G League to offer $125K to elite prospects as alternative to college 1 & done

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by smalltown

I don't know if it's meant to be a giant shift. I think it's more of a stop gap until they allow high schoolers back in the draft 2022. And likely expand the draft sometime shortly after that.

I keep hearing that $125K is nothing more than they'd get from colleges. But, and this is potentially a huge but, they'll be free to seek endorsement deals. Top guys will be inking Million dollar deals before they play their first G game.

This to me is the key that nobody is really talking about. $125k is really nothing but the ability to sign endorsement deals and make money off their likeness is the big win IMO.

[NoleinJax]

Originally Posted by smalltown

I don't know if it's meant to be a giant shift. I think it's more of a stop gap until they allow high schoolers back in the draft 2022. And likely expand the draft sometime shortly after that.

I keep hearing that $125K is nothing more than they'd get from colleges. But, and this is potentially a huge but, they'll be free to seek endorsement deals. Top guys will be inking Million dollar deals before they play their first G game.

Only a handful of guys will ink any significant endorsements. Who wants to pay some high school kid no one has ever heard of millions because he's in the G-League? A elite player is still better off going to a top tier program where they will have more exposure playing than they ever would playing in the G-League. Most high school kids aren't even prepared for the responsibilities they have in college, but they are suddenly going to be professional athletes with all the pitfalls and thrive as working adults? Out of that $125k, how much will the player clear after taxes and management fees? College will still be the route the vast majority of elite players will and should take. Is the NCAA a perfect system? Of course not, but no system will ever be perfect for all parties.

[smalltown]

Originally Posted by NoleinJax

Only a handful of guys will ink any significant endorsements.

Nike, UA, Adidas, NB will all be jumping all over the chance to ink these guys early. What's a significant endorsement? Enough to buy your parents a house? New shoes and kit for every game? I think there are a lot of kids (and families) who would prefer to be out of the shadows.

Originally Posted by NoleinJax

A elite player is still better off going to a top tier program where they will have more exposure playing than they ever would playing in the G-League.

Exposure to whom? They'll be more exposed, good and bad, to NBA scouts and staff in the G. These scouts and staff will be able to get up close and personal with these kids. And their agents will be able to have dialogue with teams before the draft process even starts.

Originally Posted by NoleinJax

Most high school kids aren't even prepared for the responsibilities they have in college, but they are suddenly going to be professional athletes with all the pitfalls and thrive as working adults?

That argument is, and has always been, spurious. I'd argue that the NBA/G will do more to prepare kids for a life in professional basketball than the NCAA ever would.

Originally Posted by NoleinJax

College will still be the route the vast majority of elite players will and should take. Is the NCAA a perfect system? Of course not, but no system will ever be perfect for all parties.

I think in the end it'll end up being a dual system for kids entering the draft. Just like in MLB and NHL. You'll have a mix of kids from HS, already playing professional, and in college mixed throughout the draft. Too me that's perfect. It opens up more choice and opportunity for players to choose the route that will help them succeed the most.

[SteveO21]

I will never understand how reasonable adults will argue in favor of the NCAA on this topic.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by NoleinJax

Is the NCAA a perfect system? Of course not, but no system will ever be perfect for all parties.

The NCAA is a horribly corrupt system where the athletes are basically slaves to the universities who profit billions of dollars a year off the backs of these kids who don't see a penny of it.

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

The NCAA is a horribly corrupt system where the athletes are basically slaves to the universities who profit billions of dollars a year off the backs of these kids who don't see a penny of it.

Nonsense. There are 351 schools in division I each with 13 scholarships to give out every season. That's 4,563 athletes that are going to school, without having to pay tuition. Less than 50 of them will be drafted each year and have the opportunity to actually be good enough to make real money.

Cry me a (!*!&* river. Thousands of kids who would otherwise not be able to get college educations are getting them every single year. And the ~20 kids who are sacrificing a year or two of their lives to be the most popular kid on campus without getting paid. Poor bastards really have it rough.

This is the contract. The whining is out of control.

[byronscott4ever]

The only surprise to me is that it took this long.

[smalltown]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

And the ~20 kids who are sacrificing a year or two of their lives... This is the contract. The whining is out of control.

That's the point. Why "must" they sacrifice? That's a big part of what's broken.

Going to the NCAA does nothing to enhance or improve the employability of many of these kids. If fact in many cases it puts at risk their ability to make the most of their abilities. This is both the fault of the NBA and the NCAA - one and done is absurd.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

Nonsense. There are 351 schools in division I each with 13 scholarships to give out every season. That's 4,563 athletes that are going to school, without having to pay tuition. Less than 50 of them will be drafted each year and have the opportunity to actually be good enough to make real money.

Cry me a (!*!&* river. Thousands of kids who would otherwise not be able to get college educations are getting them every single year. And the ~20 kids who are sacrificing a year or two of their lives to be the most popular kid on campus without getting paid. Poor bastards really have it rough.

This is the contract. The whining is out of control.

If you really think those scholarships are worth the billions of dollars that line the pockets of NCAA and school execs you're out of your mind.

The TV contract for March Madness is nearly $1B alone but the kids aren't allowed to sell their signature or sign an independent endorsement or take any outside money? Ask yourself why that is. It's because the NCAA is a cartel made up of a bunch of greedy execs who want every penny for themselves and they get free labor under the guise of "scholarships".

Give me a break

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by smalltown

That's the point. Why "must" they sacrifice? That's a big part of what's broken.

Going to the NCAA does nothing to enhance or improve the employability of many of these kids. If fact in many cases it puts at risk their ability to make the most of their abilities. This is both the fault of the NBA and the NCAA - one and done is absurd.

Sacrificing. 18-year old kid graduates high school, is given a scholarship worth $40K/year, free meals, free books, free place to live, and is fawned over by the entire student body.

That's the Kaepernick definition of sacrifice right there!

[spurs50fan]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

Nonsense. There are 351 schools in division I each with 13 scholarships to give out every season. That's 4,563 athletes that are going to school, without having to pay tuition. Less than 50 of them will be drafted each year and have the opportunity to actually be good enough to make real money.

Cry me a (!*!&* river. Thousands of kids who would otherwise not be able to get college educations are getting them every single year. And the ~20 kids who are sacrificing a year or two of their lives to be the most popular kid on campus without getting paid. Poor bastards really have it rough.

This is the contract. The whining is out of control.

If this catches on and other minor-leagues can mimic it's success, the whining will be from the colleges because that free (already over-inflated) tuition won't be as enticing. Higher education will always be there. Prime earning period won't. And colleges will feel a huge impact as those dollars will follow wherever the player(s) go. And why wouldn't a top prospect choose better competition + money with the same opportunity to go pro?

[smalltown]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

Sacrificing. 18-year old kid graduates high school, is given a scholarship worth $40K/year, free meals, free books, free place to live, and is fawned over by the entire student body.

That's the Kaepernick definition of sacrifice right there!

Come on now. They don't want to be there. It's wasting everyones time except the bean counters. They're also taking a spot away from another kid who may actual need the scholarship.

If that's the life that they want. Cool. But they should be forced to take that route.

[yiguiri2002]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

Sacrificing. 18-year old kid graduates high school, is given a scholarship worth $40K/year, free meals, free books, free place to live, and is fawned over by the entire student body.

That's the Kaepernick definition of sacrifice right there!

I don't think the problem is that their quality of life is bad at school.

The problem is that there is an organization that makes tons of money from them without really giving them their fair share.

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

If you really think those scholarships are worth the billions of dollars that line the pockets of NCAA and school execs you're out of your mind.

The TV contract for March Madness is nearly $1B alone but the kids aren't allowed to sell their signature or sign an independent endorsement or take any outside money? Ask yourself why that is. It's because the NCAA is a cartel made up of a bunch of greedy execs who want every penny for themselves and they get free labor under the guise of "scholarships".

Give me a break

Tell me, what do you pay the kid from Montana State that scores 7.7 points per game?

So goes life, that the employees are undervalued. They system is uniform, equal to every single one of the 4,500 scholarship athletes in this sport (as well as football and the others). Silver and this new idea sounds solid to me; focuses just on a few handfuls of select athletes while remaining the NCAA system generally undisturbed.

But your cartel and greedy execs quote is how you could describe almost any corporation in America today. Yes, the NCAA makes money, and they make a lot of it. On the backs of student athletes.

But 99% of those student athletes are nothing more than students; with a touch of athletic ability. They're not aspiring professional basketball players. Their kids who get to go to school for free. I was a walk-on; not as lucky, and graduated with a nice $125,000 debt to my name. What I wouldn't give to have had that wiped away.

Again; this is the contract. Zion doesn't like it; go become a doctor. Enjoy your 8 years of med school + residency before you make a penny.

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by smalltown

If that's the life that they want. Cool. But they should be forced to take that route.

This makes me lol.

Do you know how to become a doctor? Unlike Doogie Howser, you go to school for four years, then you go to school for four more years, then you go to residency for four more years. If you're lucky, you're in you're early 30's, with debt up to your eyeballs, and you're now a doctor!

You are forced to take that route. The profession demands you take that route. You know this when you decide one day "I want to be a doctor" and you work toward that goal. Why does a high school kid who has dreams of becoming an NBA superstar get to say "I don't want to spend the year the profession has required of me. It's unfair to me." Doctor is just one example, but I could use teacher, lawyer, police officer, engineer, etc.

There is a system in place, typically set by the academics of each vertical that says how you go from point A to point B. I don't make these rules and I'm sure I can argue that many are unfair. But these are the rules. I know these rules before deciding what I want to do with my life. I don't sign a letter of intent with Duke and then say "whoaaaa, I didn't agree to THIS!"

Everyone who doesn't work for themselves is forced to take a route their employer deems necessary. That's the way it is.

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by yiguiri2002

I don't think the problem is that their quality of life is bad at school.

The problem is that there is an organization that makes tons of money from them without really giving them their fair share.

And again, you've described every corporation that has ever existed.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

But your cartel and greedy execs quote is how you could describe almost any corporation in America today. Yes, the NCAA makes money, and they make a lot of it. On the backs of student athletes.

Corporations are paying their employees market value. If an employee doesn't believe they are getting paid fair market value they can easily leave and go somewhere else. These top-tier athletes have no other viable options to get paid what they're worth. That's the difference.

The difference with the NCAA is that they aren't paying the kids anything. (The scholarships aren't worth anything to these top-tier athletes so let's not pretend this is a substitute for getting paid or anywhere near fair market value.)

I'd be fine with it if they let the kids pursue business opportunities outside of the NCAA but that'll never happen because they want every penny for themselves.

[smalltown]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

This makes me lol.

Do you know how to become a doctor? Unlike Doogie Howser, you go to school for four years, then you go to school for four more years, then you go to residency for four more years. If you're lucky, you're in you're early 30's, with debt up to your eyeballs, and you're now a doctor!

You are forced to take that route. The profession demands you take that route. You know this when you decide one day "I want to be a doctor" and you work toward that goal. Why does a high school kid who has dreams of becoming an NBA superstar get to say "I don't want to spend the year the profession has required of me. It's unfair to me." Doctor is just one example, but I could use teacher, lawyer, police officer, engineer, etc.

There is a system in place, typically set by the academics of each vertical that says how you go from point A to point B. I don't make these rules and I'm sure I can argue that many are unfair. But these are the rules. I know these rules before deciding what I want to do with my life. I don't sign a letter of intent with Duke and then say "whoaaaa, I didn't agree to THIS!"

Everyone who doesn't work for themselves is forced to take a route their employer deems necessary. That's the way it is.

This is the stupidest comparison and i hear it a lot. The Basketball players do not need the additional academic qualifications a post secondary institution provides. A basketball player gets better at basketball by training and playing basketball. Not by mailing in a course of Intro to Spanish.

Hockey Players, Soccer Players, Athletes all around the world go pro without being forced to go to University. In fact Basketball players in Europe have an earning advantage over US born players because many of them have made a good living on their sport before they even turn 18.

But doctors have too... blah blah...

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by smalltown

This is the stupidest comparison and i hear it a lot. The Basketball players do not need the additional academic qualifications a post secondary institution provides. A basketball player gets better at basketball by training and playing basketball. Not by mailing in a course of Intro to Spanish.

Hockey Players, Soccer Players, Athletes all around the world go pro without being forced to go to University. In fact Basketball players in Europe have an earning advantage over US born players because many of them have made a good living on their sport before they even turn 18.

But doctors have too... blah blah...

Says you. You think you're qualified enough to opine on what a 17 year old student athlete needs / but not qualified enough to opine on what a 17 year pre med student needs. Why?

And it's 12 years vs. 1. One year. ONE YEAR. Ohhh, how terrible.

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

Says you. You think you're qualified enough to opine on what a 17 year old student athlete needs / but not qualified enough to opine on what a 17 year pre med student needs. Why?

And it's 12 years vs. 1. One year. ONE YEAR. Ohhh, how terrible.

So are the universities making billions of dollars a year off their med students? Asking for a friend

[smalltown]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

Says you. You think you're qualified enough to opine on what a 17 year old student athlete needs / but not qualified enough to opine on what a 17 year pre med student needs. Why?

Really? That's your argument? So you are then if i'm not?

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

Corporations are paying their employees market value. If an employee doesn't believe they are getting paid fair market value they can easily leave and go somewhere else. These top-tier athletes have no other viable options to get paid what they're worth. That's the difference.

The difference with the NCAA is that they aren't paying the kids anything. (The scholarships aren't worth anything to these top-tier athletes so let's not pretend this is a substitute for getting paid or anywhere near fair market value.)

I'd be fine with it if they let the kids pursue business opportunities outside of the NCAA but that'll never happen because they want every penny for themselves.

I love how professionals can just so easily bounce from job to job. Like quit today, hired tomorrow!

Again, you're talking about the 50 kids drafted, not the 4,500 other kids. And this is just division I NCAA basketball. What about the tens of thousands of other kids that play basketballs for their schools that have 0% chance of making money as a pro. Should they be paid?

You start to pay players and get schools to compete on salaried contracts and then you watch as scholarships evaporate from DI schools for the non "top-tier". Schools are businesses; they're not in the business of giving away money for free; and if you're not a driving force behind big $$, which is true for most every student athlete who isn't gifted ... good bye to you sir or madam.

You don't know what you're asking for.

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by smalltown

Really? That's your argument? So you are then if i'm not?

I am absolutely not. That's my argument. I don't get to decide that I wanna be pre-med and then say "Whoa, this is totally unfair, I demand THIS instead".

[jcardstore]

Originally Posted by NeedChapmans

I love how professionals can just so easily bounce from job to job. Like quit today, hired tomorrow!

Again, you're talking about the 50 kids drafted, not the 4,500 other kids. And this is just division I NCAA basketball. What about the tens of thousands of other kids that play basketballs for their schools that have 0% chance of making money as a pro. Should they be paid?

You start to pay players and get schools to compete on salaried contracts and then you watch as scholarships evaporate from DI schools for the non "top-tier". Schools are businesses; they're not in the business of giving away money for free; and if you're not a driving force behind big $$, which is true for most every student athlete who isn't gifted ... good bye to you sir or madam.

You don't know what you're asking for.

Yes, they can. If you're top-tier talent (at least in the IT industry which I'm sure isn't much different elsewhere) you can go out and get job offers very easily.

If you have desirable and in-demand skills you'll get plenty of unsolicited job opportunities.

Nobody is asking for players to get salaries, that's stupid. All I'm saying is let the kids pursue business opportunities on their likeness outside of the NCAA

[NeedChapmans]

Originally Posted by jcardstore

So are the universities making billions of dollars a year off their med students? Asking for a friend

Billions.

I keep going back to Montana State but in 2015-16, they reported revenue of $19MM across all athletic programs. That ranked them #120 out of 400 schools tracked. Not profits, revenues. And that included ticket sales, donors, TV contracts etc. You think after you boil that down to profits, then boil it down even further into a revenue share with all student athletes that the kids at Montana state are gonna make bank?

And then what about the 279 schools behind Montana State who made less? What do you think happens to these schools. Goodbye athletic programs.