If you're an elite basketball recruit, why go to college?

[aTotal360]

I just saw there the #2 recruit in the country is going to the G League instead of college. The League minimum is $8k/month (for 5 months). I know the blue bloods likely pay more, but you also don't have to do school and can focus on your game. You also likely have unfettered access to reps and agents that can earn you more money.

On top of that, they typically incentivize HS kids that forego college with bigger contracts.

No. 2 recruit Holland joining G League Ignite

Ron Holland, the No. 2 recruit for 2023 who decommitted from Texas in April, is joining the G League Ignite. He is No. 6 in ESPN's 2024 NBA draft rankings.

www.espn.com

G LEAGUE SALARY: HOW MUCH DO G LEAGUE PLAYERS MAKE

The basketball world is growing and so is the interest in basketball leagues outside of the NBA. How much do G League player make? and Two-way contracts?

www.mybasketballacademy.com

 

[The Peeper]

"I know the blue bloods likely pay more, but you also don't have to do school and can focus on your game"

I don't think many "elite basketball recruits" do much schooling anyway if they go to college do they ?

 

[aTotal360]

"I know the blue bloods likely pay more, but you also don't have to do school and can focus on your game"

I don't think many "elite basketball recruits" do much schooling anyway if they go to college do they ?

You're probably right, but I assume there is some level of compliance.

 

[paindonthurt]

I just saw there the #2 recruit in the country is going to the G League instead of college. The League minimum is $8k/month (for 5 months). I know the blue bloods likely pay more, but you also don't have to do school and can focus on your game. You also likely have unfettered access to reps and agents that can earn you more money.

On top of that, they typically incentivize HS kids that forego college with bigger contracts.

No. 2 recruit Holland joining G League Ignite

Ron Holland, the No. 2 recruit for 2023 who decommitted from Texas in April, is joining the G League Ignite. He is No. 6 in ESPN's 2024 NBA draft rankings.

www.espn.com

G LEAGUE SALARY: HOW MUCH DO G LEAGUE PLAYERS MAKE

The basketball world is growing and so is the interest in basketball leagues outside of the NBA. How much do G League player make? and Two-way contracts?

www.mybasketballacademy.com

$40,000 a year isn't nearly as much as a scholarship with room/board, food, clothing, etc plus NIL money.

 

[mstateglfr]

I don't think many "elite basketball recruits" do much schooling anyway if they go to college do they ?

This seems to be based more on bias than reality.
Just like any random student, some student athletes(basketball included) take difficult classes and other student athletes take easy classes. Its why we have physics majors, engineering majors, and marketing majors(raises hand).

While many elite recruits find immediate success and are able to leave college after 1 year(so they technically only have to finish 1 semester), many other elite recruits arent able to leave right away due to injury, or development, or opportunity. Emoni Bates is a good recent example- top 5 recruit who had to stay around due to injury and development. So he had to stay eligible and just completed his 2nd year of college.
Kyle Filipowski at Duke is another- top 5 recruit, completed his freshman year, and chose to return. He was a top 5 recruit that averaged 15 and 9 as a freshmn while winning ACC ROY and the ACC tournament MVP. He could have easily left, but chose to stay and keep taking classes. Its Duke, so I am pretty sure even their most basic classes would be above me.

Of course there are examples where someone takes 4 basic classes and barely passes, then leaves for the draft after the season is over in April.

 

[Dawgg]

Mark Cuban said maybe a decade ago that the G-League (called D-League at that time) was a much better path for kids coming out of high school.

Cuban: D-League better option than NCAA

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes it's in the best interests of elite prospects to play in the NBA Development League instead of spending one season in the "hypocritical" NCAA.

www.espn.com

By the way, has anybody gone and seen a Memphis Hustle game? They actually play in Southaven.

 

[WrightGuy821]

Mark Cuban said maybe a decade ago that the G-League (called D-League at that time) was a much better path for kids coming out of high school.

Cuban: D-League better option than NCAA

Dallas Mavericks owner Mark Cuban believes it's in the best interests of elite prospects to play in the NBA Development League instead of spending one season in the "hypocritical" NCAA.

www.espn.com

By the way, has anybody gone and seen a Memphis Hustle game? They actually play in Southaven.

I've been to a game or two, they're pretty fun. Tickets are super cheap and there isn't really a bad seat in that entire arena. They've been alright recently too

 

[KentuckyDawg13]

Why? To be educated so you have a future. Seems pretty straightforward as to why they go to college.
Going straight to the G-League reeks of bad grades in high school.

 

[aTotal360]

Why? To be educated so you have a future. Seems pretty straightforward as to why they go to college.
Going straight to the G-League reeks of bad grades in high school.

Elite kids aren't finishing school. I'm talking 1-and-done's.

 

[johnson86-1]

Why? To be educated so you have a future. Seems pretty straightforward as to why they go to college.
Going straight to the G-League reeks of bad grades in high school.

Forgot the **?

Going to college doesn't mean you're educated or for a lot of majors, doesn't do a lot to change your future.

I think the selection effects are going to be pretty mixed. The players most serious about their game and the long term are going to go to the G-League. Better development and competition and a faster crack at the big time contracts. The elite players that choose to go to college for a year or two are going to be going for the experience. They're not likely going to get a degree, just a taste and maybe a head start for going back later or going part time during their career.

Then you will have the players that probably could benefit from a degree but they're not going to like school so they take their long shot at the NBA through the G-League.

But the reality is that college as most people do it is pretty much a luxury good. You can get the education much more cheaply, but because of easy credit for student loans, you can go essentially have a relatively incredible lifestyle for four years. I want my kids to get to experience that lifestyle also but that's purely for their enjoyment, not because it's really needed.

 

[WrightGuy821]

Can you still get drafted if you go straight to the G-League? I think that would have a lot to do with it as well. A high draft pick comes with a large signing bonus too, usuallly a lot more than $40k

 

[mstateglfr]

Can you still get drafted if you go straight to the G-League? I think that would have a lot to do with it as well. A high draft pick comes with a large signing bonus too, usuallly a lot more than $40k

Yes, NBA draft currently happens at earliest 1 year removed from HS. So a player can go from HS to GLeague and then enter the NBA Draft after 1 year in the GLeague.

 

[aTotal360]

Can you still get drafted if you go straight to the G-League? I think that would have a lot to do with it as well. A high draft pick comes with a large signing bonus too, usuallly a lot more than $40k

Yes.

As I said in the original post, G League pays highly ranked recruits a lot more than 40k/year. That's simply league minimum. Some players get $500k/year.

 

[Johnnie Come Lately]

I don't think many "elite basketball recruits" do much schooling anyway if they go to college do they ?

Northeast Mississippi Community College and Dontae Jones would beg to differ with ya.....

 

[paindonthurt]

This seems to be based more on bias than reality.
Just like any random student, some student athletes(basketball included) take difficult classes and other student athletes take easy classes. Its why we have physics majors, engineering majors, and marketing majors(raises hand).

While many elite recruits find immediate success and are able to leave college after 1 year(so they technically only have to finish 1 semester), many other elite recruits arent able to leave right away due to injury, or development, or opportunity. Emoni Bates is a good recent example- top 5 recruit who had to stay around due to injury and development. So he had to stay eligible and just completed his 2nd year of college.
Kyle Filipowski at Duke is another- top 5 recruit, completed his freshman year, and chose to return. He was a top 5 recruit that averaged 15 and 9 as a freshmn while winning ACC ROY and the ACC tournament MVP. He could have easily left, but chose to stay and keep taking classes. Its Duke, so I am pretty sure even their most basic classes would be above me.

Of course there are examples where someone takes 4 basic classes and barely passes, then leaves for the draft after the season is over in April.

So percentage wise you think the below is true?

basketball teams per capita have the same gpa as say baseball teams.

or

basketball teams have above mean and/or median GPAs as the rest of the student body?

 

[IBleedMaroonDawg]

Yes.

As I said in the original post, G League pays highly ranked recruits a lot more than 40k/year. That's simply league minimum. Some players get $500k/year.

I know what I am doing if it's me. It saddens me how much we have screwed up amateur athletics in this country.

Why don't we just let them sign them while they are still in high school? Jr. High?

We might as well throw the rest of the sports along with NIL while we are at it.

 

[Perd Hapley]

You're probably right, but I assume there is some level of compliance.

They only “go to school” from August through early December….and I use that term very loosely. January through April is nothing but basketball and partying and working out….then once the team’s season is over its off to get ready for the draft. They aren’t officially ineligible academically until early May when final grades are turned in, and they are already permanently ineligible by that time anyway due to signing with an agent.

And yeah, $1.5-$2 million for one year of basketball for an elite player at Duke / UNC / UK / etc. is pocket change. Pretty sure G-league and Europe can’t compete with that.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

There is a lot more split tail on a college campus than a G-league training facility

 

[mstateglfr]

So percentage wise you think the below is true?

basketball teams per capita have the same gpa as say baseball teams.

or

basketball teams have above mean and/or median GPAs as the rest of the student body?

To answer your first...I'm guessing you saying 'per capita' means average? So the average GPA of the baseball team vs the average GPA of the basketball team?
If this is what you mean, I would say that is true 19.83% of the time.

I don't know why you put 'or' in the post. You asked for a percent confidence that I think the comments below are true. No 'or' is needed.
...maybe I don't even understand what you are asking.

As for your second scenario, I bet that is true 19.83% of the time.



Time for the big reveal- after making that insanely confusing post, what is your point?

 

[DawginEthel]

Northeast Mississippi Community College and Dontae Jones would beg to differ with ya.....

was it 36 hours in a summer?

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

This is why there should be a professional athletics curricula at all major universities. If you let student athletes learn and train for the career they are hoping to achieve, you would have more of them staying longer.

 

[jethreauxdawg]

This is why there should be a professional athletics curricula at all major universities. If you let student athletes learn and train for the career they are hoping to achieve, you would have more of them staying longer.

UNC did this for basketball players a few years ago. Had tremendous success.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

I like it. I wish we could make it easier for the best players to go pro out of high school. It increases parity and keeps college sports amateur.

I wish the NFL would lower the age of entry by one year. Speaking of which, how is this guy going pro? Doesn't the NBA say you have to be a year out of high school?

 

[paindonthurt]

To answer your first...I'm guessing you saying 'per capita' means average? So the average GPA of the baseball team vs the average GPA of the basketball team?
If this is what you mean, I would say that is true 19.83% of the time.

I don't know why you put 'or' in the post. You asked for a percent confidence that I think the comments below are true. No 'or' is needed.
...maybe I don't even understand what you are asking.

As for your second scenario, I bet that is true 19.83% of the time.



Time for the big reveal- after making that insanely confusing post, what is your point?

I know you can't answer a direct question so let me try to be a little more clear for you.

Do you think college basketball teams have the same or similar GPAs as college baseball teams? Yes or no.

Do you think college basketball teams have the same or similar GPAs as compared to the regular student population? Yes or no.

 

[paindonthurt]

This is why there should be a professional athletics curricula at all major universities. If you let student athletes learn and train for the career they are hoping to achieve, you would have more of them staying longer.

You mean like Kinesiology or General Business? I mean there are lots of curriculums that will help athletes IF they become professional.

They are also getting a lot of training and support in their particular sport. Weight lifting, food, diet plans, etc.

 

[mstateglfr]

I know you can't answer a direct question so let me try to be a little more clear for you.

Do you think college basketball teams have the same or similar GPAs as college baseball teams? Yes or no.

Do you think college basketball teams have the same or similar GPAs as compared to the regular student population? Yes or no.

I answered both of those questions already.
I think 19.83% of basketball teams have the same or similar or better GPAs compared to college baseball teams.
I think 19.83% of college basketball teams have the same or similar or better GPAs compared to general student population.

Dont get pissy at me just because your prior post was worded so 17ing poorly that it made such little sense I felt compelled to point that out. Seriously, read your post- its all sorts of confusing and contradicting.
But regardless, I answered what I figured your questions were and here I am repeating the answers since you asked again. I bet if you ask a 3rd time I will answer the same.

I have answered you twice, so how about you answer me once? What is your point?

 

[aTotal360]

Speaking of which, how is this guy going pro? Doesn't the NBA say you have to be a year out of high school?

I'm guessing the G League has no such restrictions. Spending a season there counts as "your year". Then hope you get drafted out of G League. Past that I guess you're a free agent.

 

[paindonthurt]

I answered both of those questions already.
I think 19.83% of basketball teams have the same or similar or better GPAs compared to college baseball teams.
I think 19.83% of college basketball teams have the same or similar or better GPAs compared to general student population.

Dont get pissy at me just because your prior post was worded so 17ing poorly that it made such little sense I felt compelled to point that out. Seriously, read your post- its all sorts of confusing and contradicting.
But regardless, I answered what I figured your questions were and here I am repeating the answers since you asked again. I bet if you ask a 3rd time I will answer the same.

I have answered you twice, so how about you answer me once? What is your point?

You haven't answered. But its what you do. Dance around the subject.

 

[mstateglfr]

You haven't answered. But its what you do. Dance around the subject.

Do you think college basketball teams have the same or similar GPAs as college baseball teams? Yes or no.
I think 19.83% of basketball teams have the same or similar or better GPAs compared to college baseball teams.

Do you think college basketball teams have the same or similar GPAs as compared to the regular student population? Yes or no.
I think 19.83% of college basketball teams have the same or similar or better GPAs compared to general student population.


You want a 'yes or no' answer to questions that arent yes or no questions. There are like 300 D1 baseball teams and 350 D1 basketball teams. Are you seriously asking if I think the GPA average of all basketball teams is the same/similar to the GPA average of all baseball teams? If that is what you are asking, I havent a 17ing clue. Like no idea. I will happily guess since this is perhaps the dumbest question of all time(is this even your question?) and say that I bet basketball GPA is lower so 'no' to your questions.
I gave percentage guesses to both questions because in some situations I bet it will be same, some situations it will be better, and some situations it will be worse. So my guess was that about 80% of the time the basketball GPA would be worse in both instances.


If I still havent answered your questions, its on you for asking nonsensical and/or dumb questions.
Also, you still havent answered my question, but its what you do- just ask nonsense and rarely answer questions in return.

 

[paindonthurt]

You want a 'yes or no' answer to questions that arent yes or no questions. There are like 300 D1 baseball teams and 350 D1 basketball teams. Are you seriously asking if I think the GPA average of all basketball teams is the same/similar to the GPA average of all baseball teams? If that is what you are asking, I havent a 17ing clue. Like no idea. I will happily guess since this is perhaps the dumbest question of all time(is this even your question?) and say that I bet basketball GPA is lower so 'no' to your questions.
I gave percentage guesses to both questions because in some situations I bet it will be same, some situations it will be better, and some situations it will be worse. So my guess was that about 80% of the time the basketball GPA would be worse in both instances.


If I still havent answered your questions, its on you for asking nonsensical and/or dumb questions.
Also, you still havent answered my question, but its what you do- just ask nonsense and rarely answer questions in return.

Man that was difficult.

This seems to be based more on bias than reality.
Just like any random student, some student athletes(basketball included) take difficult classes and other student athletes take easy classes. Its why we have physics majors, engineering majors, and marketing majors(raises hand).

So are you biased with your answer or basing that on reality? Its reality.

Reality is that college basketball teams have more issues with academics than college baseball teams or the normal student population. So quit saying it is based on bias. Its not.

 

[mstateglfr]

Man that was difficult.

This seems to be based more on bias than reality.
Just like any random student, some student athletes(basketball included) take difficult classes and other student athletes take easy classes. Its why we have physics majors, engineering majors, and marketing majors(raises hand).

So are you biased with your answer or basing that on reality? Its reality.

Reality is that college basketball teams have more issues with academics than college baseball teams or the normal student population. So quit saying it is based on bias. Its not.

Holy hell, just say that at the start.

You speak of reality, but you have 0 idea what the academic issues are for college basketball compared to the overall student population.
What % of basketball players fail out of college? What % of overall student population fails out of college? What is the GPA of basketball teams? What is the GPA of the overall student population? What % of basketball players graduate in 6 years? What % of overall student population graduates in 6 years?
Is graduating even a worthwhile metric or is a better metric to measure how long after leaving college before individuals are hired in the career they studied for and/or want to be in?

You dont know any of those questions. I dont know any of those questions. But you sure act like you know.
Your point that you are trying to call me out on is not what I was even responding to in that first post.
You asked about some GPAs(which neither you or I know) and I was responding to the claim that not many elite basketball recruits 'do much schooling' when they are enrolled.
Please understand that if a basketball team has a lower GPA than a baseball team, that doesnt mean the basketball team isnt 'doing much schooling'. The basketball team could have everyone passing all classes and be on track to graduate in 5 years, which are both better metrics than what I have read for general student populations. Meanwhile, the baseball team could also be passing all classes and just have a higher GPA.
I am unsure if you can connect the dots here, so I will be very specific- the baseball team has a higher GPA, so you think you have made your point, but the basketball team is still doing a lot of schooling, so I actually did make my point.


Once more- you are a clown.

 

[paindonthurt]

Holy hell, just say that at the start.

You speak of reality, but you have 0 idea what the academic issues are for college basketball compared to the overall student population.
What % of basketball players fail out of college? What % of overall student population fails out of college? What is the GPA of basketball teams? What is the GPA of the overall student population? What % of basketball players graduate in 6 years? What % of overall student population graduates in 6 years?
Is graduating even a worthwhile metric or is a better metric to measure how long after leaving college before individuals are hired in the career they studied for and/or want to be in?

You dont know any of those questions. I dont know any of those questions. But you sure act like you know.
Your point that you are trying to call me out on is not what I was even responding to in that first post.
You asked about some GPAs(which neither you or I know) and I was responding to the claim that not many elite basketball recruits 'do much schooling' when they are enrolled.
Please understand that if a basketball team has a lower GPA than a baseball team, that doesnt mean the basketball team isnt 'doing much schooling'. The basketball team could have everyone passing all classes and be on track to graduate in 5 years, which are both better metrics than what I have read for general student populations. Meanwhile, the baseball team could also be passing all classes and just have a higher GPA.
I am unsure if you can connect the dots here, so I will be very specific- the baseball team has a higher GPA, so you think you have made your point, but the basketball team is still doing a lot of schooling, so I actually did make my point.


Once more- you are a clown.

TLDR.

I speaking on the same reality you are when you say 80% of basketball players have lower gpas than baseball players.

My point was that you jumped in and screamed "bias". Ok you are biased too b/c of the reality you see.

 

[mstateglfr]

TLDR.

I speaking on the same reality you are when you say 80% of basketball players have lower gpas than baseball players.

My point was that you jumped in and screamed "bias". Ok you are biased too b/c of the reality you see.

I am biased for saying that some college athletes take tough classes while others take easy classes?
Um...OK then.

That's what I first posted, and added a couple examples of elite recruits taking classes to stay eligible since many elite recruits stay in college for more than 1 year.

That doesn't seem biased, it seems accurate. It's so obvious that it really doesn't even seem debatable, but you seem to take that as a personal challenge.

 

[paindonthurt]

I am biased for saying that some college athletes take tough classes while others take easy classes?
Um...OK then.

That's what I first posted, and added a couple examples of elite recruits taking classes to stay eligible since many elite recruits stay in college for more than 1 year.

That doesn't seem biased, it seems accurate. It's so obvious that it really doesn't even seem debatable, but you seem to take that as a personal challenge.

Then person you originally responded to didn’t say some didn’t take tough classes.

he didn’t say they were all dumb.

he said “I don’t think MANY elite recruits”

you said that was biased. It’s not. It’s reality.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

You mean like Kinesiology or General Business? I mean there are lots of curriculums that will help athletes IF they become professional.

They are also getting a lot of training and support in their particular sport. Weight lifting, food, diet plans, etc.

No. I mean a curricular that covers communications, marketing, contract law, finance, business, nutrition and then the physical stuff also. Have it be all the things the person needs to prepare and succeed in their chosen future like every other student that is attending that university. That degree will open them to all jobs that have to do with the huge professional sports industry. Then also cut out all that down time BS. You have the highest paid "teachers" at these universities not being allowed to teach their students for a few months each year. Imagine someone in engineering, premed or prelaw not being able to get together with their professor for 4 weeks during the semester.

 

[Msubulldogfan1]

You can’t put a price on education***

 

[curseddawgs]

That was true prior to 2021

 

[paindonthurt]

No. I mean a curricular that covers communications, marketing, contract law, finance, business, nutrition and then the physical stuff also. Have it be all the things the person needs to prepare and succeed in their chosen future like every other student that is attending that university. That degree will open them to all jobs that have to do with the huge professional sports industry. Then also cut out all that down time BS. You have the highest paid "teachers" at these universities not being allowed to teach their students for a few months each year. Imagine someone in engineering, premed or prelaw not being able to get together with their professor for 4 weeks during the semester.

So you are saying building an actual major/curriculum. Understood and not a bad idea but thats not going to fix athletes that don't go to class or care about education.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

No. I mean a curricular that covers communications, marketing, contract law, finance, business, nutrition and then the physical stuff also. Have it be all the things the person needs to prepare and succeed in their chosen future like every other student that is attending that university. That degree will open them to all jobs that have to do with the huge professional sports industry. Then also cut out all that down time BS. You have the highest paid "teachers" at these universities not being allowed to teach their students for a few months each year. Imagine someone in engineering, premed or prelaw not being able to get together with their professor for 4 weeks during the semester.

Seems like they could do all that now - but it would take some individual thoughts on the part of the athletes. All they'd have to do is choose their major?

To me, that's the issue. Most of them expect everything given to them, and want to do NOTHING for themselves. They all think they are going pro, and those percent chances are exactly why I don't think we shouldn't have a curriculum just for sports.

 

[Bulldog Bruce]

So you are saying building an actual major/curriculum. Understood and not a bad idea but thats not going to fix athletes that don't go to class or care about education.

Not all of them, but I bet many more would go to classes if they feel like it is something that they will actually use in the future.