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G-League ups base salary to 35k for 5 month season, free housing, bonuses

So what does this equal after taxes, an agent, a car, and travel expenses??

I doubt they would have much travel expense. Imo the kicker will be the spending habits of the players. That's a real world median salary. Might clear 25k per year after taxes. Not much.
 
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They'll also need a trainer, food, and housing during the remaining 7 months. Also, do we assume an 18 or 19 year makes good financial decisions? So we need to factor in wasted money. Jewelry, parties, lending (and never seeing it again) to your "group" and "family"
 
35 plus housing is still not enough to ruin college basketball like some on this board would have us believe

I agree.

They say, "yeah but $35K for 5 months equates to $84K for a year". Ok, but they ain't getting paid for the whole year, they are just getting paid for the 5 months, the other 7 months they are earning $0.
It will mean a handful that would have otherwise went to college, may do the G-league instead.
 
This may be a good deal for a one and done type guy but the G-League is certainly not helping your branding for when you go to the NBA. College ball certainly helps.

How many people watch G-League games?
 
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He’d be crazy to take $35K now when he’s projected as a first round top 20 pick in 2019.


This. I mean i totally understand bolting and grabbing that 1st round $$... we’re talking millions. Who wouldn’t ?

But , again, PJ has the skills and talent to DEFINITELY go lottery/ mid first round next year

So.., go now (undrafted ) and make MAYBE 35k OR come back, build your brand/ hype and get s guaranteed $5-$9 MILLION paycheck
 
I agree.

They say, "yeah but $35K for 5 months equates to $84K for a year". Ok, but they ain't getting paid for the whole year, they are just getting paid for the 5 months, the other 7 months they are earning $0.
It will mean a handful that would have otherwise went to college, may do the G-league instead.
yeah they could make some more money in the off season but most are going to be focused on trying to work their game to get an nba contract. I doubt many of them are gonna be delivering pizza in the off season or any other job that a high school diploma will get ya these days
 
$35,000....uh, the government takes around $8,5000....uh, an agent takes about $3,500....uh, 3 or 4 tattoos eats up about $2,000....buy some jewelry and put a down payment on a car...$7,500.....
Let’s see:
$35,000 -$8,500=$26,5000...-$3500=$23,000....-$2,000=$21,000....-$7,500=$13,500...child support?
..posse?.....no degeee....hmm. Better hope they’re one of the few that play well enough to get a contract.
 
Do some random interviews with some G Leaguers and see how they feel about it
 
$35,000....uh, the government takes around $8,5000....uh, an agent takes about $3,500....uh, 3 or 4 tattoos eats up about $2,000....buy some jewelry and put a down payment on a car...$7,500.....
Let’s see:
$35,000 -$8,500=$26,5000...-$3500=$23,000....-$2,000=$21,000....-$7,500=$13,500...child support?
..posse?.....no degeee....hmm. Better hope they’re one of the few that play well enough to get a contract.

The government doesn't even come close to taking $8500 out of $35000. No reason to have an agent if you're going straight to D league, the guys with real potential will be fronted anyway.

You guys want to compare this to NBA salaries, but that's dumb. These kids will be comparing college $0 (and the knowledge that billions are being made off of them while they get nothing) or $35K in the Gleague and no classes.

It won't sway the guys who want an education, but the others....
 
He’d be crazy to take $35K now when he’s projected as a first round top 20 pick in 2019.

Well, if he thought he was just getting the $35K, then yeah!
But I'm sure IF PJ stays in the draft after being told he's a 2nd rounder, it's not because he thinks he will get $35K, but it is because he thinks he can get a large-6-figure-contract with a team (like Ulis did) even if it means playing in the D-league some.
 
Yeah, because 35K over 5 months (annualized to $84K) plus room and board is not nearly as good as $0 and room and board over 10 months.


But it’s not annualized because it’s not for 1 year. It’s for 5 months. Minus taxes , minus agent fees...

If many are trying to get to the NBA they will definitely have agents/ fees etc.

I definitely get the allure , but in many cases it would 100000% be better to go to a UK, KU, Duke, MSU (top tier school) for a year or 2 than play for an obscure G league team, riding in C- level busses and being “housed” in apartments similar to something you’d find on new cut road
 
So I guess the point is if after a year in the G-League you now have 5k in your pocket and you're not any closer to the NBA as you are in College

In college, everything is free. you're closer to your degree, and you could work your way towards a gurae
$35,000....uh, the government takes around $8,5000....uh, an agent takes about $3,500....uh, 3 or 4 tattoos eats up about $2,000....buy some jewelry and put a down payment on a car...$7,500.....
Let’s see:
$35,000 -$8,500=$26,5000...-$3500=$23,000....-$2,000=$21,000....-$7,500=$13,500...child support?
..posse?.....no degeee....hmm. Better hope they’re one of the few that play well enough to get a contract.
$13500 to live on for 7 months...lol
 
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Yeah, because 35K over 5 months (annualized to $84K) plus room and board is not nearly as good as $0 and room and board over 10 months.
but in the real world they can't make 84 grand, can't really annualized it if it cant actually be realized. plus hype factor plays into a lot of your top draft pick coming out of college. not a lot of hype about a kid grinding it out in the GL. don't be foolish. that is like saying a teacher makes 66 grand a year when they really only make 50 grand because they only work 9 months out of the year. most teachers don't get summer jobs let alone jobs that pay them the equivalent to what they make per hour in the summer . a ball player who only has a HS diploma can not make 53 thousand in the off season just working
 
Great, they're making what a preacher makes now.
 
But it’s not annualized because it’s not for 1 year. It’s for 5 months. Minus taxes , minus agent fees...

If many are trying to get to the NBA they will definitely have agents/ fees etc.

I definitely get the allure , but in many cases it would 100000% be better to go to a UK, KU, Duke, MSU (top tier school) for a year or 2 than play for an ksnhxre G league team, riding in C- level busses and being “housed” in apartments similar to something you’d find on new cut road
Some people want to play professionally for cash. Nothing wrong with it. Also funny people are making snarky comments about 35k a year and free housing, over 5 months that's not a bad deal, especially if you're a player that's not likely to be drafted 1st rd.
 
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but in the real world they can't make 84 grand, can't really annualized it if it cant actually be realized. plus hype factor plays into a lot of your top draft pick coming out of college. not a lot of hype about a kid grinding it out in the GL. don't be foolish. that is like saying a teacher makes 66 grand a year when they really only make 50 grand because they only work 9 months out of the year. most teachers don't get summer jobs let alone jobs that pay them the equivalent to what they make per hour in the summer . a ball player who only has a HS diploma can not make 53 thousand in the off season just working
Tell that to the many employers in Ky that would happily employ a former UK basketball player.
 
The government doesn't even come close to taking $8500 out of $35000. No reason to have an agent if you're going straight to D league, the guys with real potential will be fronted anyway.

You guys want to compare this to NBA salaries, but that's dumb. These kids will be comparing college $0 (and the knowledge that billions are being made off of them while they get nothing) or $35K in the Gleague and no classes.

It won't sway the guys who want an education, but the others....

if 35k and no classes makes them happy...they should just get a factory job out of high school. And I'm not sure that the knowledge that billions are being made off of them while they get nothing, is a reason to not go to college.
 
Tell that to the many employers in Ky that would happily employ a former UK basketball player.
they gonna pay em 53 grand over 7 months, I think not. that would kill company moral for starters and that would also be the exception to this not the rule. plus my original post was in regards to it not being the kinda of money to attract players away from big time programs and for going college all together so in the scenario that we are talking about it wouldn't be a former UK player to begin with
 
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Some people want to play professionally for cash. Nothing wrong with it. Also funny people are making snarky comments about 35k a year and free housing, over 5 months that's not a bad deal, especially if you're a player that's not likely to be drafted 1st rd.


No, it’s not a bad deal, but it would be in PJ’s case considering he’s already securely in the 1st round mocks for next year which = $5 plus million as opposed to (maybe) 35k and no guarantee whatsoever.
 
the reason I made a snarky comment was because for months I have had to read people talking about how the increase in GL salaries is gonna kill college basketball. and that is just not true, there is way more than money to consider to this equation (like tv exposure, hype, agent fee, timing to enter the draft, working on your game yourself vs a coaching staff for that purpose) 35 grand plus housing is nothing to laugh at but it just is not game changing money. it absolutely might be a viable option of those who just don't want to go to school, but they are gonna get their weaknesses exposed way quicker with way more consequences than if they headed to college
 
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No, it’s not a bad deal, but it would be in PJ’s case considering he’s already securely in the 1st round mocks for next year which = $5 plus million as opposed to (maybe) 35k and no guarantee whatsoever.
I can agree on PJ and others players cases, but ppl scoffing at 35k and free housing over 5 months I find a tad funny. Guess everyone here makes 100k+ a year.
they gonna pay em 53 grand over 7 months, I think not. that would kill company moral for starters and that would also be the exception to this not the rule. plus my original post was in regards to it not being the kinda of money to attract players away from big time programs and for going college all together so in the scenario that we are talking about it wouldn't be a former UK player to begin with
well the average US salary isn't 88k a year. And I can agree with you on potential big time players, but others have no guarantees like that, even a lot of UK players that once thought they were destined for the NBA. Just my 2 cents
 
The government doesn't even come close to taking $8500 out of $35000. No reason to have an agent if you're going straight to D league, the guys with real potential will be fronted anyway.

You guys want to compare this to NBA salaries, but that's dumb. These kids will be comparing college $0 (and the knowledge that billions are being made off of them while they get nothing) or $35K in the Gleague and no classes.

It won't sway the guys who want an education, but the others....
Since when do you get paid 0 in college? Every Football/basketball player at UK gets paid a stipend, are eligible for the $5,500 Pell grant if their parent make under $35k I believe, $500 clothing fund, room and board money paid if they dont live on campus, they get paid for "working" camps which usually entails being seen, every meal provided, most planned by a nutritionist and prepared by a chef, a per diem for road games, and per diem when school is out, insurance, medical dental and vision, elite trainers, elite facilities to train in, elite coaching. Not to mention all the free marketing and growing your brand by playing in packed arenas and in front of millions on TV.

You can value that at $0 if you want but 99% of athletes will value it at far more than the $35k G League salary.
 
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Some people want to play professionally for cash. Nothing wrong with it. Also funny people are making snarky comments about 35k a year and free housing, over 5 months that's not a bad deal, especially if you're a player that's not likely to be drafted 1st rd.

Speaking for myself, it isn’t snark. Like others have pointed out, the “it’s only for five months of work” argument is an illusion. These guys spend the entire off-season training and conditioning. Their annual salary is $35K, full stop.

Second, I went to UK on a full ride. I’ve also lived as a working adult making $25K - $50K per year. I do better now, but I know that lifestyle. I choose the full ride at Kentucky 100% of the time. Those are great years and a great lifestyle, and they’re probably even better as a basketball superstar. People on this forum talk down the full-ride scholarships (probably until they become a parent trying to put a kid through college) but they’re pretty great. You pay for nothing. You even get stipends. All while hanging out around guys and girls your own age in a unique, once-in-a-lifetime environment. $35K + whatever sad housing the G-League gives is not NEAR enough incentive, at least to my preferences, to justify trading that away.
 
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