Overtime Elite, the basketball developmental league for high school aged players, continues to attract top talent. The league pays its players $100 K salaries and takes them out of the high school-college basketball track, and places them directly into playing for cash. I thought the NBA G League was going to be the biggest threat to college basketball but this operation is threatening to preempt it.
Overtime Elite Rounding Up Top Talent
- Thread starter IdahoAlum
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What teams do they play? Do the kids who sign up now go to school at all? Do they even get a HS degree?
GOUNUII
They do apparently earn a high school diploma:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overtime_(sports_network)#Overtime_Elite
"In addition to receiving a high school diploma, Overtime Elite's educational offerings will place an emphasis on developing life skills supplementing traditional courses with those focused on financial literacy, media training and social justice advocacy."
Wikipedia lists 14 players on their roster, and one head coach. That's enough for one team. What's the plan? Is this team going to barnstorm? Whom would they play? (The NCAA stopped letting their schools play barnstorming teams over a decade ago, which is why you never see them anymore in NCAA exhibition games.)
If the plan is to create an actual league and to generate revenue by having these teams play each other and broadcast the games, it will require many more than 14 players and one head coach.
It seems there's plenty of investor money in this venture and there are some big names attached. I just wonder what the business model actually is to generate revenue.
Maybe the business model, if this program does indeed produce elite NBA draft picks, is for some sort of kickback from the NBA when they draft one of their players.
But I can't see them producing NBA players unless they have some form of formal competition for the players.
But I can't see them producing NBA players unless they have some form of formal competition for the players.
There’s already a pro league with declining viewership, and a college league for those fans who care. There’s about a 1% chance this league generates enough interest to remain in business. Also…if they present themselves as a competitor to the G-League, they’ll be gone ASAP. Hopefully they’ll be smart enough not to do that.
FWIW, I miss the old barnstorming National Teams.
According to the former BLM founder Patrisse Cullors, the quickest path to a fortune is definitely social justice advocacy.
I don't know why anybody views an NBA minor-league as a threat to college basketball.
I view it as a cleansing agent - gives the kids who shouldn't really be in college a chance to work at basketball. Just like professional baseball.
I view it as a cleansing agent - gives the kids who shouldn't really be in college a chance to work at basketball. Just like professional baseball.
Yes! And Athletes In Action!
In the 80s it was a big deal if your school played the Russian National Team. Those games would even get televised.
If there’s sufficient demand, it would seem natural for them to join the G-League.