Merits of G-League vs. College Basketball

[YlJacket]

That "exposed" concept to me is a big deal here. I don't know this kid from Adam but I assume like most anyone he has strengths he wants to accentuate and weaknesses to hide while he works on them. If the G League coach isn't motivated to put him in an advantageous position he could end up with an 8 pts 4 rebounds type of year that would create more questions than buzz.

 

[CuseJacket]

Funny, Malik Rose (now Hawks' GLeague GM) was on the radio this morning and he mentioned something somewhat interesting in that regard.

He was asked if guys like Bazley could really develop at the GLeague level. He basically said it depends on the organization. Some organizations already use the GL to develop players and have actual development programs in place. Others don't.

The Spurs, despite @CuseJacket shade , are one of the better ones. Hawks started this year. I know MIA has a good system. They work from the NBA HC level down to develop a plan for each player so the fact that Ahearn isn't experienced doesn't necessarily mean those players will get a diminished level of support/guidance.

Also, let's not pretend college coaches' goals are to get a guy NBA-ready. For shame, CuseJ. For shame.

Tyler Lydon's selection at No. 24 extended Syracuse's streak of six consecutive seasons with a first-round pick. That ranks third in college basketball behind Kentucky and Duke.

Syracuse's stretch of six seasons with a player drafted is tied for fourth with UNC. Only Kentucky, Kansas and Duke have longer stretches.

Syracuse's streak began with Dion Waiters going No. 4 overall in 2012. During that time, 11 players have been selected. Waiters and Michael Carter-Williams are the lottery picks from that group.

 

[kg01]

To my credit (because, of course, I don't get enough credit around here), I purposely didn't name 'Cuse specifically. I think it's true, however, that college coaches don't generally focus on preparing kids for the NBA.

 

[CuseJacket]

To my credit (because, of course, I don't get enough credit around here), I purposely didn't name 'Cuse specifically. I think it's true, however, that college coaches don't generally focus on preparing kids for the NBA.

To your credit, you keep posting and getting likes from me. However that doesn't generally mean your posts add value. Those are more like "bless his heart" likes.

I actually agree with what you're saying to a certain extent, but I do think general "getting better" as a basketball player is aligned directionally with NBA preparedness. Of course college coaches would be foolish to do that to the detriment of winning games.

 

[dtm1997]

That "exposed" concept to me is a big deal here. I don't know this kid from Adam but I assume like most anyone he has strengths he wants to accentuate and weaknesses to hide while he works on them. If the G League coach isn't motivated to put him in an advantageous position he could end up with an 8 pts 4 rebounds type of year that would create more questions than buzz.

You make good points, but the NBA drafts international kids that lack performance & minutes on their high level European teams all the time. Bazley has absolutely been scouted by the NBA somewhere along the line already and he's already viewed as having NBA potential. He might get exposed, but he's actually going to be playing against higher level competition than college in the G-League. He'll lack the exposure of college, but he's going to face tougher competition that's strictly fighting for the same pro dream he has. Showing only a modicum of production may not diminish the view on what he can develop in to.

 

[kg01]

To your credit, you keep posting and getting likes from me. However that doesn't generally mean your posts add value. Those are more like "bless his heart" likes.

I actually agree with what you're saying to a certain extent, but I do think general "getting better" as a basketball player is aligned directionally with NBA preparedness. Of course college coaches would be foolish to do that to the detriment of winning games.

You make good points, but the NBA drafts international kids that lack performance & minutes on their high level European teams all the time. Bazley has absolutely been scouted by the NBA somewhere along the line already and he's already viewed as having NBA potential. He might get exposed, but he's actually going to be playing against higher level competition than college in the G-League. He'll lack the exposure of college, but he's going to face tougher competition that's strictly fighting for the same pro dream he has. Showing only a modicum of production may not diminish the view on what he can develop in to.

Excellent post. Agree on all counts.

 

[YlJacket]

Out of curiosity, anyone know how he will get assigned to a specific team or does the G League have a draft? I don't know, but if he has "free agent" status he likely can get training and role commitments from a G League team prior to commitment (best case scenario).

It will be interesting to see if 8 and 4 from the G League is the equivalent in the NBA's eyes of 15 and 8 in the NCAA. Or whatever the translation/equivalent is.

 

[kg01]

He enters the GL draft, can't determine his location.

 

[ESPNjacket]

Out of curiosity, anyone know how he will get assigned to a specific team or does the G League have a draft? I don't know, but if he has "free agent" status he likely can get training and role commitments from a G League team prior to commitment (best case scenario).

It will be interesting to see if 8 and 4 from the G League is the equivalent in the NBA's eyes of 15 and 8 in the NCAA. Or whatever the translation/equivalent is.

I would recommend reading this:

http://gleague.nba.com/faq/

 

[g0lftime]

European kids often forego college to apprentice in a trade or sport. A few will come to the states to play golf or basketball but they don' t necessarily believe college is the only career path.

 

[RamblinRed]

These are the 2 comments that are most pertinent to Bazley and other HS kids who would go directly to the G League

• Once the NBA G League season begins, players who sign NBA G League contracts are placed into a rotating waiver pool so that teams can claim them.
• If a player from high school, college or overseas enters the NBA G League without ever having declared for the NBA Draft, he will also join the waiver pool. That player remains NBA Draft-eligible but is not eligible to be called up to the NBA.

Six players have been drafted into the NBA out of the NBA G League. These players entered the NBA G League either out of high school – the league’s age minimum is 18 rather than the NBA’s 19 – or as early entry college players.
They include: Mike Taylor (2008), Latavious Williams (2009), Chu Chu Maduabum (2011), Glen Rice Jr. (2013), Thanasis Antetokounmpo (2014, pictured) and P.J. Hairston (2014). In 2014, Hairston became the first first-round NBA Draft pick the NBA G League has ever produced, and Antetokounmpo became the first international prospect ever to be drafted out of the NBA G League.

 

[jacketup]

How many of you would send your 18 year old son into an unsupervised environment with a bunch of 18-25 year olds? Add in scum agents and other influences trying to tell them what is best for them, when the agents and influences are just trying to get something from them. .

That's why college is better--even for a year--as long as the school has an environment where the kids are supervised and made to go to class. In college there are 4 coaches plus support staff to look after 12 scholarship kids. At a decent school, the coaches' reputations are on the line if the kids go rogue. One of the reasons to go to college for anyone is that there is some structure provided as a transition to real life. I find it hard to believe that the G league will care about the welfare of the kids--except maybe if a kid has star potential.

You can choose the right college environment. A draft determines the G League assignment. Who knows what environment the kid will end up in?

In summary, the G league is not the answer to one and dones if the welfare of the kids is taken into account.

 

[Techster]

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/...-prospects-not-wanting-go-one-done-route-ncaa

Well, that's certainly interesting. Also, it frees the recruits to capitalize on marketing opportunities they otherwise forego by playing under NCAA rules.

Could be a game changer for the NCAA in terms of getting the elite of the elite in school.

 

[mstranahan]

This will be very interesting. Lots of details still need to be ironed out, but definitely changes the game for schools that are used to recruiting the top 15 level kids. (And likely a trickle down impact on others as those schools start hunting kids they would never have touched before)

 

[RamblinRed]

There are alot of devil in the details issues here, but I do like the overall idea. Don't make kids who don't want to go to college have to go there.

I can see this causing some conflicts in the G-League though. The older guys making less money are likely to want to take their shots at this new kids who are going to be alot younger and less experienced.

How many will they ultimately decide to make this offer to and will some kids who have already committed to schools decommit hoping to get an offer (article mentions they won't offer anyone who has already committed, but would consider those who decommit).

 

[kg01]

Nobody's gonna say it? I guess I will ...

... *ahem* ... $125k? Ah man, these kids ain't gonna take a paycut to go to the GLeague instead of college.

I'm not proud of it but it had to be done.

 

[jeffgt14]

So your choices are:

a) Go to a college for 1 year, get paid $100k, play alongside other elite talent and dominate over lesser opponents, tons of ESPN and TV exposure, potential lottery pick/contract

b) Go to G-League, get paid $125k with no exposure and look a bit more pedestrian playing on a level talent playing field

Seems like such a tough decision here.

 

[orientalnc]

Nobody's gonna say it? I guess I will ...

... *ahem* ... $125k? Ah man, these kids ain't gonna take a paycut to go to the GLeague instead of college.

I'm not proud of it but it had to be done.

This was my initial thought as well. After their agent and the IRS get their cuts, they will be barely making a WNBA salary ($115K). Plus Dawkins will want his cut.

 

[kg01]

So your choices are:

a) Go to a college for 1 year, get paid $100k, play alongside other elite talent and dominate over lesser opponents, tons of ESPN and TV exposure, potential lottery pick/contract

b) Go to G-League, get paid $125k with no exposure and look a bit more pedestrian playing on a level talent playing field

Seems like such a tough decision here.

You left out the fact that they have to go to class ....

Man, I almost said it with a straight face. Dang. dtm's gonna lose that smidgen of respect he had left for me after these last few posts.

 

[orientalnc]

So your choices are:

a) Go to a college for 1 year, get paid $100k, play alongside other elite talent and dominate over lesser opponents, tons of ESPN and TV exposure, potential lottery pick/contract

b) Go to G-League, get paid $125k with no exposure and look a bit more pedestrian playing on a level talent playing field

Seems like such a tough decision here.

I cannot imagine someone who thinks he'll be a lottery pick will be interested, so that eliminates about 200 guys every year.