NBA G League Rumors | Hoops Rumors

Daishen Nix Decommits From UCLA, Opts For G League

April 28th, 2020 at 12:04pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA G League has landed another five-star high school recruit, as point guard Daishen Nix has decommitted from UCLA and will opt for the NBAGL’s developmental path, according to Shams Charania of The Athletic (via Twitter).

“I’ve always known that going to the G League was an option, but learning more about it and hearing more things about it is why I chose it,” Nix told Evan Daniels of 247Sports. “It was the best option for me.”

Nix will become the third prospect to join the G League’s new Select Team, which will be based in Southern California, following in the footsteps of Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd. The new squad won’t be part of the NBAGL’s traditional regular season schedule, but is expected to play exhibition games against G League teams, as well as against foreign national teams and NBA academies, as the program focuses on helping top prospects prepare for the NBA.

A standout at Trinity International in Las Vegas, Nix had been considered one of the top point guards in this year’s recruiting class, ranking 15th overall on 247Sports’ list and 20th on ESPN’s board. ESPN’s Jonathan Givony had Nix at No. 12 in his latest 2021 NBA mock draft.

By forgoing college ball in favor of the G League’s new professional path, Nix will be in line for a salary in the $300K range, sources tell Charania (Twitter link).

And-Ones: G League Union, Brown, Lin, Terry

April 24th, 2020 at 6:57pm CST by Dana Gauruder

G League players will begin deciding on Saturday whether to form a union, ESPN’s Adrian Wojnarowski reports. The National Basketball Players Association is assisting in the formation of a G League-governed union, Wojnarowski continues.

By creating a union, the players could bargain with the NBA and G League on issues such as housing, salary and travel, Wojnarowski writes. A majority of G League players must sign an electronic authorization card for passage.

We have more from around the basketball world:

Five-star recruit Greg Brown turned down a $400K offer to join the G League’s professional pathway program and opted to sign with Texas, Jeff Goodman of GoodmanHoops tweets. Brown, a 6’9” power forward, could have joined fellow top recruits Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd in the program but decided to spend next season with the Longhorns. “Just not rushing the process … the NBA is always going to be there,” Brown told Goodman.
Some foreign players are essentially stuck in China until the Chinese Basketball Association decides whether to resume its season, former NBA guard Jeremy Lin told USA Today’s Mark Medina. Lin has been practicing regularly with the Beijing Ducks. The CBA was expected to restart in April but those plans were shelved due to continuing concerns about players contracting the novel coronavirus. “We’re basically just waiting until June to decide whether we play in July or not,” Lin said. “That’s the current situation. We’re kind of in limbo right now.”
Longtime NBA player Jason Terry has accepted an assistant coaching position with the University of Arizona, Jason Scheer of 247Sports reports. The news regarding Terry, who played for the Wildcats from 1995-99, won’t be official for several weeks since the school currently has a hiring freeze.

G League Hopes To Eventually Establish Multiple Select Teams

April 22nd, 2020 at 12:06pm CST by Luke Adams

The NBA G League’s new “Select Team” appears likely to be introduced in 2020/21 by way of a single squad that features five-star recruits Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd, but the league has greater long-term aspirations for its new developmental program, according to Marc Stein of The New York Times (Twitter link).

Sources tell Stein that the NBA would like to eventually grow the G League Select Team concept to turn it into a full G League division featuring multiple teams that play against one another. Based on what we’ve heard about the first Select Team, it sounds like those clubs wouldn’t be affiliate with a specific NBA franchise and wouldn’t take part in the normal NBAGL regular season schedule.

It’s not clear if and when that will happen – it will depend in part on how the first year plays out – but the NBAGL has talked about recruiting enough players to put together four or five teams down the road, per Stein (Twitter link). That lines up with an earlier report which suggested that the G League has already started reaching out to members of the 2021 recruiting class.

Besides featuring some top high school prospects who are forgoing the college route, the NBA G League Select Team will include several veteran players who will serve as mentors, many of whom will be trying to get to – or return to – the NBA themselves. According to Stein (via Twitter), those leadership roles for veteran players may also help them launch future coaching or front office careers.

Finding enough players interested in filling such a role will be one potential hurdle if the G League eventually aims to put together several squads, Stein notes. Navigating possible changes to the NBA’s one-and-done rule will be another — if the league eventually permits prospects to enter the draft directly out of high school, it would likely limit the appeal of the NBAGL’s program.

Reports this week indicated that former NBA Coach of the Year Sam Mitchell will assume the role of head coach for the new G League Select Team, having previously coached Green in AAU. However, Tim Reynolds of The Associated Press cautions (via Twitter) that it’s not a done deal yet.

It also remains to be seen whether other top prep prospects will join Green and Todd in the NBAGL. Five-star recruit Greg Brown, who will be making his decision on Friday, has listed the G League as one of his six finalists (Instagram link).

Latest On NBA G League’s New Select Team

April 21st, 2020 at 1:21pm CST by Luke Adams

Former Raptors and Timberwolves head coach Sam Mitchell, who was named the NBA’s Coach of the Year in 2006/07, is expected to become the coach of the G League’s newly-formed “Select Team,” reports Emiliano Carchia of Sportando. The new squad is the one that prep stars Jalen Green and Isaiah Todd will be joining next season, as we detailed last week.

As Adam Zagoria of Forbes points out, the Mitchell news hasn’t officially been confirmed, but the 56-year-old – who coached Green in AAU – repeatedly used the word “we” when he referred to the team during a recent ESPN appearance. Mitchell confirmed that the new G League Select Team will feature several veterans in addition to the prospects arriving from high school, suggesting that most of those vets will be aiming to get back to the NBA.

“We’re going to try to fill out the rest of the roster with guys who know how to play, guys that know how to be mentors, but also guys that can teach these guys how to play and how to win and how to be a pro,” Mitchell said, per Zagoria. “They’re going to try to surround these kids with all different type of players, the type of players that they’re going to have to play on a team with.

“Some of these (prospects) are actually going to be fortunate enough to go to (an NBA) team where they’re actually going to be the man on a team and some of these guys are going to be on a team where they’re going to have to learn how to fit in,” Mitchell continued. “So they’re going to mix these teams up with different types of players with different types of backgrounds. It’s not going to just be a bunch of high school kids.”

Here’s more on the G League’s new squad and the league’s developmental path for top high school prospects:

Prior to Carchia’s report on Mitchell, Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports wrote that David Fizdale and Brian Shaw were also receiving consideration for the Select Team’s head coaching job. A source who spoke to Zagoria said that he wouldn’t be surprised if Fizdale and Shaw still end up having some sort of role with the club.
The G League’s Select Team is exploring the idea of making the Mamba Sports Academy its “home base,” sources tell Haynes. The training facility, created by the late Kobe Bryant, is just one of a handful of venues being considered, but it appears to be a frontrunner, Haynes adds. The Select Team will be based in Southern California.
Zagoria wrote in a separate Forbes article last week that the G League has been attempting to court other high school stars in addition to Green and Todd, including five-star recruit Greg Brown. Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports (Twitter link) hears that the NBAGL has actually already started reaching out to prospects in the 2021 recruiting class as well.

And-Ones: Holiday Brothers, Green, NBA China

April 17th, 2020 at 3:48pm CST by Luke Adams

Asked in a group interview by Shams Charania of Stadium (video link) about the possibility of playing together in the future, the Holiday brothers expressed interest, even as Pacers guard Aaron Holiday acknowledged that it’s “probably unrealistic” for the time being.

Justin Holiday, who currently plays in Indiana alongside his younger brother on a one-year deal with the Pacers, said that the brothers probably get asked about the idea of teaming up more than they think about it themselves. Pelicans guard Jrue Holiday, meanwhile, said that he thinks the three brothers would “be good together” if they did play on the same team.

Here are more odds and ends from around the basketball world:

Top high school recruit Jalen Green, who decided to sign with the G League as part of the league’s revamped developmental program, will be provided with a full-ride college scholarship by the NBAGL if he wants to go to school at a later date, he tells Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports (Twitter link). “I’m still going to be able to go back to college and finish school,” Green said. “So, it’s not really that I’m missing out on college because I can go back and finish whenever I need to.”
In a conversation at The Athletic, former NBA team executives Seth Partnow and John Hollinger traded some big-picture, outside-the-box suggestions for how to change the league. Among the ideas proposed: Expanding the league to 32 teams, revamping the draft workout process, and introducing a “suck tax,” which would hit the league’s worst teams with financial penalties.
NBA China CEO Derek Chang is stepping down from his position, the league announced on Thursday in a press release. Chang, who assumed the role in June 2018, will officially depart after May 15, as the NBA seeks a new executive for the position. It has presumably been a challenging year for Chang, who had to deal with the rift between the NBA and China as a result of Daryl Morey‘s tweet supporting Hong Kong protestors.

Isaiah Todd Officially Signs To Play In G League

April 17th, 2020 at 10:38am CST by Luke Adams

A day after top high school recruit Jalen Green announced that he would be playing in the G League in 2020/21, another top prep prospect, Isaiah Todd, has officially followed suit, per a press release. Shams Charania of The Athletic, who first reported Todd’s decision, spoke to the young power forward about the move from high school to the G League.

“I believe it was the best thing for my game and for my career to better myself for the NBA,” Todd told The Athletic. “It was very important to be prepared because the NBA is my lifelong dream. This option is the best way to go, being in the NBA’s backyard and to learn from pros and learn from NBA coaches and trainers. It’s about being prepared for the NBA. I think that’s the best way to go.”

Todd is listed as the No. 13 prospect in ESPN’s list of 2020 recruits. He previously appeared to be on track to play college ball for the Wolverines before decommitting from Michigan earlier this week.

Todd’s decision to go the G League route comes as the NBAGL has revamped its professional developmental program for top high school prospects, increasing the amount of money those players can earn and introducing a new franchise based in Southern California that will play a series of exhibition games outside of the league’s usual structure.

The new G League team – which won’t be affiliated with any specific NBA franchise – will be made up of top prospects like Green and Todd, along with a handful of veteran players.

Todd told Charania that he and Green are “both excited to get to work,” adding that he believes they could be the first of many high school prospects who take this path.

“I think this will be trendsetting and we changed the game as far as new options and new ways for players who want to be in the NBA and reach their dreams,” Todd said. “… Players can look at us and use this as an alternative route if the opportunity presents (itself). Even motivation for them. It all depends on who you are. It all varies based on the player.”

G League Notes: Green, Todd, Los Angeles, Mobley

April 16th, 2020 at 3:04pm CST by Luke Adams

It has been an eventful day for the NBA G League, which revealed that it has significantly revamped its program for top high school prospects who want to take a professional path before entering the draft rather than spending a single season in college.

Jalen Green, arguably the top recruit in the 2020 class, became the first big-name prospect to commit to the new NBAGL program, and will reportedly be joined by Isaiah Todd, who decommitted from Michigan earlier this week.

Here are a few more notes and updates on the new G League program and the prospects who are taking that route:

According to Shams Charania of The Athletic (Twitter link), the compensation packages for high school prospects who sign to play in the G League will vary on a case-by-case basis. However, Green’s total earnings – which will include salary, endorsements, and appearances – are expected to eclipse $1MM.
Green and Todd will join a new G League franchise based in Southern California, Charania reports (Twitter links). That will serve two purposes — it will prevent any NBA team from gaining an upper hand by developing a top prospect at its own G League affiliate and it will allow the new Los Angeles-based team to play a unique schedule of exhibition games that don’t count toward the NBAGL standings, as detailed in an earlier ESPN report.
Evan Mobley, who was ranked second behind Green on ESPN’s list of top 2020 recruits, was approached by the G League as well, a source tells Evan Daniels of 247Sports (Twitter link). While the source described the NBAGL’s offer as “an awesome package,” Mobley preferred to take the college route and will play for USC.

G League Development Program Revamped, Includes $500K Salaries

April 16th, 2020 at 1:00pm CST by Dana Gauruder

The NBA and G League development program for top high school prospects has been restructured, including salaries and incentives of $500K or more, as well as playing exhibitions rather than regular G League contests, ESPN’s Jonathan Givony and Adrian Wojnarowski report. Previously, the program offered prospects a $125K salary.

The revamped program helped entice ESPN’s No. 1 high school prospect, Jalen Green, to commit to the G League rather than sign with a college team.

The updated one-year development program will be conducted outside of the G League’s traditional team structure, according to the ESPN duo. Rather than playing regular-season games for a G League affiliate, these top prospects would join some veteran players for exhibition games against G League teams, foreign national teams and NBA academies throughout the world. The exhibitions against G League teams, approximately 10-12 games, wouldn’t count in the standings.

Additionally, the salary bonus structure in a player’s contract will likely include incentives for completing community events and attending life skills program coordinated by the G League, sources tell ESPN.

Previously, top prospects and their advisers had concerns about losing their draft value by being overmatched on G League rosters against more experienced and physically mature players.

The veteran pro players on the team could mentor Green and other prospects while potentially benefiting their own careers. Former NBA coach Sam Mitchell is expected to be a candidate to coach the team, according to the ESPN story.

G League president Shareef Abdur-Rahim believes the updated program will be much more appealing to prospects than going overseas for a year. LaMelo Ball and RJ Hampton, two of the top prep players last year, chose to play in the Australian league.

“We have kids leaving the United States — Texas and California and Georgia — to go around the world to play, and our NBA community has to travel there to scout them. That’s counter-intuitive,” Abdur-Rahim said. “The NBA is the best development system in the world, and those players shouldn’t have to go somewhere else to develop for a year. They should be in our development system.”

The NBA’s negotiations with the NBPA about eliminating the one-and-done rule for the draft remain stalled, per Woj and Givony, so the G League’s program provides a new bridge to the league for players who aren’t interested in going the college route. For now, those players – such as Green – will still become draft-eligible once they’re a year removed from high school.

Top Prep Prospect Jalen Green Headed To G League

April 16th, 2020 at 12:58pm CST by Dana Gauruder

12:58pm: Green has officially committed to participating in the G League program, according to an NBAGL press release relayed by Liz Mullen (Twitter link). Todd has also committed to the G League program, Shams Charania of The Athletic tweets.

10:38am: Jalen Green, the top-rated prospect in this year’s high school class, intends to play in the G League next season, Jonathan Givony of ESPN tweets.

Green will make a formal announcement on Thursday regarding his plans but he’s already informing his college suitors that he’ll enter the G League’s professional pathway program, Givony adds.

Green is the first prominent high school player to select the G League, rather than being a one-and-done college player or playing overseas until he’s eligible for the draft. As G League expert Adam Johnson notes, the decision represents a huge coup for the league after all of last year’s high school prospects passed up on the chance to play in the NBA’s developmental program (Twitter link).

Green is a 6’5” shooting guard from Fresno, CA who had a laundry list of suitors. He took official visits to Oregon, Kentucky, Auburn and Memphis.

According to ESPN’s prospect evaluation, Green “is a scoring and play-making guard who is only just beginning to scratch the surface of his potential.” Green played for USA Basketball in the FIBA U17 and U19 World Championships in 2018 and 2019 and won gold medals.

With all the uncertainty created by the coronavirus pandemic, the option of playing in the G League is becoming increasingly attractive to high school prospects, according to Evan Daniels of 247 Sports. Going overseas is much less attractive due to the pandemic and there’s no way of knowing if and when the college season will be played.

When the G League professional pathway program was announced in the fall of 2018, prospects were to be paid up to $125K. The league is now willing to go higher than that, Daniels adds.

Another major prospect, power forward Isaiah Todd, is also seriously considering the G League, Daniels adds. Todd is ranked No. 13 by ESPN.

G League Path Growing More Appealing For High School Prospects?

April 15th, 2020 at 1:34pm CST by Luke Adams

While some top NBA prospects over the years have opted to forgo college basketball in favor of an international league, few have gone the G League route. However, multiple industry sources tell Evan Daniels of 247Sports.com that the idea of spending a year in the NBAGL is becoming more intriguing to high school prospects.

As Daniels notes, when the G League first introduced its new “select contracts” for top high school prospects in the fall of 2018, it announced plans to make those contracts worth $125K. However, sources tell Daniels that the NBAGL is now willing to pay more than that “for the right prospects.”

Additionally, Daniels speculates that the coronavirus pandemic could discourage prospects who want to go pro rather than attending college from choosing an international league, since traveling overseas may not look like as appealing an option at the moment.

According to Daniels, the G League is believed to be an option for some notable members of the recruiting class of 2020, including power forward Isaiah Todd – who recently backed out of his commitment to Michigan – and shooting guard Jalen Green. Even if neither of those two prospects opt to play to play in the NBA’s developmental league next season, the G League has been “aggressively” scouting and meeting with prospects over the last couple years and seems to be making some headway, Daniels writes.

Still, skepticism persists that the G League is a viable route for high school prospects who have a bevy of college and overseas options. Veteran NBA forward Jared Dudley tweets that the NBA has to address the NBAGL’s facilities and travel situation in order to increase the league’s appeal.

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