Lavar Ball starting pro league for high school grads?

[GGGG]

Two words: Host Families.  And there'll be no shortage of them willing to sign up.  Imagine an opportunity to have a potential NBA star live with your family for a year.  Personally, it's not my bag, but I bet a lot of people would jump as high as Lavar says for that gig.

I can't believe I'm saying this, but this could actually work.  Dislike him or hate him, Lavar's got the star power and notoriety to raise the capital and pull this off.

Lavar hasn't accomplished anything outside of hyping up himself through the success of his kids.

This has zero chance of working.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Who is going to watch this?

[Galway Eagle]

Merging this idea with the existing G league actually has merit.

Was talking something similar at work. The idea we decided might work is that if you go out of HS you can play in the GLeague and get partial guarantee contracts. However if you want actual lottery money and to be drafter that you stick to current rules

[StillAWarrior]

Merging this idea with the existing G league actually has merit.

I agree with this.  As LaVar is describing it, I simply see no benefit whatsoever for the kids.  If money is the issue, head to Europe.  There's money to be made over there.  If money is not the issue, I'm really having a hard time understanding what advantage this would have over NCAA.  Making a very little bit of money in an expensive city, playing in a glorified AAU league in empty arenas versus all that comes with playing for an NCAA program.  I just don't get the appeal.  Except, of course, endorsements.  For a very limited number of these kids, that might tilt the scales.  But, as you said, it would make more sense to merge it with the G league.

[Benny B]

Lavar hasn't accomplished anything outside of hyping up himself through the success of his kids.

This has zero chance of working.

If a guy like you is talking about Lavar Ball, then he's certainly accomplished something.

[GGGG]

Right.  He has hyped himself up.

That doesn't mean he has any idea how to start up something like this.  I mean people have been hating on the NCAA for year now.  You don't think other people have looked at this idea and said "Uh...no thanks."

Why do people think this guy would make it work?  Because he's an unapologetic self-promoter?

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Yea I think the fan base is gonna be the biggest problem.

Alumni will still watch their college teams over this and pick any city in the US and I'm guessing they would rather watch their professional team play than a bunch of 18 year olds.

[GGGG]

Yea I think the fan base is gonna be the biggest problem.

Alumni will still watch their college teams over this and pick any city in the US and I'm guessing they would rather watch their professional team play than a bung if 18 year olds.

Exactly.  College basketball isn't star driven.  It is driven by alumni and fans schools during the season, and tradition and hope for excitement during the post-season.

[Jockey]

I agree with this.  As LaVar is describing it, I simply see no benefit whatsoever for the kids.  If money is the issue, head to Europe.  There's money to be made over there. 

I don't know that your point is correct.

The good Euro leagues do not want young inexperienced high school guys who are planning on staying only for one year. They are not a minor league system.

What will happen is what happened with the Ball kids. They will go to minor teams in tiny little burgs, play with guys (and coaches) who speak no English, and mainly sit on the bench.

[Jockey]

Lavar hasn't accomplished anything outside of hyping up himself through the success of his kids.

This has zero chance of working.

I never want to see his face on TV again - but disagree with what you say.

Lavar is a loud mouthed narcissist, but there are millions of young boys (of all colors) who wish they had a father who was as involved in their lives and who worked for their success as much as Lavar has for his kids.

As far as the league, there is very little chance it will ever work.

[Jockey]

Exactly.  College basketball isn't star driven.  It is driven by alumni and fans schools during the season, and tradition and hope for excitement during the post-season.

It is absolutely star driven. You will always have alums who will support their team, but the crowds dwindle very quickly once you have no stars (start losing).

Throw back to back 8-20 seasons at MU and watch what happens to the crowds.

[GGGG]

I never want to see his face on TV again - but disagree with what you say.

Lavar is a loud mouthed narcissist, but there are millions of young boys (of all colors) who wish they had a father who was as involved in their lives and who worked for their success as much as Lavar has for his kids.

As far as the league, there is very little chance it will ever work.

LOL.  He pulled one kid out of UCLA and pulled another out of high school to sign them with a team in Lithuania. Now neither are eligible to play in college.

That isn't really working for their success. 

[MerrittsMustache]

It is absolutely star driven. You will always have alums who will support their team, but the crowds dwindle very quickly once you have no stars (start losing).

Throw back to back 8-20 seasons at MU and watch what happens to the crowds.

An 8-20 Marquette team would still outdraw any team in "The Big Baller League."

If there were an actual market for this type of league, someone a lot more capable than Lavar would already been running one.

[GGGG]

It is absolutely star driven. You will always have alums who will support their team, but the crowds dwindle very quickly once you have no stars (start losing).

Throw back to back 8-20 seasons at MU and watch what happens to the crowds.

That's not star driven.  That's success driven.

If Duke goes 30-5 and wins the national championship, they will draw the same crowds and TV audience regardless of players like Marvin Bagley being on the team.

IOW, this isn't the NBA where stars drive much of the interest in the league.

Also IOW, people aren't showing up to this Big Ball League just because a bunch of high school starts are playing in it.  Otherwise you would see AAU games televised regularly.

[ZiggysFryBoy]

Merging this idea with the existing G league actually has merit.

The BBBG League.  It's Fan-tastic.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Merging this idea with the existing G league actually has merit.

I agree, but in that case the G League wouldn't need to partner with Lavar. I think the one and done rule goes away soonish, but another option is you can get drafted, but have to play in the G League for a year instead of going to college for at least one year.

[#UnleashSean]

It is absolutely star driven. You will always have alums who will support their team, but the crowds dwindle very quickly once you have no stars (start losing).

Throw back to back 8-20 seasons at MU and watch what happens to the crowds.

Thats not star driven, thats win driven. If Marquette went 22-7 with Henry Ellenson there would be a crowd. But if Henry Ellenson had played in Lavar's league and marquette still went 22-7 the same crowd would be at marquette. There would be no one watching Henry play.

[Jockey]

That's not star driven.  That's success driven.

If Duke goes 30-5 and wins the national championship, they will draw the same crowds and TV audience regardless of players like Marvin Bagley being on the team.

IOW, this isn't the NBA where stars drive much of the interest in the league.

Also IOW, people aren't showing up to this Big Ball League just because a bunch of high school starts are playing in it.  Otherwise you would see AAU games televised regularly.

Duke never goes 30-5 without the Marvin Bagleys of the world. If they or any other team wanna live with 1 star and 2 star players,, attendance goes down. League revenue goes down. TV contracts go down - hence recruiting budget goes down and the cycle continues.

Now if you want to talk college football - it is a little less star driven. But not completely. Illinois football drew 450,000+ when they were good. This year they drew 275,000. Just as many alumni - so why the small crowds?

I shouldn't have to state the obvious. More stars = more wins = more fans = more $$$$.

[Pakuni]

That's not star driven.  That's success driven.

Do teams often succeed without star players?
Seems like the two are axiomatically linked (with, I'm sure, an occasional exception).

[cheebs09]

Do teams often succeed without star players?
Seems like the two are axiomatically linked (with, I'm sure, an occasional exception).

If the top tier went to Lavar’s league, the next tier would become the most sought after and go to the blue bloods. It’s all relative.

[MU82]

Merging this idea with the existing G league actually has merit.

Better that they merge this with the XFL.