OT: Parity to Come to College Hoops as NBA G League Expands

[coldsprings]

A fascinating essay, The NBA Is (Finally) Creating a Market Alternative to Compete With College Basketball offers great hope for programs such as RU.

From the essay: "The NBA G-League (essentially the minor league of professional basketball) announced the start of a program that would offer $125,000 contracts to the best high school basketball players in the nation as an alternative to playing in college...The G-League’s program will certainly lure many of the better high school basketball players away from the college game until the NBA drops the age limit and allows those players to enter the draft."

If one and done is over for the best programs, RU will find it easier to compete.

 

[PiscatawayMike]

If one and done is over for the best programs, RU will find it easier to compete.

I have to disagree. The blue bloods will still end up getting the highest-rated players that do attend college.

 

[zebnatto]

Not sure how it affects programs like Rutgers, but I like the idea. No sense forcing kids into college if they have no desire to be there. Ideally this G league thing would offer some life skills job training internships etc. to help the young guys out in the long term

 

[KevH]

I have to disagree. The blue bloods will still end up getting the highest-rated players that do attend college.

I was thinking the same thing. It's all relative. All the talent just slides over a seat or two, but the chairs are still in the same positions, in the same room.

 

[Greene Rice FIG]

IT's about time. College basketball should be for people in college.

 

[kcg88]

I was thinking the same thing. It's all relative. All the talent just slides over a seat or two, but the chairs are still in the same positions, in the same room.

The gap between the #1 player and the #20 player is far greater than the #20 player and #40 player. It levels the top out for sure.

 

[needmorecowbell]

The gap between the #1 player and the #20 player is far greater than the #20 player and #40 player. It levels the top out for sure.

I agree. The number 40th player is also much harder to evaluate. This will definitely add parity.

 

[Russ Wood]

I don't think this will change much. Despite the $125,000 salary coming to college for one year is a better option for just about every high school player then going to the G League.

However, if a high school player is a non-qualifier then the G League option would make sense.

 

[Skull83]

We finally have the right coach. We won't need parity to make it easier to compete, we're going to compete just fine!

 

[KevH]

The gap between the #1 player and the #20 player is far greater than the #20 player and #40 player. It levels the top out for sure.

Fair point.

 

[Doctor Worm]

I don't think this will change much. Despite the $125,000 salary coming to college for one year is a better option for just about every high school player then going to the G League.

Why do you say that? In the G League, the player would be playing more games, against better competition, under NBA rules. Most importantly, he'd be playing under coaches whose job it will be to develop his overall game, rather than simply to win.

 

[SkilletHead2]

I don't think this will change much. Despite the $125,000 salary coming to college for one year is a better option for just about every high school player then going to the G League.

However, if a high school player is a non-qualifier then the G League option would make sense.

What I'm wondering Russ, is how this affects the illegal money in recruiting? $125k legally is going to be attractive to a lot of kids.

 

[Russ Wood]

Why do you say that? In the G League, the player would be playing more games, against better competition, under NBA rules. Most importantly, he'd be playing under coaches whose job it will be to develop his overall game, rather than simply to win.

Playing in the G-League the player would also be going up against some older veterans. This creates an opportunity for the straight-out-of-HS-player to look bad against an older, stronger, more seasoned player and hurt his NBA stock. The travel is better in D1 basketball (G-League teams often bus to games). There are a lot of NCAA reject coaches in the G-League. I'd rather have my son coached by Pike than Stan Heath (Lakeland Magic head coach). Btw, I like Stan Heath. Good man. Good head coach? Not so much.

What I'm wondering Russ, is how this affects the illegal money in recruiting? $125k legally is going to be attractive to a lot of kids.

Could be a difference maker for some kids, no doubt.

 

[Roy_Faulker]

It just means the blue bloods will have to pay more than $125k to get the top kids.

I don’t see this changing the landscape that dramatically - most kids dream of winning the ncaa championship not the GLeague Trophy.

 

[Mr Magoo]

It will also mean that almost all high school basketball players will be able to play at least D3 basketball once they get to college.

 

[kcg88]

It will also mean that almost all high school basketball players will be able to play at least D3 basketball once they get to college.

Huh? This G-League thing opens up like 20 spots a year.