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.
[RELATED: New details on G League’s revamped development program]
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.
How do they figure out what G league team gets him?
I believe he’ll enter the g league draft
So how does that work. If the Canton Charge draft him do the Cavaliers get his rights or does he have to re-enter the NBA draft in a year or 2? Can g league players be one and done?
I just read that Green will not play for any G league team, but rather play on a select team with other top prospects along with NBA veterans that will serve as mentors. This team will play exhibition games against G league teams. Apparently, these games are put on by the G league, which is probably why they refer to Green as a G league player.
Obviously the NCAA control all college sports currently but could we see in the future colleges having a team in a semi professional basketball league.
Like imagine Duke playing in the g league..
would they be a top team or bottom team or what?
If you think back to when they had Zion RJ and Cam a couple years ago I feel that team would’ve been top 5 in g league but I feel most good college teams would find it really competitive and be mid table teams