LA Clippers Mike Taylor: The Beginning of Something Big?

One of the biggest stories in this years NBA draft was not Michael Beasley or Derrick Rose, but second round pick Mike Taylor. Who? Taylor is the first player to be drafted out of the NBDL. I think that is a big deal.

If you do not know who Taylor is, he is a 6'2" point guard from the Idaho Stampede (NBDL). He went to Iowa State before getting dismissed from the school. From a two-time Big-12 player of the week, to a D-League player, Taylor got drafted.

For the Stampede Taylor averaged 14.5 points, 3.5 rebounds and 4.3 assists. He really was a solid player. He is real explosive and was one of the best athletes in the draft.

He still needs to develop his game and I think he is a steal in the draft for the LA Clippers. The D-League exposed him to NBA experience, which will give him more experience over most college players.

Taylor is the beginning of something that David Stern has been planning since he put the age limit on entering the NBA.

After the D-League was put into place Stern wanted high school players to not go into college, but go into the D-League where they can make money.

The average of 15 grand a season is not eye opening for any high school star to jump into the D-League for, but Stern is planning to raise the pay to compete with overseas teams.

The point of all of this is that the D-League will start to get top high school prospects who want to play in the NBA. This will get them pay checks, which the NCAA cannot give them.

By getting these stars, instead of seeing them in college, people will pay to go to their games and try to get a TV contract so they can be seen on national TV.

This way the NBA basically just finds a way to make more money.

For the players, this really is not a bad thing either. With the D-League, the players have a chance to play in an NBA environment and system. Besides the money, the experience and exposure is important.

Taylor may never end up being a Derrick Rose, but he started something of what is to come.

Players will realize that they can just make money and get exposure to the NBA level in the D-League, but after one year can get drafted as high as they would after playing in college. Best of all, no classes!