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Last week, the NBA’s G-League announced they were increasing salaries to a whopping $125k for high school recruits who want to skip college and play professionally.
The NBA plans to offer a "professional path" to the G-League with select $125K salaries to players as an alternative to the one-and-done college route, ESPN's @DraftExpress reports.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) October 18, 2018
Via ESPN
As part of a newly formed “professional path” starting in the summer of 2019, the G League will offer “Select Contracts” worth $125,000 to elite prospects who are at least 18 years old but not yet eligible for the NBA draft. It will target recent or would-be high school graduates who otherwise would have likely spent just one season playing college basketball, enticing them not only with a six-figure salary but also the opportunity to benefit from NBA infrastructure, as well as a bevy of off-court development programs “geared towards facilitating and accelerating their transition to the pro game,” Turner said.
Without the restrictions of the NCAA’s amateurism rules, players will also be free to hire agents, profit off their likeness and pursue marketing deals from sneaker companies and the like, which could be worth hundreds of thousands of dollars in endorsement opportunities to top prospects.
WNBA star Brittney Griner, who has been vocal about gender pay gap between the WNBA and NBA, wasn’t happy that high school recruits were being offered more money than the WNBA max salary and took to Instagram to criticize the NBA.
https://www.instagram.com/p/BpHnfUlFlLa/?hl=en&taken-by=brittneyyevettegriner
Must be fucking nice coming out of college getting that. We def didn’t see any money like that till we went overseas. AWAY FROM OUR FAMILIES AND LOVED ONES AND HAVE TO PLAY YEAR ROUND. I’m not saying that the dudes shouldn’t get it. So you crazy internet want to be thugs and you men that think women should just be quiet you can just sit y’all silly lil a## down! Something has to give before ppl just say the hell with playing durning the summer, and just rest our bodies and play overseas only were we can make a living for ourselves! People forget that we do this to provide for ourselves and our families. We do this YES because we love to play ball and for the Game! However, I can’t write on bill for the love of the game and think it’s going get paid lol!
Griner wasn’t the only WNBA star who has taken issue with the G-League’s new policy for high school recruits.
Hahahahahahahahhahahahahaha let me get one of these “select contracts” https://t.co/80zcLpdGOL
— A'ja Wilson (@_ajawilson22) October 18, 2018
But lowkey the real question here is: with this being more than the WNBA max salary, would women be allowed to hoop in the GLeague? because I think some of us could hang. Asking for a friend. 💯✊🏿 😂 https://t.co/tTLYEg7UzL
— Chiney Ogwumike (@chiney) October 18, 2018
so where do I sign up for the G league…..
— Jewell B Loyd (@jewellloyd) October 19, 2018
I'm coming out of retirement 😂😂 Sign me up 🤔🤔 Bout to hit the gym to get back in shape… https://t.co/ChiIoPUazz
— Tamika Catchings (@Catchin24) October 19, 2018
https://twitter.com/Lextoo_shifty/status/1053122991058497536