Woj Doubts G League Alternative, Says Players 'Get Paid' in NCAA Too
ESPN's Adrian Wojnarowski lobbed a shade bomb at the NCAA on Thursday, expressing his doubt that the G League's new alternative path to the NBA will work.
"I have doubts about how many top players will go this route. Some, yes. But G-League is full of early connecting flights, long bus rides, small gyms. It isn't glamorous. Big-time NCAA ball still has the trappings of exposure, packed houses, private jets. You'll get paid there too," Woj tweeted.
The key phrase here, of course, is the last sentence. It's one that is both not at all subtle and the absolute truth, as we continue to see with a number of top programs being exposed in a federal investigation into college basketball.
The G League announced a new path for elite prospects Thursday, which will offer players not eligible for the NBA draft a $125,000 salary, per ESPN.com's Jonathan Givony. G League president Malcolm Turner said the new contracts will be "geared towards facilitating and accelerating their transition to the pro game." The G League will target players who are considered likely one-and-done candidates.
"The broader basketball community has called for the NBA to enhance our G League offerings," Turner told ESPN.com. "We believe this is an answer to that call. We believe this is a thoughtful and responsive answer."
Woj's point is a good one. There's brand value in being a college athlete, and the NCAA is on a (glacial) path to ending its amateurism rules. Elite college basketball players are now allowed contact with agents, and the federal investigation could mark the beginning of a sea change.
With the G League now offering a legitimate alternative, the NCAA's best bet is probably to make these behind-the-scene payments above board before it begins losing elite talent.
