G-League to offer $125K to top high school players

[MU82]

I don't think he would have been the 8th or 9th guy in the rotation at a blue blood.  Yeah he got "showcased" at Marquette, but he was on draft radars even before he started college.  I'm not sure how much his performance at Marquette played into his draft position.

Ineed, if it was the old rules and players didn't have to be a year out of HS to go to the NBA, Hankster might have gotten drafted earlier than he did.

[Pakuni]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania

Sources: Top high school-to-pro prospect Darius Bazley has signed an endorsement deal with New Balance, worth $14M and a guaranteed $1M. Bazley will spend year training ahead of 2019 NBA draft.

[#UnleashSean]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania

Sources: Top high school-to-pro prospect Darius Bazley has signed an endorsement deal with New Balance, worth $14M and a guaranteed $1M. Bazley will spend year training ahead of 2019 NBA draft.

ya I'd take that deal.

[Galway Eagle]

Shams Charania
@ShamsCharania

Sources: Top high school-to-pro prospect Darius Bazley has signed an endorsement deal with New Balance, worth $14M and a guaranteed $1M. Bazley will spend year training ahead of 2019 NBA draft.

I don't understand this. thats a ridiculous sum for someone not even guaranteed to make it. Especially when he won't have any true following out of the gate unless you consider a high school following worth that much

[Newsdreams]

I don't understand this. thats a ridiculous sum for someone not even guaranteed to make it. Especially when he won't have any true following out of the gate unless you consider a high school following worth that much

Makes New Balance seem desperate.

[Herman Cain]

I don't understand this. thats a ridiculous sum for someone not even guaranteed to make it. Especially when he won't have any true following out of the gate unless you consider a high school following worth that much

Kid is a pogo stick with some decent basketball IQ. However, as you point out he is a long way from a sure thing. Would be better off getting some experience playing in games at a higher rate of speed against physically strong players.

I like New Balance because they carry wide widths.

[brewcity77]

Makes New Balance seem desperate.

Does any NBA player endorse New Balance? They're like the prototype 50 year old man work shoe.

[martyconlonontherun]

I don't understand this. thats a ridiculous sum for someone not even guaranteed to make it. Especially when he won't have any true following out of the gate unless you consider a high school following worth that much

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/sports/darius-bazley-g-league-new-balance.html
Says only $1m guaranteed. I think its a pretty cool bet. They can have him working with trainers and coaches all-year round to increase his skills, then they also have an incredible opportunity to market him and his journey. Unlimited photo shoots and video time. They can also give him media training and mold him better than any college player.

Not a guarantee but New Balance was never gonna compete with Nike/Jordan brand. They needed to buy a lottery ticket.

[martyconlonontherun]

And fundamentally, where is it wrong to say that a 22-35 year old woman, probably with a college degree, is not worth more than a recent high school graduate?

The high schoolers are being paid for their potential, and no, more people would not show up at G-League games if they went there.  They also would be unlikely to get exposure on National TV in Prime Time.  It's a silly idea.  But it is also probably a silly idea to draft all but a handful of recent HS grads into the NBA and hand them three year contracts worth up to $15 million or more.  Maybe instead of G-League contracts, pay the kids with the most potential to become a red-shirt NBA player.  Or the equivalent of the NFL practice squad.  There has to be a better way than to stick these kids into a minor league with little or no development opportunity.  Note that they change the name from the D-League to the G-League. $$ (sponsorship) means more to the NBA than development.

Its still better than sticking these kids in college where they play inferior talent with inferior systems (at least to what they will need to learn for development in the NBA).

[Jockey]

Does any NBA player endorse New Balance? They're like the prototype 50 year old man work shoe.

I thought it was 70.

My wife always jokes that if I buy a pair of New Balance, I might as well just tuck in my shirt, hike up my pants, and go buy a cane.

[Herman Cain]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/10/22/sports/darius-bazley-g-league-new-balance.html
Says only $1m guaranteed. I think its a pretty cool bet. They can have him working with trainers and coaches all-year round to increase his skills, then they also have an incredible opportunity to market him and his journey. Unlimited photo shoots and video time. They can also give him media training and mold him better than any college player.

Not a guarantee but New Balance was never gonna compete with Nike/Jordan brand. They needed to buy a lottery ticket.

Just to remind you, that was the same logic you gave a few years ago about Henry being better off  training in the NBA. The missing ingredient is competition .  You can work out all you want but you still have to play a team sport at high speed. Not saying that Bazly can't do it, but he would sure be better off in my view actually spending a year playing whether it is in college , g league, overseas etc.

[GGGG]

Just to remind you, that was the same logic you gave a few years ago about Henry being better off  training in the NBA.

He was.

[Herman Cain]

He was.

Henry was better off financially for sure. Not sure he really has gotten the NBA playing time he needs, last year was full of DNP coaches decision and it has shown in his results so far. My point for young Mr. Bazley is to spend a year playing against real competition and not relying on just training. That will only get him part of the way there.

[4everwarriors]

Neva understood da hatred four Hank. Home grown 5-star who legitimized Wojo and wuz a furst rounder. Adds to Marquette's laundry list. Is he too white for y'all, hey?

[Herman Cain]

Neva understood da hatred four Hank. Home grown 5-star who legitimized Wojo and wuz a furst rounder. Adds to Marquette's laundry list. Is he too white for y'all, hey?

I want him to do well because I support MU and the reasons you outline are correct. On the other hand until he does something in the NBA of note, I think he is always going to be a point of discussion because he left early. Kind of in the same camp as Vander in that regard. Henry has a coach in Don Casey who gives young players chances, so hopefully something happens for him this year. 

[martyconlonontherun]

I want him to do well because I support MU and the reasons you outline are correct. On the other hand until he does something in the NBA of note, I think he is always going to be a point of discussion because he left early. Kind of in the same camp as Vander in that regard. Henry has a coach in Don Casey who gives young players chances, so hopefully something happens for him this year.

If we are arguing that Vander/Henry missed a chance to leave a legacy at Marquette, you absolutely win. From a "remember when" standpoint they would've been way better off at Marquette.

We can agree to disagree, but if it was my career or my kids career I would want them 1. taking the money and 2. training with the best coaches and players day in and day out. If I had to chose having Henry train to become a better NBA player by going against Andre Drummond or Harry Froling, I take the NBA route every day.

[Skip Intro]

HE inactive tonight.  Gotta think his days in Detroit are numbered. 

[Galway Eagle]

If we are arguing that Vander/Henry missed a chance to leave a legacy at Marquette, you absolutely win. From a "remember when" standpoint they would've been way better off at Marquette.

We can agree to disagree, but if it was my career or my kids career I would want them 1. taking the money and 2. training with the best coaches and players day in and day out. If I had to chose having Henry train to become a better NBA player by going against Andre Drummond or Harry Froling, I take the NBA route every day.

Blue would've been better served here another year. another run could've propelled him into the draft.

[MU82]

Blue would've might have been better served here another year. another run could've propelled him into the draft.

FIFY.

What if he played poorly? What if he got hurt? What if he played well and got drafted in the second round and then went on to do nothing for a year before ending up in the G-league (as is the case with most second-rounders)? I guess that latter scenario would have been better than what has happened, but not by much.

Staying definitely MIGHT have been a good thing for him. Maybe he would have had a spectacular senior season and played himself into the first round, but I kinda doubt it. Would it have certainly been better for him? Nah.

Plus, the kid just didn't like college. That's not a knock against him. A lot of kids feel that way - even a lot of non-athletes.

[GGGG]

Vander has worked on his game endlessly since college and has had plenty of opportunities to show NBA teams what he can do.  And he just isn't sticking. 

Unless staying another year would have propelled him into the first round, and I highly doubt that would have happened, I don't think his career would have ended up all that different than it has already. 

BTW, where is he playing this year?  I know he was in Italy last Spring, but I don't think he is there now.

[brewcity77]

The year after he left, Blue got at least two 10-day contracts with the Celtics and Sixers. He definitely made more money in those two contracts than he would've as a senior, and I'm not sure his stock would've vaulted him any higher than as the fringe player he ended up becoming.