Big Recruiting Complication

[Ricker]

Hadn't seen this new league sponsored by 'Overtime'. Seems clear it poses to be a major shakeup to recruiting. It proposes to PAY high school prospects starting in Sept 2021. As I understand it, the kids will leave their high schools and join an 8 team prep league as paid players, to finish school and then go on to G league or elsewhere. Obviously, unless the ncaa changes rules, the pool of top prospects will shrink. 247 has an article. Seems like a number of NBA stars have money in this. Interested in your thoughts. Six figure salaries and coaching by NBA players, Durant, Carmelo, involved.

 

[husky429]

Overtime to launch semi-professional league for high school basketball prospects

Overtime, a sports multimedia company, is planning to launch a semi-professional basketball league, called “Overtime Select”, that will provide compensation for

247sports.com

 

[husky429]

This won't work unless those leagues are filled with top-50 talent. It's an interesting idea, but I am not sure it will pay off. We shall see!

They need to be able to compete with the competition level that schools like IMG and Montverde are getting every year if kid's are going to go there.

 

[superjohn]

This seems like a really dumb idea.

 

[Get a Job]

I haven't thought deeply about this, so I reserve the right to change my opinion. That being said, I am in favor of anything that keeps one-and-dones out of college basketball. To the extent that something like this might do that, I like the idea.

 

[MDHuskFan]

The Big Baller League was dumb when Lavar did it, will remain dumb regardless of what NBA players sponsor it.

 

[Kitaman]

This seems like a really dumb idea.

Yeah its like pushing basketball over education. At least with one or two years of college you obtain some knowledge, connections and some level of independent living/maturity. Many marriages happen among college students.

Just saying I think I know what kids this would be targeted to and they're not semi-pro ready. It would be most unfortunate if those same kids qualify for college scholarship. Most high schoolers are incapable of making life changing (long term) decisions, college buys some time.

 

[tcf15]

I don’t see how any players who go this route would then be eligible for NCAA. These kids stop going to high school and instead receive a “non-traditional education” - what does that even mean? So it really would become a pipeline to G-League and international basketball.

With them trying to field 8 teams, they are probably targeting 40-50 high school kids, maybe more. There’s probably only 5-10 within that group that really should be going straight from preps to pros while the rest would be better served going through NCAA.

 

[McLovin]

Athletes get paid based on the revenue they produce, how is this league going to produce revenue? Just to cover six figure salaries for every kid across 8 teams the league is going to have to bring in close to $10M per season. And this won't cover coaches salaries, travel and other related expenses. No way this is a financially sustainable model.

As for the impact in recruiting, I doubt it hurts us. The guys Hurley & Co. go after don't get star-struck by big name offers (Duke/UK/MSU/UNC). Hurley recruits mature guys & competitors who want to go to a system that will teach them to be a better basketball players and better men. The guys we recruit don't want to play in a system run by a cry-babies who will throw the team under the bus if it underperforms.

 

[superjohn]

Yeah its like pushing basketball over education. At least with one or two years of college you obtain some knowledge, connections and some level of independent living/maturity. Many marriages happen among college students.

Just saying I think I know what kids this would be targeted to and they're not semi-pro ready. It would be most unfortunate if those same kids qualify for college scholarship. Most high schoolers are incapable of making life changing (long term) decisions, college buys some time.

I'm not even following what they're trying to do. Is this supposed to be for kids who haven't graduated high school or for kids to go to after they graduate high school? I don't see why anyone would use this as a bridge to the G-league? Do we really need another league nobody watches? Why would kids want to miss out on the coaching, college experiences, fans, fame etc. of playing at Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Kansas, UConn, Nova, Arizona etc. To go play in some league nobody watches with inferior coaching?

 

[Ricker]

As for the impact in recruiting, I doubt it hurts us. The guys Hurley & Co. go after don't get star-struck by big name offers (Duke/UK/MSU/UNC)

Of course it would hurt. If the one & done players are off the board, Duke, Kentucky, etc will be playing in our pond. On the other hand, the kids left to recruit will be staying in college longer so those programs will be recruiting less players in a four year span. Coupling with relaxed transfer rules, they may also fill the void using transfers that have been successful at other programs, ie using other programs as their 'farm teams'.

 

[glastonbury50]

 

[dennismenace]

I'm not even following what they're trying to do. Is this supposed to be for kids who haven't graduated high school or for kids to go to after they graduate high school? I don't see why anyone would use this as a bridge to the G-league? Do we really need another league nobody watches? Why would kids want to miss out on the coaching, college experiences, fans, fame etc. of playing at Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Kansas, UConn, Nova, Arizona etc. To go play in some league nobody watches with inferior coaching?

Carmelo coaching? What? Motivation?

 

[MexicoHusky]

I love the idea, but like others I'm not sure if it's financially viable. We'll see I guess.

I'm not sure this will push the ncaa, but they deserve to be pushed.

 

[MexicoHusky]

I'm not even following what they're trying to do. Is this supposed to be for kids who haven't graduated high school or for kids to go to after they graduate high school? I don't see why anyone would use this as a bridge to the G-league? Do we really need another league nobody watches? Why would kids want to miss out on the coaching, college experiences, fans, fame etc. of playing at Duke, UNC, Kentucky, Kansas, UConn, Nova, Arizona etc. To go play in some league nobody watches with inferior coaching?

I agree with much of your post with the exception of one of your points.

I'm not confident all college athletes enjoy the college experience. I'm sure many, maybe even most do. But it's definitely a lot of effort for the athletes. I don't think it's as much of a party as it is for many of the regular students. It may even be a burden for the athletes. I think many athletes just see college and the NCAA as a vehicle to obtain publicity. I don't blame them if they do. The NCAA is a lousy org.

If you combine all the extra effort with the moderately disingenuous "education" they receive, I could see current and former athletes being interested in some kind of effort that could undermine the NCAA. I would understand if they hold some resentment.

 

[auror]

The kids are already getting paid six figures. Why would they give up NCAA visibility for no real benefit?

 

[tennmike]

I'm sure this is an interesting topic and all, but damn, this is like off season stuff. We desperately need games where we annihilate someone or they annihilate us...or something happens...anything. Let's play already!

 

[Hurleyman216]

The kids are already getting paid six figures. Why would they give up NCAA visibility for no real benefit?

Exactly! You can get paid to go to Duke, Kentucky, Kansas, UNC, LSU, Arizona, Oregon, etc, so why not have the best of both worlds?

 

[Scot-e]

I don't know- if it is done right it could be fun to watch.
Also its not going to hurt schools like UConn except that some of the "pro mills" like Dook might start going after some of the same players as we do- but who cares I like our chances against them.
Am I off base?

 

[Fishy]

Hadn't seen this new league sponsored by 'Overtime'. Seems clear it poses to be a major shakeup to recruiting. It proposes to PAY high school prospects starting in Sept 2021. As I understand it, the kids will leave their high schools and join an 8 team prep league as paid players, to finish school and then go on to G league or elsewhere. Obviously, unless the ncaa changes rules, the pool of top prospects will shrink. 247 has an article. Seems like a number of NBA stars have money in this. Interested in your thoughts. Six figure salaries and coaching by NBA players, Durant, Carmelo, involved.

It will fail quickly and comprehensively.

No one will pay a cent to see semi-pro prep players that they‘ve never heard of play basketball. The league will realize exactly zero revenue and will be a money loser from the time the first check is written until the time Carmelo and Kevin refuse the last cash call.

These kids will go pro, lose their eligibility, fail to get into the G League and then become house painters and Amazon delivery drivers.

Other than that, I can see nothing wrong with this plan.

 

[mauconnfan]

Only parents who are clueless on their kids real abilities would fall prey to this crap. Screwy idea!

 

[StllH8L8ner]

Carmelo coaching? What? Motivation?

How not to play defense.

 

[StllH8L8ner]

and Amazon delivery drivers.

Until the drones take over. $UAVS

 

[Fishy]

Am I off base?

Yes.

 

[Dean Wormer]

Don’t know all the deets and I’m sure they’re figuring all that out. But like someone said, anything that pushes the NCAA to st or get off the pot is a good thing.
The whole student-athlete bs needs to be dealt with once and for all.