Post by motorcitysam on Sept 6, 2021 9:56:53 GMT -5
In recent years we've seen more options become available for high school players who want to bypass college and start playing for money immediately. Actually, options like playing in the G League and going overseas have been around a while but are becoming more popular. The G League recently upped their pay for high level prospects, but the G League has never had a one and done rule for high school prospects. And I remember former Piston Brandon Jennings going from high school to the pro league in Italy back in 2008.
What's newer is the US professional leagues whose business plan is to entice high school players to forgo college (or in some cases part of their high school career) to play professionally. A few years ago, Lavar Ball started the Junior Basketball Association, which was basically a place for his sons LiAngelo and LaMelo to play after LiAngelo left UCLA after being suspended for shoplifting and LaMelo left high school. The JBA made a lot of promises but failed to live up to most of them. See the link below for the NY Post's account of how the league fell apart. Lots of players blew their college eligibility and did not receive the pay and benefits they were promised.
Currently you have something called Overtime Elite, an organization that is currently signing some well-regarded high school recruits for the upcoming inaugural season. They are targeting players between the ages of 16-18, and promise to provide health insurance, NIL benefits, and a minimum salary of $100,000. They are planning on having 30 players. It's not clear how games are going to be scheduled/played, or how the backers (reportedly Jeff Bezos, Kevin Durant, and music star Drake, among others) will make back their investment. We'll see. I can't see how there is going to be a big audience to watch those kids play, but maybe the league is planning on showcasing and developing players as a paid service for pro leagues.
At any rate, there are more options than there used to be for high school kids in a rush to start their pro careers. I just hope these options live up to their promises and don't hurt the kids they claim to be trying to help.
nypost.com/2019/09/20/the-broken-dreams-and-promises-of-lavar-balls-failed-basketball-league/
www.overtimeelite.com/
What's newer is the US professional leagues whose business plan is to entice high school players to forgo college (or in some cases part of their high school career) to play professionally. A few years ago, Lavar Ball started the Junior Basketball Association, which was basically a place for his sons LiAngelo and LaMelo to play after LiAngelo left UCLA after being suspended for shoplifting and LaMelo left high school. The JBA made a lot of promises but failed to live up to most of them. See the link below for the NY Post's account of how the league fell apart. Lots of players blew their college eligibility and did not receive the pay and benefits they were promised.
Currently you have something called Overtime Elite, an organization that is currently signing some well-regarded high school recruits for the upcoming inaugural season. They are targeting players between the ages of 16-18, and promise to provide health insurance, NIL benefits, and a minimum salary of $100,000. They are planning on having 30 players. It's not clear how games are going to be scheduled/played, or how the backers (reportedly Jeff Bezos, Kevin Durant, and music star Drake, among others) will make back their investment. We'll see. I can't see how there is going to be a big audience to watch those kids play, but maybe the league is planning on showcasing and developing players as a paid service for pro leagues.
At any rate, there are more options than there used to be for high school kids in a rush to start their pro careers. I just hope these options live up to their promises and don't hurt the kids they claim to be trying to help.
nypost.com/2019/09/20/the-broken-dreams-and-promises-of-lavar-balls-failed-basketball-league/
www.overtimeelite.com/