Darius Bazley going straight to the NBA G-League-

[given2fly]

https://sports.yahoo.com/projected-top-10-draft-pick-make-leap-high-school-g-league-193725979.html

This has an ever so slight feeling of the beginning of the end for college basketball. Way too much money is being made in college basketball, it was only a matter of time before someone else was going to give the players a slice of the pie. NCAA is going to look like Kodak in a 10 years.

 

[fsUTampa]

You'd have to have people care to watch the G league for that to happen. Not happening.

 

[RangerNole]

Hmm. At some point a major sports league, well I guess baseball has done it for a while. If bball and football figure out how to make money off it it will happen; until then it is a non-starter. I have to assume the money comes from sponsors and ads. If it were me and I was a rich guy in the NFL I would go after smaller markets which likely means college towns, so i don't l know how that goes. Bottom line there are a ton of young athletic dummies that think they are the next star in the NFL and rather than go to college they would take a 50k per year paycheck in a development league. 5 years later they are gone and have nothing more than a really nice car. It amazes me how little value is put on a college education and the education you get in a college environment; especially for kids that would not even sniff that opportunity if they were held to the same standard as the regular college applicant.

 

[Random_John]

Hmm. At some point a major sports league, well I guess baseball has done it for a while. If bball and football figure out how to make money off it it will happen; until then it is a non-starter. I have to assume the money comes from sponsors and ads. If it were me and I was a rich guy in the NFL I would go after smaller markets which likely means college towns, so i don't l know how that goes. Bottom line there are a ton of young athletic dummies that think they are the next star in the NFL and rather than go to college they would take a 50k per year paycheck in a development league. 5 years later they are gone and have nothing more than a really nice car. It amazes me how little value is put on a college education and the education you get in a college environment; especially for kids that would not even sniff that opportunity if they were held to the same standard as the regular college applicant.

I'm sure, to the Kodak reference, Kodak once felt the same way about their business.

 

[squiffynole]

The NBA created this mess with the one year requirement.

 

[Bill From Tampa]

There are only a few hundred jobs available in the NBA and a few hundred more in the developmental league. There is far more supply of players in the country and around the world to sustain college basketball. I don't see an exodus to overseas pro leagues either. Some are rather unstable and IIRC there are limits to the number of US players that can be on a team.

College basketball is not going anywhere any time soon IMO.

 

[noleclone2]

I hate the one and done issues and think it is what is hurting NCAA. Loathe the teams of NBA freshmen that all leave. There are no more college basketball stars

 

[given2fly]

There are only a few hundred jobs available in the NBA and a few hundred more in the developmental league. There is far more supply of players in the country and around the world to sustain college basketball. I don't see an exodus to overseas pro leagues either. Some are rather unstable and IIRC there are limits to the number of US players that can be on a team.

College basketball is not going anywhere any time soon IMO.

I don't think college basketball is going to completely go away, but will probably turn into college baseball. College basketball makes a ton of money each year... and is run by the NCAA who couldn't be more of an archaic organization. Someone (probably the NBA) is going to convince themselves they can run it better than the NCAA, make more money and pay the players. Just think about it... they can give the players a decent salary, they don't have to subsidize other sports, don't have to pay for college and completely dominate the basketball space.

If the NBA wants in on the college basketball money, the NCAA should be terrified.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

I would be all for top quality HS players - (read: 5* and high 4*) going straight to the G league, bypassing the charade of attending UK for a year (or, more accurately 7 months).

It's better for these players, they can focus full time on their craft while getting paid to do so.
It's better for the NBA, top draft picks will be seasoned against top competition and mentally ready for the NBA.
It's better for the G league, increased notoriety = increased attendance and viewership.
It's better for college bball, more roster stability and players likely to stick around 2-4 years = higher quality bball.

If I were the NBA I'd align each G league team with a local community college and require players to attend classes tailored to their skillset / future:
- nutrition
- personal finance & investments
- social media and brand management
- contract law
- exercise physiology
- public speaking
- marketing
- etc...

These classes would be directly applicable to their career as a pro athlete and not the bogus electives and theoretical classes they're subject to at universities.

In the event they didn't make it more than a couple years, the coursework would provide them with a) potentially an AA and b) a foundation to either continue their education traditionally or work in the atheltics ecosystem.

A similarly structured Jr NFL would be a great way to get top quality players focused on their craft and the ancilary skills and knowledge needed to succeed without the handuffs of traditional university / NCAA experience.

 

[GwinnettNole]

If you ever watched sports in another country and compare it to how it works in the US you begin to realize how strange it is that the US ties higher learning to big time sports. I'm sorry but an athlete that is likely to get drafted by a pro team in basketball or football has very little interest in going to a World History course (or really any class). Spare me the nonsense about us doing the athlete well by giving him an education-- school is a joke to many of them.

My sister tells me all the time how many times Chris Weinke, came to class (usually just on test days) and how many times he cheated on the exam. We laugh about it but probably occurs more than we want to imagine.

My opinion has been baseball has the best setup. It allows kids at 18 to decide to go pro (minor leagues) vs going to college to play ball. If you choose college- you are a student athlete. If you go pro, then its your decision.

The fact that this kid to going to the G-League is a good thing IMO. It saves us one year of the "student-athlete" charade, and gives him the opportunity to play basketball professionally (which is what he wants to do).

 

[GwinnettNole]

I would be all for top quality HS players - (read: 5* and high 4*) going straight to the G league, bypassing the charade of attending UK for a year (or, more accurately 7 months).

It's better for these players, they can focus full time on their craft while getting paid to do so.
It's better for the NBA, top draft picks will be seasoned against top competition and mentally ready for the NBA.
It's better for the G league, increased notoriety = increased attendance and viewership.
It's better for college bball, more roster stability and players likely to stick around 2-4 years = higher quality bball.

If I were the NBA I'd align each G league team with a local community college and require players to attend classes tailored to their skillset / future:
- nutrition
- personal finance & investments
- social media and brand management
- contract law
- exercise physiology
- public speaking
- marketing
- etc...

These classes would be directly applicable to their career as a pro athlete and not the bogus electives and theoretical classes they're subject to at universities.

In the event they didn't make it more than a couple years, the coursework would provide them with a) potentially an AA and b) a foundation to either continue their education traditionally or work in the atheltics ecosystem.

A similarly structured Jr NFL would be a great way to get top quality players focused on their craft and the ancilary skills and knowledge needed to succeed without the handuffs of traditional university / NCAA experience.

Wow. Didn't read your reply before I posted mine-- I agree 100%.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Spare me the nonsense about us doing the student athlete well by giving him an education-- school is a joke to many of them.

On point.

The NCAA carries on it a strong stench of patriarchy wherein a few powerful guys are making decisions they say (or perhaps they've convinced themselves) are for the good of others but in reality are simply for their own good.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Wow. Didn't read your reply before I posted mine-- I agree 100%.

Thanks. I've thought for a while about putting together a pitch deck around this and walking it down the street to Commissioner Silver's office.

The NBA has no obligation to perserve or perpetuate the NCAA system, especially now as it's proven to be a corrupt farce from which the NBA ought to distance itself. As such, it has every business and ethical reason to create its own robust development league to meet the needs of its future players for success both on the court and in life.

Same with the NFL. I hate that we're already in a place where universities are managing billion dollar athletic programs/facilities, but I would be all for unwinding this mess, removing football teams from universities, and creating some lease structure to allow independent teams to use existing facilities. This however is an extremely complex problem to solve but if schools don't get on it first, someone will solve it without them. #Kodak

 

[HerdOfNoles]

Listening the radio the pay is $26,000.

I guess in 10 years with all the really good players plus the associated morons College Basketball will be just like College Baseball in terms of viewership and
the idea of March Madness is dead.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Listening the radio the pay is $26,000.

I guess in 10 years with all the really good players plus the associated morons College Basketball will be just like College Baseball in terms of viewership and
the idea of March Madness is dead.

Not all wonderful things are meant to last forever and worry not if it's worth having it'll be replaced by something even better - and more equitable, more transparent, and less corrupt.

 

[Bill From Tampa]

I don't think college basketball is going to completely go away, but will probably turn into college baseball. College basketball makes a ton of money each year... and is run by the NCAA who couldn't be more of an archaic organization. Someone (probably the NBA) is going to convince themselves they can run it better than the NCAA, make more money and pay the players. Just think about it... they can give the players a decent salary, they don't have to subsidize other sports, don't have to pay for college and completely dominate the basketball space.

If the NBA wants in on the college basketball money, the NCAA should be terrified.

Doesn't the NCAA own the rights to college basketball? If that is true, the NBA would have to buy it from the NCAA. Would the NCAA and colleges themselves want to do that? Depends on the details of the deal which we don't know at present.

And then there are the fans. How would they respond to that radically different organization of a college sport? I have no answer to that question.

That said, the NBA has a done a very good job marketing itself. They more than likely would do a good job with college basketball.

Personally I think that if the one and done rule is scraped and a college baseball like system is in place, college basketball most likely would remain very viable.

No question the NCAA has its issues to deal with.

 

[MIKE_G]

If I were the NBA I'd align each G league team with a local community college and require players to attend classes tailored to their skillset / future:
- nutrition
- personal finance & investments
- social media and brand management
- contract law
- exercise physiology
- public speaking
- marketing
- etc...

These classes would be directly applicable to their career as a pro athlete and not the bogus electives and theoretical classes they're subject to at universities.

I see no reason colleges couldn't do this now. I've long felt that kids who come to school to play ball should have classes that reflect their "major". Just like every other student.

 

[NoleOne]

I have no problem with HS kids immediately going pro and playing in the minor leagues where they will get the benefit of millions in shoe money instead of all that money going directly to Rick Pitino, John Calapari and Coach K via their inflated salaries.

College basketball fans will always love college basketball. It doesn't matter who plays.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

It amazes me how little value is put on a college education and the education you get in a college environment; especially for kids that would not even sniff that opportunity if they were held to the same standard as the regular college applicant.

A half-completed degree in Exercise Science or Kinesiology isn't worth all that much.

 

[QuaZ2002]

A half-completed degree in Exercise Science or Kinesiology isn't worth all that much.

I’d be surprised if many athletes are even in those majors. That’s what I did and there are a lot of pre Med (Myron Rolle) and pre PT students in those classes.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

I see no reason colleges couldn't do this now. I've long felt that kids who come to school to play ball should have classes that reflect their "major". Just like every other student.

Sure they could, and should, but I would imagine there would be some implications on the academic accreditation side with exempting certain students from prereqs, humanities, electives, etc...

Also, beyond that, doing this in a separate pro league, like the G league, allows teams to adequately pay players and not be beholden to NCAA rules around practice time and coaching. These NCAA rules do nothing but handcuff the progress of top tier / elite players.

 

[RangerNole]

A half-completed degree in Exercise Science or Kinesiology isn't worth all that much.

True but who is that on, the student athlete. Facts and figures don't lie and they tell us that very very few college athletes go pro; break it down further and look at all the 3 star and above athletes in any sport and that number is even smaller. These are guys and girls that were the studs of their community and team, at best they hopefully become a starter in college. So if that is what reality tells us why don't student athletes take advantage of the free education. Looks at it this way if you are a role player on 5 of any conferences top teams, you play 10 plays a game. You get your degree in business or something similar and when you graduate you start networking with all the alums that are part of your teams fan base, big time coach X introduces you to people and writes a few letters. Pretty sure the odds of you getting a god job are higher than the person who took on student loans, worked in college and graduates. So is that free ride worth it now, you are debt free, college educated and have a networking group that is in love with you because you made 2 tackles a game for your senior season. Not a bad trade off if you ask me.

One more example for you I graduated FSU and thought about law school; but wasn't going to go 100's of thousands in debt so I decided on a couple of law schools that were state tuition and if I got in I would probably go. I applied to FSU and a couple of other schools. I didn't get into any state school where I felt the cost was worth the reward (I did get into Bill and Mary, but that is a different thread). Anyways there was a starter from FSU who was very well known, almost went pro I think. His degree was the same as mine, LSAT was lower and GPA was lower; guess what he got into FSU law school.
Now no big deal I am sure they looked at things and he deserved the slot; but I would bet my life if he wasn't a well known player on the FSU football team he doesn't get into FSU law. Point is opportunities are what you make of them; sure every guy that thinks he is a stud plans on playing at the next level; but reality is that isn't going to happen. How about taking advantage of your situation and having a plan B. Heck I am 52 and have a plan B &C if things go south.

 

[Formerly Rockymtnole]

Sure, but many of these kids are coming from backgrounds where finishing high school is an accomplishment. You're expecting them to not only complete college in a substantive major but to switch focus and start networking and planning a professional non-sports career? Not sure that's realistic.

 

[given2fly]

Doesn't the NCAA own the rights to college basketball? If that is true, the NBA would have to buy it from the NCAA. Would the NCAA and colleges themselves want to do that? Depends on the details of the deal which we don't know at present.

And then there are the fans. How would they respond to that radically different organization of a college sport? I have no answer to that question.

That said, the NBA has a done a very good job marketing itself. They more than likely would do a good job with college basketball.

Personally I think that if the one and done rule is scraped and a college baseball like system is in place, college basketball most likely would remain very viable.

No question the NCAA has its issues to deal with.

The NCAA might own the rights to college basketball, but they don't own the rights to basketball. Unless there is some weird agreement in place, there is nothing stopping the NBA from expanding their development league to attract college basketball players. Take the talent level of the top 30-40 NCAA teams and create a league that runs in the offseason of the NBA season. Make it 16 teams that ends in a march madness style tournament.

But, to your point, the NBA is seemingly far and away the most progressive (in terms of risk taking) of the major three sports. What gives me pause is, if all of this is true... why haven't they don't it yet? Surely, they've had discussions on it.

 

[DDennis73]

This wont hurt college basketball in the slightest. Fans root for the name on the front of the jersey in college not the individual. Teams already have incredible turnover, but guess what, the fans still show up. If all of a sudden all the D1 level athletes went to play in a developmental football league and we had to field teams from D2 the fans wouldnt care. We would still show up to root on the G&G.

If if were really about the talent level and individuals fans would change their allegiances like many fans do with pro teams. And the bottom line is that the NFL has better "quality" players but many fans still prefer college.

Yes they do it differently in the rest of the world but you cant change cultures overnight and I dont think it will ever change.

 

[Bill From Tampa]

The NCAA might own the rights to college basketball, but they don't own the rights to basketball. Unless there is some weird agreement in place, there is nothing stopping the NBA from expanding their development league to attract college basketball players. Take the talent level of the top 30-40 NCAA teams and create a league that runs in the offseason of the NBA season. Make it 16 teams that ends in a march madness style tournament.

But, to your point, the NBA is seemingly far and away the most progressive (in terms of risk taking) of the major three sports. What gives me pause is, if all of this is true... why haven't they don't it yet? Surely, they've had discussions on it.

That would then entail a TV contract with a league essentially starting from scratch. Not impossible to do, but it is still basically a start up league. How much TV would pay would be a question. They sunk a lot into the existing system.

If the NBA is thinking about it, my guess is the current contract began in 2012 and ends in 2022. I don't think TV would be willing or able to pay two leagues for the same product.

 

[GwinnettNole]

I’d be surprised if many athletes are even in those majors. That’s what I did and there are a lot of pre Med (Myron Rolle) and pre PT students in those classes.

From what I've seen I'd say 65% of student athletes at football factories major in those like the ones listed. Myron Rolle was not the norm.

You will see a different % at DII+ schools.

 

[fsUTampa]

I hate the one and done issues and think it is what is hurting NCAA. Loathe the teams of NBA freshmen that all leave. There are no more college basketball stars

There's also zero one-and-dones in this year's Final 4....

 

[fsUTampa]

If you ever watched sports in another country and compare it to how it works in the US you begin to realize how strange it is that the US ties higher learning to big time sports. I'm sorry but an athlete that is likely to get drafted by a pro team in basketball or football has very little interest in going to a World History course (or really any class). Spare me the nonsense about us doing the athlete well by giving him an education-- school is a joke to many of them.

You have zero clue how many internationals come over to the USA to combine both sports and academics in other sports besides bball and football. That's very much the draw for almost every international student-athlete within the NCAA.

 

[fsUTampa]

From what I've seen I'd say 65% of football/bball players at football factories major in those like the ones listed. Myron Rolle was not the norm.

You will see a different % at DII+ schools.

FIFY...other student-athletes are true students-first. You seem to forget there's much more beyond those two subsets.

 

[KitingHigh]

I'm sure, to the Kodak reference, Kodak once felt the same way about their business.

You know they still exist right?

 

[GwinnettNole]

You have zero clue how many internationals come over to the USA to combine both sports and academics in other sports besides bball and football. That's very much the draw for almost every international student-athlete within the NCAA.

Ok? Great. But would they choose to go pro if they were good enough first? Look at soccer-- the best men's players do not go to college. The US gets a good number of foreign players that come to the universities here in the states. I assure they would not come to college in the US if they were good enough to go pro in Europe. No one is saying stop collegiate sports. But give kids the option to go pro-- like they do in baseball, soccer, golf, swimming, etc but is not the norm for basketball or football.

 

[RangerNole]

Sure, but many of these kids are coming from backgrounds where finishing high school is an accomplishment. You're expecting them to not only complete college in a substantive major but to switch focus and start networking and planning a professional non-sports career? Not sure that's realistic.

While I am sure it is harder the resources are significantly greater for a D1 athlete. Everyone has a different road and level of hardship as they progress through life but to not take advantage of opportunities or play the I come from a bad place card is weak. So they are flat out studs athletically, can make every sacrifice needed to be on the field; but somehow studying or taking advantage of incredible opportunities is to difficult because they came from a bad place. Not buying it and not feeling sorry for the athlete who gets a free ride, class schedule to fit their needs, tutors, food, clothes and so many other things.

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Ok? Great. But would they choose to go pro if they were good enough first? Look at soccer-- the best men's players do not go to college. The US gets a good number of foreign players that come to the universities here in the states. I assure they would not come to college in the US if they were good enough to go pro in Europe. No one is saying stop collegiate sports. But give kids the option to go pro-- like they do in baseball, soccer, golf, swimming, etc but is not the norm for basketball or football.

Exsctly.

Basketball players and football players who are clear-cut high caliber coming out of college should have the option to go pro immediately.

It'll create a compelling G league for the NBA and a similar 10-12 team league for football. CFB will suffer the most from erosion of talent but the system as it stands now under the NCAA and conferences' 'stewardship' is mismanaged, bloated and ripe for disruption as it has lost sight of the optimizing the players' experience. 10-20% of the kids playing for the top programs of the power 5 conferences (ie the FSUs, Clemsons, Bamas, USCs... not the Wakes, Wazzus, Vandys) would be better served in an NFL-preparatory league similar to the one I outlined several posts up in this thread.

I would be all for this.

 

[NoleinATL]

But give kids the option to go pro-- like they do in baseball, soccer, golf, swimming, etc but is not the norm for basketball or football.

agreed, every person that wants to go pro should have that option, and I would be open to allowing kids to remove themselves from consideration and go to school if their draft position is not what they hoped.

This option would give every person the option to pursue a pro career or go to college and choose to participate in college athletics hopefully ending the discussion on paying college players.

 

[fsUTampa]

Ok? Great. But would they choose to go pro if they were good enough first? Look at soccer-- the best men's players do not go to college. The US gets a good number of foreign players that come to the universities here in the states. I assure they would not come to college in the US if they were good enough to go pro in Europe. No one is saying stop collegiate sports. But give kids the option to go pro-- like they do in baseball, soccer, golf, swimming, etc but is not the norm for basketball or football.

Every kid already has the option to go pro, including basketball and football. We've seen kids go to Europe already out of high school for basketball. The CFL allows kids out of high school. They just don't like those "options".

 

[ReliableOstrich]

Every kid already has the option to go pro, including basketball and football. We've seen kids go to Europe already out of high school for basketball. The CFL allows kids out of high school. They just don't like those "options".

There's an opportunity to provide domestically that could provide these kids with a better opportunity to succeed, the NFL/NBA with players more likely to succeed, and fans with more quality football content.

NCAA and the conferences have squandered and mismanaged their opportunity to manage amateur athletics.

 

[fsUTampa]

There's an opportunity to provide domestically that could provide these kids with a better opportunity to succeed, the NFL/NBA with players more likely to succeed, and fans with more quality football content.

NCAA and the conferences have squandered and mismanaged their opportunity to manage amateur athletics.

Point is the opportunities are already there. Too many people whine about "no opportunities" that without realizing it. If the opportunity to provide domestically is there, someone would've already capitalized on it.

Also, "the NCAA" is the universities/colleges. They're looking after themselves, first and foremost. And you have to realize that includes 500,000 student-athletes (and all of the administrators, coaches, trainers, other jobs, etc), only 10,000 of which are D1 football/bball. Again, very few people realize this (or take it into account) when making these arguments.

 

[NoleinATL]

NCAA and the conferences have squandered and mismanaged their opportunity to manage amateur athletics.

In what way do you feel the NCAA has mismanaged Division II college athletics?

 

[kc78]

I think baseball and soccer definitely has it right.

The more I look at college athletics when it comes to football and basketball, the sicker it makes me. There's absolutely zero reason for institutions of higher learning to be running billion dollar athletics programs. There's a place for academics in colleges, but it's lost what it should be. Baseball is the one I still enjoy. Sure, some of those players will make it to the pros, but if they chose college, it's because they wanted the college experience or likely no one felt they were good enough for the pros. Others who want to try to be a pro, can take a minor league deal and chase it as long as they can hold out.

I think a lot of people would be sad to see their schools stop being football factories, but I'd honestly like to see it go down a bit. College should still have athletics, but they shouldn't essentially be minor leagues.

The way I see it though, neither the NFL or the NBA have any compelling reason to take on the costs of starting a minor league system. I know that in soccer, there's really no money (Outside of developing players and hopefully selling them off or having them become major players for your team), and I'm not certain that minor league baseball is really making much money, but I think it is a much better developmental process than college sports (Which often teach players to play in systems dramatically different than the NFL will be using).