Lavar Ball does it again-- BBB to create it's own basketball league

I don't think it's a bad idea, really. Leave NCAA for kids who want a degree and want to develop as players (players like Frank Kaminsky). Let the one and dones play for the junior NBA or whatever they call it.

I don't think it's a bad idea in theory, but I doubt this particular effort will succeed. For the top talent in football and basketball college is nothing but a minor league sport and they wouldn't be in college otherwise. A true minor league would allow them to do the things that the NCAA won't. Namely make money from their sport, sell autographs, avoid trifling with academic requirements, etc.

This is a stupid idea, no surprise coming from a stupid man.

This just gives false hope to people who aren't smart enough to know better. What percentage of these kids will actually make it to the NBA?

They will make some small cash, spend it on tattoos and earrings and more bling, then end up with nothing when they fail and don't get drafted.

Fixed it for you

lavar is a douche wrote:

They will make some small cash, spend it on tattoos and earrings and more bling, then end up with a couple pregnant girlfriends, then they fail and don't get drafted.

Jose el Plomero wrote:

I don't think it's a bad idea, really. Leave NCAA for kids who want a degree and want to develop as players (players like Frank Kaminsky). Let the one and dones play for the junior NBA or whatever they call it.

I'm with you. Baseball is the one high profile NCAA sport that isn't constantly plagued with recruits getting under the table payoffs to attend a school, altered transcripts and grades to attain and maintain eligibility, etc. and it's also the only one of our three "major" sports that has its own developmental system that doesn't "force" high school players with no real academic interests to go to college and pretend to be students for a while. I don't know that the league will succeed financially though.

Should do it for football too. I don't really care about the people that would play in such a league (at least, anymore than I would care about any other businessman/woman). I'd love to see collegiate athletics get back to true student-athletes. Don't really care that it won't be the 'best' players. Won't happen though. Too much money in the NCAA racket.

lavar is a douche wrote:

This is a stupid idea, no surprise coming from a stupid man.

This just gives false hope to people who aren't smart enough to know better. What percentage of these kids will actually make it to the NBA?

They will make some small cash, spend it on tattoos and earrings and more bling, then end up with nothing when they fail and don't get drafted.

So what? D1 basketball already gives false hope to those who have none. People have the prerogative of making bad decisions with their money.

hope it works out wrote:

lavar is a douche wrote:

This is a stupid idea, no surprise coming from a stupid man.

This just gives false hope to people who aren't smart enough to know better. What percentage of these kids will actually make it to the NBA?

They will make some small cash, spend it on tattoos and earrings and more bling, then end up with nothing when they fail and don't get drafted.

So what? D1 basketball already gives false hope to those who have none. People have the prerogative of making bad decisions with their money.

Well, at least when these guys are enrolled in a D1 program they can finish school and come out better off then when they went in. I wouldn't call D1 false hopes, I would call it an opportunity.

lavar is a douche wrote:

hope it works out wrote:

So what? D1 basketball already gives false hope to those who have none. People have the prerogative of making bad decisions with their money.

Well, at least when these guys are enrolled in a D1 program they can finish school and come out better off then when they went in. I wouldn't call D1 false hopes, I would call it an opportunity.

Not many of them get a real college education. Those who want it can still go the NCAA route and those who don't care about that would have another option.

elviejo wrote:

Should do it for football too. I don't really care about the people that would play in such a league (at least, anymore than I would care about any other businessman/woman). I'd love to see collegiate athletics get back to true student-athletes. Don't really care that it won't be the 'best' players. Won't happen though. Too much money in the NCAA racket.

Exhibit A: Clemson's new $55 million training complex -- for football players only. Most NFL teams cannot match this level of opulence.

Pete Carril wrote:

Jose el Plomero wrote:

I don't think it's a bad idea, really. Leave NCAA for kids who want a degree and want to develop as players (players like Frank Kaminsky). Let the one and dones play for the junior NBA or whatever they call it.

I'm with you. Baseball is the one high profile NCAA sport that isn't constantly plagued with recruits getting under the table payoffs to attend a school, altered transcripts and grades to attain and maintain eligibility, etc. and it's also the only one of our three "major" sports that has its own developmental system that doesn't "force" high school players with no real academic interests to go to college and pretend to be students for a while. I don't know that the league will succeed financially though.

I think this is only half true. The NFL doesn't "force players to go to college," the have a minimum age requirement. They can go play in CFL, European league, etc if they wanted to.

What sets baseball apart is that the minor league is run by the major league and each team is affiliated with the major league team. So you actually get drafted by that franchise, but then put into the minors to develop if you don't make it to their major league time right away. This would make a lot of sense with basketball, too, I'm not sure why they don't do it.

A minor leauge baseball game is a relaxing picnic at the park. The action on the diamond is just extra. Additionally, MLB teams need at least 25 and more like 30 players throughout the course of the season so they have to constantly search for talent.

NBA teams really only play 7-8 guys any length of time. The other 4 or 5 guys riding the bench are already the development team. Minor leauge basketball would be the worst of everything. Guys would jack 3s at will and cheat on defense to get the opportunity for a fast break dunk in hopes of getting exposure. The D-leauge is barely tolerable because players know the NBA affiliate is in charge. A random independent leauge would basically be And 1 ball with crappier t-shirts.

Starting a minor league basketball league.

I’m going to say his revenue projections / market demand for this product are “optimistic”.

This would make a lot of sense with basketball, too, I'm not sure why they don't do it.

I agree. Every year at the draft, after a player is chosen, a stat pops up with the players strengths and weaknesses. Inevitably he's long, athletic and a leader but needs to work on basic stuff, shooting , passing, etc. Why aren't the coaches teaching this stuff? Why aren't they preparing them for their next job? Isn't that what college is for?

I've wondered for a while why these leagues don't exist. So this isn't a novel idea. Someone has to be willing to back it before there's any success.

This would be much harder for football, because of the numbers. Especially since the NFL has the three years post HS graduation rule.

I wonder if this concept would work. Get all the kids that want to go one-n-done to join a league. Then, the league is basically a travelling show. Book a gym for a weekend, then play multiple games with the players on varying teams. If there are enough players, a couple games could be played on both days. A young kid should be able to play two games over a weekend.

You think the fundamental role of amateur athletics programs at the university level is to prepare the student athelete for professional leagues?

No, I do not think that is what it is, but it should be for the obvious one and dones. For the other players it should be to get them ready for their next job with an education.

This already exists, right?

The NBA G league. What am I missing?

John Utah wrote:

You think the fundamental role of amateur athletics programs at the university level is to prepare the student athelete for professional leagues?

If we are talking about NCAA FBS programs the answer is yes.

E. Bonix wrote:

Exhibit A: Clemson's new $55 million training complex -- for football players only. Most NFL teams cannot match this level of opulence.

http://www.hok.com/design/type/sports-recreation-entertainment/clemson-university-football-operations-complex/

$55 million for football players and coaches, and here I am making less than $20k a year teaching college freshmen. Anyone see anything wrong with that? The adjunct phenomenon is such a farce.

(I love sports, but is it any wonder that people in our country are so stupid with the lack of respect we show toward actual education?)