G League to offer $125K to elite prospects as alternative to college one-and-done route

#5
#5
It was announced they will not go after any current commitments, and would only pursue should that player decommit.

This is really bad news for the diehard, true NCAA basketball fans out there. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to watch our BallerVols this year and will watch almost every game I possibly can...but the college basketball product as a whole is just awful as is. March Madness and such is exciting, but the over coaching, the lack of flow, the poor shooting as a whole.. it's tough to watch sometimes. Losing 10-15 of the top 30 or so players for one season may not seem like a big deal.. but it's huge.

Overall I think it's great news for the NBA as they can get these guys into their system a full year, and it should help bridge the gap between high school and the NBA.

Big fan of this, as I am a huge NBA fan and look forward to seeing the top prospects come in a little more polished. Also, this has to hurt Kentucky.. no? LOVE that.
 
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#7
#7
After reading more about it I don’t see it having much impact, it is another option for guys but don’t see many taking it. You can enter the G-League now out of high school, the difference is now you get $35k not the possible $125k, however if you think you’re a lottery pick $125k isn’t going to be very enticing. G-League doesn’t fly private, often takes buses and doesn’t stay in any sort of upscale hotel, playing in small gyms in front of small crowds, most of the guys who would get the $125k will still opt to go and play for UK/UNC/Duke etc.
 
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#8
#8
bleedingTNorange said:
After reading more about it I don’t see it having much impact, it is another option for guys but don’t see many taking it. You can enter the G-League now out of high school, the difference is now you get $35k not the possible $125k, however if you think you’re a lottery pick $125k isn’t going to be very enticing. G-League doesn’t fly private, often takes buses and doesn’t stay in any sort of upscale hotel, playing in small gyms in front of small crowds, most of the guys who would get the $125k will still opt to go and play for UK/UNC/Duke etc.
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I think several per season will still explore it. Especially those with zero interest in school nada those coming from low income families. It isn't going to draw in everyone in the top 25 of each class, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a handful of kids each year take the opportunity.

The real story will be in 2022 when the NBA collective bargaining agreement abolishes the age limit and high schoolers are allowed to go pro again immediately.
 
#10
#10
cncchris33 said:
I think several per season will still explore it. Especially those with zero interest in school nada those coming from low income families. It isn't going to draw in everyone in the top 25 of each class, but I wouldn't be surprised to see a handful of kids each year take the opportunity.

The real story will be in 2022 when the NBA collective bargaining agreement abolishes the age limit and high schoolers are allowed to go pro again immediately.
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I’m not sure if you will see even 1 a year...multiple people talking about it, agents saying they would never recommend it. Syracuse had a commit opt for the G-League and since then his agent has pulled him from it and he’s just going to train privately for a year and then enter the draft, agent can easily front that $125k knowing he will get it back and no eligibility issues.

Many are talking about how different G-League is, grown man basketball with guys playing for their lives and to put food on the table for their kids, a 17-18 year old who isn’t physically ready is not going to fare well.
 
#13
#13
Isn't this going to be a real positive for top flight HS players who may not be able or willing to get into college? IMO, colleges and unis are becoming worse and worse messes. Why should a young person be "punished" for not going to one, when they are good enough to make a decent income straight out with opportunity to make the NBA later?

Not against college or college ball. I have a BS myself. Actually like CBB more than pro. But, there are tons of good opportunities in the country without going to a university. I have no problem with 18-19yolds opting out to pursue thier dream another way.
 
#14
#14
livefaith said:
Isn't this going to be a real positive for top flight HS players who may not be able or willing to get into college? IMO, colleges and unis are becoming worse and worse messes. Why should a young person be "punished" for not going to one, when they are good enough to make a decent income straight out with opportunity to make the NBA later?

Not against college or college ball. I have a BS myself. Actually like CBB more than pro. But, there are tons of good opportunities in the country without going to a university. I have no problem with 18-19yolds opting out to pursue thier dream another way.
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I don’t think you’ll see many do it...for starters it was already an option, it just was $35k and not $125k, that didn’t seem to entice anyone. The option has also been there to go to Australia or elsewhere and get paid much more than $125k, only a couple have done that. It’s another option for these kids which I am all for, I just don’t think you’ll really see anyone do it.

If you are a top flight recruit and don’t want to attend college you are likely better off taking a year off and going the agent/trainer route and they will gladly compensate you that same $125k.
 
#15
#15
Good. Good bye to the UKs and Duke dominant teams. They’ll actually have to recruit and develop these kids instead of secretly paying for these 1 and done guys.

College players will once again be multi year players, learn to play for their schools and coaches, and the overall game will be more fundamentally sound. Kids not quite good enough for G league will look to play for a coach who can develop them like Barnes.

I’d rather watch 3 and 4 year players with heart than these short timer mercenaries.

$125k is a lot of money for these kids. Don’t try to gloss over that. Most will probably take advantage and see this as their top choice, then look at schools if they don’t get a G league contract.
 
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#16
#16
CTVolsfan14 said:
...Also, this has to hurt Kentucky.. no? LOVE that.
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I love it. If we start getting players that will stay for 3 or 4 years then it'll be ridiculous. I'm as critical of Calipari as any UK fan, but I would like to think he would be able to adapt his recruiting just as well as any of the top coaches.

Bennet, Wright and some of the other elite guys at the non blue bloods are probably loving this idea though.
 
#17
#17
LittleCat said:
I love it. If we start getting players that will stay for 3 or 4 years then it'll be ridiculous. I'm as critical of Calipari as any UK fan, but I would like to think he would be able to adapt his recruiting just as well as any of the top coaches.

Bennet, Wright and some of the other elite guys at the non blue bloods are probably loving this idea though.
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It will definitely test Calipari’s ability to evaluate guys and coach them up, not saying he can’t that just hasn’t really been something he’s had to be strong at in the past.
 
#18
#18
CTVolsfan14 said:
This is really bad news for the diehard, true NCAA basketball fans out there. Don't get me wrong, I can't wait to watch our BallerVols this year and will watch almost every game I possibly can...but the college basketball product as a whole is just awful as is. March Madness and such is exciting, but the over coaching, the lack of flow, the poor shooting as a whole.. it's tough to watch sometimes. Losing 10-15 of the top 30 or so players for one season may not seem like a big deal.. but it's huge.
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College basketball was just fine before the one and done rule. If anything I think this will make it college basketball better. I doubt it honestly makes much of an impact anyways. There was one lottery pick that made it to the Final 4 last year and that was Mikal Bridges who wasn't even a one and done he was a Junior. Most teams with the top players in the draft don't make it very far in the tourney.
 
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#19
#19
bleedingTNorange said:
I don’t think you’ll see many do it...for starters it was already an option, it just was $35k and not $125k, that didn’t seem to entice anyone. The option has also been there to go to Australia or elsewhere and get paid much more than $125k, only a couple have done that. It’s another option for these kids which I am all for, I just don’t think you’ll really see anyone do it.

If you are a top flight recruit and don’t want to attend college you are likely better off taking a year off and going the agent/trainer route and they will gladly compensate you that same $125k.
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I don't know if it's fair to say the option was always there at the $35k price point. In most cases, the year of education, room, board, nutrition, and medical care that Power 5, D1 athletes receive is worth far more than that.

Now, $125k is a significant jump for a kid sharing a 2 bedroom home with 10 family members, and wondering where his next meal us coming from.

I still dont think you'll see 15 or 20 kids jumping in, but I wouldn't be shocked to see 4 or 5 kids give it a go, especially those with trouble qualifying or no interest in school. And as I said before, it's all temporary anyway ahead of the new NBA CBA.
 
#20
#20
cncchris33 said:
I don't know if it's fair to say the option was always there at the $35k price point. In most cases, the year of education, room, board, nutrition, and medical care that Power 5, D1 athletes receive is worth far more than that.

Now, $125k is a significant jump for a kid sharing a 2 bedroom home with 10 family members, and wondering where his next meal us coming from.

I still dont think you'll see 15 or 20 kids jumping in, but I wouldn't be shocked to see 4 or 5 kids give it a go, especially those with trouble qualifying or no interest in school. And as I said before, it's all temporary anyway ahead of the new NBA CBA.
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I will be shocked if we see 4-5 kids do it...maybe I will be wrong. All the NBA and College guys though feel the same, and say that response from players/coaches/agents have also been the same. Agents saying they would recommend every other scenario before putting a guy into the G-League, just look at Darius Bazely. His agent told him not to do the G-League and instead spend the year training, he agreed, most see the risk of getting exposed greater than that of building your stock.
 
#21
#21
The elite of the elite are not skipping that 1st year of college because they are getting more than the 125,000 since taxes are taken out of the pro money. The under the table stuff that the great are getting is completely tax free.
 
#22
#22
wtorange said:
The elite of the elite are not skipping that 1st year of college because they are getting more than the 125,000 since taxes are taken out of the pro money. The under the table stuff that the great are getting is completely tax free.
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Right. The ones that this will appeal to are the academic at-risk and the kids who have never even seen $125k on television.
 
#24
#24
It's not just the $125k. It's that these kids can start taking money in from agents and shoe companies as soon as they are identified in the process, which is still as of yet to be determined. They can take any benefit they want and get paid for playing AAU as well because they don't have to worry about eligibility. They also dont have to maintain the grades in school once they are identified. What if they take the 125k then sign a $500,000 contract with Nike and their agent floats them another $500,000?

This is only a stopgap until OAD is gone in 2022. Then I could the NBA using this model to take care of the kids they don't get drafted.
 
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#25
#25
TennaciousD957 said:
It's not just the $125k. It's that these kids can start taking money in from agents and shoe companies as soon as they are identified in the process, which is still as of yet to be determined. They can take any benefit they want and get paid for playing AAU as well because they don't have to worry about eligibility. They also dont have to maintain the grades in school once they are identified. What if they take the 125k then sign a $500,000 contract with Nike and their agent floats them another $500,000?

This is only a stopgap until OAD is gone in 2022. Then I could the NBA using this model to take care of the kids they don't get drafted.
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Didn’t even think about the outside $$. Good point
 
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