your NBs!

 

[Tyblue22]

BINGO...this was my point also, especially the next 3 years. The G-League and the NBA are going to make this look attractive to gain momentum.

 

[Cardsstink]

Triggered? Lol, enjoy your NBs!

Love how LIBS like you cry and whine, then when called out they say "I triggered ya!" Freaking dorks.

 

[Lempface]

Love how LIBS like you cry and whine, then when called out they say "I triggered ya!" Freaking dorks.

Love ya buddy!

 

[mj2k10]

Love how LIBS like you cry and whine, then when called out they say "I triggered ya!" Freaking dorks.

Did you get sand in your vagina?

Hope not, but you seem all out of sorts.

 

[UKnCincy]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/sports/darius-bazley-g-league-new-balance.html

You guys remember Bazley? The guy so many of y'all thought had made such a horrendously stupid mistake by skipping college, and then bailing on the G-League? Well, he landed a contract with New Balance ensuring at least a million bucks this year to do nothing more than sit around their offices for a few months as an "intern."

Hell, forget about the new 125K G-League contracts, this may end up being an even a bigger disincentive for top prospects to go to college. If shoe companies will pay you seven figures to play nowhere, no risk of injury, just spend the year just preparing for the NBA Draft while cashing fat checks ..well, that's one helluva sweet deal right there.

Interesting. But I thought you needed college basketball in order to “build your brand” before you could get that type of deal?

 

[kornucopia]

I flew on a plane with him this summer out to Vegas from Cleveland. My guess is he was headed to watch the Summer League ball that was going on.

 

[Aike]

Fascinating story from a lot of angles. Worth noting that although he’s skipping college, he’s living with and training with a college coach, and the Times ran to his almost college coach (Boeheim) for quotes.

 

[VikingCat21]

Big brands like Nike won't want to do this because they want these guys to get the exposure of college bball and build a following. The next 5 months, the best college players will be all over ESPN and primetime networks while Bazely is sitting around doing nothing and working out alone. His draft stock will suffer and he will ultimately realize it was a mistake.

 

[mj2k10]

Big brands like Nike won't want to do this because they want these guys to get the exposure of college bball and build a following. The next 5 months, the best college players will be all over ESPN and primetime networks while Bazely is sitting around doing nothing and working out alone. His draft stock will suffer and he will ultimately realize it was a mistake.

Debatable.

Draft stock is trending less and less towards college performance. Jaren Jackson put up 11 pts and 6 rebounds per at Michigan St last year, but went 4th overall, because he fits the skill and physical profile NBA teams are looking for.

Zach Collins went #10 in 2017, despite averaging 17.3 mpg at Gonzaga.

Thon Maker never played a second in college, and went #10 in 2016.

If a player wants to go at the top of the lottery, he probably does need to show what he can do in college. Most teams aren't going to gamble on someone who hasn't show anything against a higher level of competition. But not many players care all that much if they go #1 overall or #10.

And the marketing aspect has more to do with what a guy does once he gets in the league. If a guy can play, people will know who he is, and if a guy can't, no one is going to care where he played in college.

College is still the easiest path for most players, but the ones who don't want it are going to find other options. And those options are getting better every year.

 

[rabbitTown]

Talk about the end of college basketball as we've known it (again).
G-league is going to have to up their salary to compete (or maybe the NBA won't care). It's nothing to Nike or Adidas to sign the top twenty kids for a million each for a year (on condition of potentially signing with them after being drafted), work 'em out, and give the top picks $50+ million endorsement contracts.
Cal said the G-league would help UKs recruiting, but these shoe contracts for top 20 players sure could.
Worse though (for the fans of college basketball [not the kids]), is we'll never see an elite player in college again.

 

[Fgpoe03]

Does anyone hear actually watch the g- league? I don't and I feel like the exposure is non-existent. Head to a blue blood and get a John Wall shoe deal, that's better than a 125k.

 

[rabbitTown]

Does anyone hear actually watch the g- league? I don't and I feel like the exposure is non-existent. Head to a blue blood and get a John Wall shoe deal, that's better than a 125k.

This is no longer about the G-League... NB has taken it to another level. Million dollar salaries for 18 year olds to do nothing but work on their games all day, every day. Chump change to wrap up a potential first rounder, let alone a lottery pick, when he is still in high school.

 

[KYCAT78]

Triggered? Lol, enjoy your NBs!

Probably your face is not the only thing limp.

 

[catben]

New Balance seems to be the "horrendously stupid" one in this decision. $1million isn't what it used to be apparently. Bazly has come out great in this deal, even if he doesn't make it to the NBA, he has enough money to offset not going to college.

Do these shoe companies have so much money that they can give a mediocre HS player a million bucks?

 

[mj2k10]

New Balance seems to be the "horrendously stupid" one in this decision. $1million isn't what it used to be apparently. Bazly has come out great in this deal, even if he doesn't make it to the NBA, he has enough money to offset not going to college.

Do these shoe companies have so much money that they can give a mediocre HS player a million bucks?

It's a calculated gamble, and it's probably pretty smart. The fact that it's unprecedented is putting New Balance in the news.

Not something I could see them doing on a regular basis, though. You'd need a return on this kind of investment if you do it as a matter of policy, because no one would pay attention after a while. As a one time/first-time thing, it works.

 

[GonzoCat90]

It's a calculated gamble, and it's probably pretty smart. The fact that it's unprecedented is putting New Balance in the news.

Not something I could see them doing on a regular basis, though. You'd need a return on this kind of investment if you do it as a matter of policy, because no one would pay attention after a while. As a one time/first-time thing, it works.

It also sends the message to the next kid looking to bypass college but who doesn't want to go the G-League route. Say DeAndre Ayton would have been ineligible at Arizona and wanted to train for a year. If it's known that New Balance will play ball and fork over the cash, then suddenly prospects that Nike would gobble up before/after the draft are in play.

If you're NB, that's a major win. If it just costs you a million dollars to send that message, that's a bargain.

 

[csrupp]

That the kid who committed to ‘Cuse? Lol but he has to rep New Balance, the shoes of old republicans who hate Nike.

What are you a pro-sweat shop racist?

 

[FFWhite]

This will be the end of one and done. Spend a year in G league. Get a shoe contract. G league signs a few high profile kids and boom a television contract from ESPN. NBA makes s tin if money while developing the name value of their coming attractions.

 

[UK90]

Does anyone hear actually watch the g- league? I don't and I feel like the exposure is non-existent. Head to a blue blood and get a John Wall shoe deal, that's better than a 125k.

What does G-League have to do with this?

Did you read the article? This kid is skipping BOTH college AND the G-League, yet STILL getting paid over a million during his sit-out year, while risking no injury and just focusing on preparing for the draft.

And he's not even an uber-elite top 10 type recruit. Yeah, Bazley was a 5 star, but just barely, a borderline five in the 15 to 20 range. If shoe companies will pay him like this just to sit out, i wonder how much more they'd dish out for top 5 guys like Wiseman, Anthony or Carey?

I think one would have to be willfully ignorant to deny this story represents a serious potential game changer in the blue blood recruiting game.