HS Basketball League?
- Thread starter Moose
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Spocky Ramone
Well-known member
If it can be monetized, it will. Everything is a business model.
"Play for pay" at the amateur level has been a dirty little secret for a very long time. Going back to the days of Sam Gilbert and maybe before then. So why not have it out in the open? Kids can have a choice to either play professionally(for money), or play as amateurs in exchange for an education, etc. On the surface, I don't think this is a bad idea.
beast of the east
Active member
If we start paying HS prospects to play, how long before players even forego getting their HS diploma? What then will happen to the kids who don't make it. As it is, many guys who don't make a lot of money playing basketball professionally, and even some who do, struggle financially after their basketball earning days are over.
This concept league will gain traction if a network signs on to televise their games. That would be a game changer, and if that happens, the NCAA will likely move towards compensating players.
In terms of HS and college players being paid to play, back in the 80s it was common for local drug dealers to organize teams of area stars to play against other drug dealer's teams. Greg Vaughn was one of Queens College's all-time best players and became a school teacher after graduation was asked to ref one such game and was beaten to death over what was thought to be a bad call. It was commonplace for dealers to bet thousands of dollars on their teams in such games.
Referee Killed For Disputed Call At Game Reportedly Sponsored By Crack Gang (apnews.com)
This concept league will gain traction if a network signs on to televise their games. That would be a game changer, and if that happens, the NCAA will likely move towards compensating players.
In terms of HS and college players being paid to play, back in the 80s it was common for local drug dealers to organize teams of area stars to play against other drug dealer's teams. Greg Vaughn was one of Queens College's all-time best players and became a school teacher after graduation was asked to ref one such game and was beaten to death over what was thought to be a bad call. It was commonplace for dealers to bet thousands of dollars on their teams in such games.
Referee Killed For Disputed Call At Game Reportedly Sponsored By Crack Gang (apnews.com)
beast of the east
Active member
Wow. I didn't know that. When I worked on the upper east side in spanish harlem, some of the guys I worked with who lived in Harlem would tell me of teams of college stars including Pearl Washington and other recognizable names.SJU85" post=416255 said:
This is wrong in so many different levels. They are talking about taking at least 80 kids out of high school and pay them to play basketball. Maybe 5-10 make the NBA, what happens to the rest? This is just exploiting primarily minority youth to make money.
Once these young men sign a contract and accept money to play basketball, their college eligibility goes out the window. Now you have 70+ young men who lost out on the opportunity to get an education. They will end up back in their communities without any job or skills to get one.
Those involved in this ridiculous scheme should be arrested for child abuse.
Once these young men sign a contract and accept money to play basketball, their college eligibility goes out the window. Now you have 70+ young men who lost out on the opportunity to get an education. They will end up back in their communities without any job or skills to get one.
Those involved in this ridiculous scheme should be arrested for child abuse.
Doesn't help that pro players have been involved to get this company to this level of capitalization
from article" Overtime has made waves in recent years by fundraising over $30-million from athletes and investors including Victor Oladipo, Carmelo Anthony, Baron Davis, Kevin Durant among others.
I'm sure they mean well, and may not have known this was a future step in their plan, but to Panthers point, while it may help a select few, it will hurt more.
from article" Overtime has made waves in recent years by fundraising over $30-million from athletes and investors including Victor Oladipo, Carmelo Anthony, Baron Davis, Kevin Durant among others.
I'm sure they mean well, and may not have known this was a future step in their plan, but to Panthers point, while it may help a select few, it will hurt more.
beast of the east
Active member
I'll tell you one thing St. John's has done is that kids who played here and used their eligibility have always been allowed to come back and finish their degree for free.
WillyDilly
Member
panther2" post=416280 said:
beast of the east
Active member
Here's a thought: I doubt this league would fly. The NCAA requires a 930 APR score which is the equivalent of a 50% graduation rate according to Dr. Richard Lapchick. Lapchick believes that the NCAA should raise the bar to a minimum of a 60% graduation rate.
I agree totally with Panther that without a college degree (or I would add some sort of vocational training), a former athlete has a far less chance of succeeding in life. That being said, though, far too many college basketball players are not graduating college for a variety of reasons within and outside of their own control. While I would stop short of saying that college athletics are exploitive, 10 years post college days, many have little to show for the glory days of playing on television and before large paying crowds.
There is nothing to stop a talented actor, singer, or musician from bypassing college for a professional career. For every kid who acted in a movie or tv show there are 1000 that tried and failed maybe picking up a bit part or a commercial. While successful child actors were exploited at low wages in the 1950's and 60's, today top performing artists under the age of 18 can become pretty wealthy before they turn 21.
There are three basic rules that statistically have been proven to avoid poverty. Among them is attaining a high school degree, and another is attaining full time employment. A college degree is not mentioned, but I would agree with Panther that a college degree generally raises the trajectory of a kid's potential earnings going forward. Panther is to be applauded if by his encouragement, 80% of his aau kids got college degrees.
Side note: Last night TJ Cleveland spoke a little bit about recruiting and mentioned that he doesn't only recruit talent, but also goes after the right kids to play in our program. TJ is a top recruiter, and it was reassuring to hear him infer that he doesn't recruit potential problems. Hopefully they are kids who will all work hard towards degrees. If the academic results reported by Mike Cragg are any indication, TJ and CMA have done a great job so far in that regard.
I guess, without a fully formed opinion, I would be okay with this league of paid HS players if by league rules, a large sum of their salary is invested in an account that they could tap up to age 35 towards their education. This way, whether they fail or succeed at basketball, they could go back to school free of charge.
Every single highly regarded college player is just one injury away from being a former athlete. There is a school of thought that would say given the option of playing basketball and getting compensated for it as opposed to playing basketball and getting only tuition, room and board can be a no brainer for kids who can make money playing right away.
I agree totally with Panther that without a college degree (or I would add some sort of vocational training), a former athlete has a far less chance of succeeding in life. That being said, though, far too many college basketball players are not graduating college for a variety of reasons within and outside of their own control. While I would stop short of saying that college athletics are exploitive, 10 years post college days, many have little to show for the glory days of playing on television and before large paying crowds.
There is nothing to stop a talented actor, singer, or musician from bypassing college for a professional career. For every kid who acted in a movie or tv show there are 1000 that tried and failed maybe picking up a bit part or a commercial. While successful child actors were exploited at low wages in the 1950's and 60's, today top performing artists under the age of 18 can become pretty wealthy before they turn 21.
There are three basic rules that statistically have been proven to avoid poverty. Among them is attaining a high school degree, and another is attaining full time employment. A college degree is not mentioned, but I would agree with Panther that a college degree generally raises the trajectory of a kid's potential earnings going forward. Panther is to be applauded if by his encouragement, 80% of his aau kids got college degrees.
Side note: Last night TJ Cleveland spoke a little bit about recruiting and mentioned that he doesn't only recruit talent, but also goes after the right kids to play in our program. TJ is a top recruiter, and it was reassuring to hear him infer that he doesn't recruit potential problems. Hopefully they are kids who will all work hard towards degrees. If the academic results reported by Mike Cragg are any indication, TJ and CMA have done a great job so far in that regard.
I guess, without a fully formed opinion, I would be okay with this league of paid HS players if by league rules, a large sum of their salary is invested in an account that they could tap up to age 35 towards their education. This way, whether they fail or succeed at basketball, they could go back to school free of charge.
Every single highly regarded college player is just one injury away from being a former athlete. There is a school of thought that would say given the option of playing basketball and getting compensated for it as opposed to playing basketball and getting only tuition, room and board can be a no brainer for kids who can make money playing right away.