The “one and done” athlete of the basketball world might be leaving sooner than expected. The most prevalent route for high school prodigies may soon come to an end with new G-League recruitment for these kids. 

The league will supposedly pay athletes $500,000+ to elite prospects, and will also treat these prospects with a non-traditional development program to prepare them for the NBA.

This is an incredible step for the G-League and an even bigger opportunity for young basketball stars. Instead of the dramatic shift from college to the NBA, athletes will be able to familiarize themselves with NBA tier coaching, play, and operations before being thrown into the biggest stage the rookies will ever see. Not to mention, this route allows for instant deals and brand contracts making athletes that take the G-League route an instant opportunity for big bucks out of high school.

Top high school basketball recruit Jalen Greene recently announced that he is going to take the new route over college. Greene is the first high school athlete to choose this alternate route to the NBA. He reportedly has already signed a shoe deal after revealing he won’t be attending college.

Greene’s signing to the G-League was huge for multiple reasons but mainly because the new league ended up signing arguably the best high school prospect in the country. The signing already has influenced others to take the same path. Top recruit Isaiah Todd has also signed a contract, and three other 5-star recruits are expected to take the new G-league route. 

With the most elite high school athletes signing with the G-League, the NCAA has been faced with a potential issue of keeping the best basketball talent in their colleges. With news of new G-league signings, the NCAA finally stated that they will allow their athletes to profit off their names, image and likeness.

If the G-League continues to find success in their new program, the expansion of teams, athletes, and profits will likely follow. This could ultimately pose problems for the NCAA and college athletes in pursuit of being selected high in the draft. It is interesting to see where this new program will go and what heights it and its players can reach.

In the end, tracking how athletes fare after their first year with the G-League will reveal how effective and useful it really is. As of now the route looks like an incredible opportunity for athletes and something that will see growth in the coming years. None of this can be known for sure however until we hear those signed athletes names on draft night but for now these athletes seem to be in a great position.