Why the G League Is a Better Alternative Than the NCAA...For Some
There’s an old saying that goes “three is the magic number.” As we saw last year, two dominoes fell in the exhausted debate amongst basketball aficionados: What’s a better pathway to the NBA. Is it a year of collegiate ball? A year abroad? The G League? Why can’t they go straight into the draft after high school?
I could rant on this topic for hours, but let’s get down to some important facts.
The NBA decided not to retain the one-and-done rule for the foreseeable future.
Per ESPN reporter Adrian Wojnarowski (via CBS Sports), this may not even be revisited until the next collective bargaining agreement in 2025.
The NBA has invested in its developmental G League, with a new initiative called the pathway program.
So, who are these two dominoes that I’m talking about, and where exactly are they falling? Last year, RJ Hampton and LaMelo Ball, two of ESPN’s top-20 prospects in the Class of 2019, opted to play overseas instead of succumbing to a one-and-done year in collegiate ball.
This year, we’ve already seen three of ESPN’s top-20 prospects (Class of 2020) turn their noses up at the NCAA. The difference? All three have locked in for the G League’s new pathway program.
Last Tuesday, five-star point guard Daishen Nix (No. 20 in the Class of 2020) became the third domino to fall in the G League’s favor. He joined classmates Jalen Green (No. 1 prospect) and five-star forward Isaiah Todd (No. 14) by declaring for the pathway program.
The G League’s pathway program is the future. And the dominoes (or high school basketball recruits) are going to keep falling this way, so let’s put the NCAA officially on notice: Make bigger and better changes, like the recent groundbreaking likeness decision, and make these changes much sooner than later.
What is the G League Pathway Program?
NBA Commissioner Adam Silver shifted his focus after efforts to eliminate the one-and-done rule stalled for the foreseeable future. His response? Investing further into the G League pathway program, a program built to develop and prepare top prospects for the NBA.
The program offers both financial and mentoring benefits versus spending a year (or six months if you’re Ben Simmons) on a college campus. Here’s how it will look:
Players will receive a salary up to $500,000 with additional financial options (Green’s reported earnings package may top $1 million). This means a steady paycheck and no limits on earning off of your individual likeness.
The pathway program will create a separate team with exhibition contests against current G League teams and international clubs. Continued opportunity to play against NBA-level talent.
The team will be given oversight from NBA veterans and coaches. Opportunities to learn from experienced NBA leadership.
The program offers community events, with access to education programs and life skills programs. Growth beyond the court.
This new and improved G League program is a unique opportunity for young prospects to grow personally and professionally, all in a setting that puts them as close as possible to the NBA. Closer than the likes of top prospects spending a year at Duke, UNC or Michigan State. I’m not necessarily talking about draft stock, but the chance to get paid to spend a year working with and against NBA-level talent, coaches and execs?
That’s a win-win option for these young men.
California high school star Jalen Green, the No. 1 prospect in the 2020 ESPN 100
Better Than College? For some…
I must admit, the idea that the new and improved G League is a better option for top high school basketball recruits has a caveat. The key word here is top.
If you aren’t appearing on that ESPN top-100 list, then go to college. If you aren’t ranked better than No. 50 on that list, then go to college. Hell, if you’re not a decorated McDonald’s All-American, then go to college.
Commissioner Silver agreed, stating “If you’re a top-ranked high school player, a McDonald’s All-American, it’s highly likely you’re going to be a top draft pick in the NBA a year later.”
It cannot be understated the value of playing against the fastest, strongest, most talented and experienced athletes in your sport, especially when trying to take that leap to the professional level. That same leap that less than 1% of the population can achieve.
This decision involves a level of risk for high school athletes, perhaps comparable to the risk of declaring early for the draft in college. Yet, I see no better resource to prepare for a career in professional basketball than the one our very own professional basketball league is offering.
For young men with this special talent, the ones decorated in McDonald’s All-American gear, the ones preparing for the NBA since they first laid hands on that orange ball, the “can’t-miss” prospects, this is a step for your future.
Spend your time competing against elite NBA-talent instead of preseason D-III matchups. Spend those extra hours capitalizing on shoe endorsements instead of carefully counting dining hall swipes on campus. Take developmental courses on how to pay your taxes and set up savings accounts instead of the general-education biology class.
Each year, we will see more and more high school prospects take this chance on themselves. Let’s follow along the courageous efforts by young men like Green, Nix and Todd and watch their careers at the next level.
