‘21 GA PF Jabari Smith (Auburn commit)

You don’t have to go to class, you get money as an 18 year old, you get to work on basketball for hours upon hours. What point don’t you see? Lol.
I mean yeah, if you want to get straight to business already. But unless a kid just needs the money that bad, what’s the point? He’s gonna be making more than that just a year later.
 
I mean yeah, if you want to get straight to business already. But unless a kid just needs the money that bad, what’s the point? He’s gonna be making more than that just a year later.

What are you not understanding?

You don’t have to go to class. You can just play basketball all day. You get paid tons of money. You don’t have to go to class.

It’s not that hard to see why it’s so appealing.
 
You don’t have to go to class, you get money as an 18 year old, you get to work on basketball for hours upon hours. What point don’t you see? Lol.
Mostly agree. G League will be very appealing due to $ until players can profit from their own image in the NCAA. Then it will become slightly less appealing unless the players that have gone through it already have major pro success. Otherwise, making $ and being in college will still have a good draw.
 
I mean yeah, if you want to get straight to business already. But unless a kid just needs the money that bad, what’s the point? He’s gonna be making more than that just a year later.
I'm not going to argue that the G-League, in general, is in his best interest, but I think your logic is a bit flawed. Why does the fact that he potentially will make more money the next year have any bearing on whether or not he should take the initial $350-400k in lieu of school? I don't see the reasoning in that. There are arguments to be made regarding why college is possibly a better decision for him, but I can't see why that is one of them.
 
I get that this data is several years old, but I'm struggling mightily to see how (as @JelloPuddinPup mentioned) the G League is going to be a better option for players long-term (and, potentially, short-term) than the NCAA once NIL is fair game. Far fewer people watch the G League, comprised of NBA franchise feeder teams stocked with former 4*/5* players from colleges throughout the country, than regular-season NCAA basketball (to say nothing of March Madness) and I'm not convinced that an 18-year-old is going to have the same pre-NBA marketing cachet as a Maine Red Claw that he would as a Duke Blue Devil (nationally) or Tennessee Volunteer (locally). When you consider that these players are still going to be entering the draft in several years, meaning they aren't directly slotted into a franchise's pipeline with the opportunity for fans of the Raptors to watch them go from raw talent to contributing NBA starter, it seems as if they're missing out on a golden opportunity to build a fanbase/following by chasing between $250k and $500k.

Some players might absolutely need that money immediately to help their family out of a bad situation and I would absolutely understand that, but I think that we'll look back in ten years and see that the 5* talent that went to college end up in a better position.
 
Big money’s been available overseas ever since the one year requirement’s been in place...rarely utilized.
 
What are you not understanding?

You don’t have to go to class. You can just play basketball all day. You get paid tons of money. You don’t have to go to class.

It’s not that hard to see why it’s so appealing.

It is appealing, but it’s not for everyone. A fringe first round pick has to be careful because you don’t want to show you are outclassed in the G League. There are many players who excel in college and then make good money. But you can drop your stick by going too early.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TrapVol
Bottom line is MONEY as motivation. If it’s so overwhelming, you’d expect a multitude of examples. Been available since the G-League began also...few bites.
That’s not the bottom line, there is other factors. Like saying you can make $500k mowing grass at Augusta 5 days a week, or $500k as a garbage man in Harlem, which job do you think gets more applicants?
 
That’s not the bottom line, there is other factors. Like saying you can make $500k mowing grass at Augusta 5 days a week, or $500k as a garbage man in Harlem, which job do you think gets more applicants?
Yeah...landscaping and trash collection are hella relevant. Know any examples turning either high end gig down? You can look at top ranked college rosters going way back to find mine. Are you on record saying that G-League is going to go two deep in one and done high school All-Americans?
 
Yeah...landscaping and trash collection are hella relevant. Know any examples turning either high end gig down? You can look at top ranked college rosters going way back to find mine. Are you on record saying that G-League is going to go two deep in one and done high school All-Americans?
I’m saying there will be more G-League guys from high school ranks than we’ve ever seen go overseas, and that’s already shown itself.

Think about the show Deadliest Catch, you think if guys could get paid the same to catch the same thing off the coast of the Carolina’s that more wouldn’t choose that option?
 
I’m saying there will be more G-League guys from high school ranks than we’ve ever seen go overseas, and that’s already shown itself.

Think about the show Deadliest Catch, you think if guys could get paid the same to catch the same thing off the coast of the Carolina’s that more wouldn’t choose that option?
So we’re dealing with the “will” before the fact? I’ll revisit after it becomes so...gives me time to bone up on Discovery Channel analogies.
 
What are you referring to? It’s already happened??
You said “will be” yourself.

Edit: I’m talking about G-League being a preferred route to college. Overseas money is money. I’ll concede your point that it’s easier but I don’t see it as a valid option to the vast majority of high school stars. Guess we’ll see.
 
Last edited:
Money is going to be appealing to any young athlete.

Of course, I want this guy playing for the Vols but I can also understand why he’d go to the G-League if it’s a realistic option for him.
 
Read my edit...then better.
I agree it won’t surpass those going to college, never was remotely my point...simply was saying we will see more of the Top 50 kids not going to college route, than ever before. Yes overseas has always been there, but G-League definitely more appealing route and that’s shown with the number of kids opting for that route.
 
I agree it won’t surpass those going to college, never was remotely my point...simply was saying we will see more of the Top 50 kids not going to college route, than ever before. Yes overseas has always been there, but G-League definitely more appealing route and that’s shown with the number of kids opting for that route.
And simply pointing out that MONEY isn’t the driving force it’s made out to be. Without that, the G-League pales in comparison as an option. Part of my job involves the family where the Texas Legends practice. It’s a wasteland in comparison to high school.
 
I get that this data is several years old, but I'm struggling mightily to see how (as @JelloPuddinPup mentioned) the G League is going to be a better option for players long-term (and, potentially, short-term) than the NCAA once NIL is fair game. Far fewer people watch the G League, comprised of NBA franchise feeder teams stocked with former 4*/5* players from colleges throughout the country, than regular-season NCAA basketball (to say nothing of March Madness) and I'm not convinced that an 18-year-old is going to have the same pre-NBA marketing cachet as a Maine Red Claw that he would as a Duke Blue Devil (nationally) or Tennessee Volunteer (locally). When you consider that these players are still going to be entering the draft in several years, meaning they aren't directly slotted into a franchise's pipeline with the opportunity for fans of the Raptors to watch them go from raw talent to contributing NBA starter, it seems as if they're missing out on a golden opportunity to build a fanbase/following by chasing between $250k and $500k.

Some players might absolutely need that money immediately to help their family out of a bad situation and I would absolutely understand that, but I think that we'll look back in ten years and see that the 5* talent that went to college end up in a better position.
These kids are known from the time they are freshmen in HS. The notion that they need college to build their fame is not as true as it was years ago. Zion was going to be Zion no matter where he went, did being at Duke help? Sure but he had exposure from the beginning. Most players that are top 5 in HS are known by basketball fans.
 
These kids are known from the time they are freshmen in HS. The notion that they need college to build their fame is not as true as it was years ago. Zion was going to be Zion no matter where he went, did being at Duke help? Sure but he had exposure from the beginning. Most players that are top 5 in HS are known by basketball fans.
I don't really agree. Zion Williamson went from being a name known amongst close followers of college basketball and recruiting to a guy known solely by his first name on a national scale. That thanks in large part to ESPN, but in larger part to the Duke brand and the exposure that association bought him thru national media outlets like ESPN. Zion was the lead story on ESPN after every Duke game. Doubtful that happens after each Delaware Blue Coats game.

He wasn't even the #1 ranked player in his high school class and he parlayed one season at Duke into being the #1 pick in the NBA Draft and a 5 yr-$75 mil shoe contract with Nike. Perhaps that path was achievable thru the G-League or overseas, but the exposure and marketability would have been much more limited.
 
If Jabari Smith is being offered $350k-$450k, where do you think the G-League came up with that number? That's similar to what he is being offered in recruiting. So again, the money he is going to make will be virtually the same whether he goes overseas, the G-League, or college.

It will come down to who he thinks can develop him the best if he is hell-bent on being 1 and done. The thing that never gets talked about in terms college perks is the alumni support an athlete can get once their career is over. Plenty of guys get a job from some booster because they like having them around and hearing the ole battle stories. How many former athletes are coaching in and around the Knoxville area and they leap frogged other applicants because college towns tend to take care of their own first (unless they were a turd)? If you are a great athlete the university will hire you in the athletic department to basically play golf with boosters and raise money.

If you go overseas or to the G league and then wash out as a player you have zero fallback plan. Hopefully you saved and invested properly, but most don't so I wouldn't count on that. You just have so many better fallback options by attending college than not; especially when the money is going to be the same. I would also argue that your personal brand recognition is better going the college route than the G-league or overseas as well if you attend a big time school.
 
  • Like
Reactions: TrumpedUpVol
I don't really agree. Zion Williamson went from being a name known amongst close followers of college basketball and recruiting to a guy known solely by his first name on a national scale. That thanks in large part to ESPN, but in larger part to the Duke brand and the exposure that association bought him thru national media outlets like ESPN. Zion was the lead story on ESPN after every Duke game. Doubtful that happens after each Delaware Blue Coats game.
I hadn't heard of him but I'm sure the Pelicans knew exactly who he was. Seeing how he played against actual NBA players when he came in, I feel like he would have been hard to ignore in the G League. Going to Duke for a year rather than the G League did more to satisfy his desire to play for Duke than it did for his NBA career. It does get him the advantage of being acquainted with the Team USA leadership.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Vols All Day

VN Store



Back
Top