What is the G League Pathway Program?
The NBA is setting the standard for sports development, professional basketball opportunities, and alternatives for eligible college athletes that leave college for the greener pastures in the professional league.
In 2018 the NBA announced the Professional Path for Elite Basketball Prospects. This guarantees $125,000 in 2018 and upwards of $500,000 (2020) for elite players that choose the G League Pathway Program over NCAA college basketball or playing overseas in leagues like the Australian NBL, Spain ACB, and Italy’s Serie A.
In October of 2018, the G League, under leadership from Adam Silver and the NBA, made a huge announcement that awarded a select contract as part of an in-depth, developmental professional path.
It will be offered starting with the 2019-20 season to elite basketball prospects who are eligible to play basketball in the NBA G League yet are ineligible for the NBA.
High school players are required under current rules to complete one year of NCAA college basketball before entering the NBA.
Quick Facts about G League Pathway Select Contracts
- Contract garantees is est. $300,000 – $500,0000
- Includes basketball skills, academic training, and life skills training
- All athletes 18 years of age or older on Septemeber 15 before their first G League season of play are eligible.
- An NBA workgroup committee of evaluators will decide who can receive the Select Player Contract
- Players 18 years of age are eligible but must be classified as elite and a potential NBA developmental prospect
Most Recent Players To Choose NBA G League Pathway Program (2020)
- Jalen Green – High sChool – Prolific Prep – April 14, 2020
- Daishen Nix – DeCommitted from UCLA on April 28, 2020
How Much are Pathway Contracts
The new Pathway Program Contracts include in-depth, high level, well rounded, tested programs and opportunities for development for players that are 18 years old and will play est. $500,000 for a five-month season.
“Select Contracts are the response to the American basketball communities call for wide-ranging development opportunities for high-level basketball athletes before that are eligible for National Basketball Association Competition,” stated the 2018 G League NBA President Malcolm Turner.
G League Has High Qualified Leadership
Since then, the NBA G League has continued to evolve over the last two years under the leadership of current G League President Shareef Abdur-Rahim. Shareef was an incredible player with an impeccable background. Shareef graduated from Cal Berkeley, making the NBA all-rookie Team, NBA All-star, and earning an Olympic gold medal in 2000.
The supporting framework and environment for these opportunity based Select Contracts are focused on offering the highest quality of coaching, training, basketball, and life skills developmental tools for top young up and coming basketball players to develop the characteristics, intangibles and tools to thrive not only in the professional basketball ranks but all areas of life.
Pathway Program Structure
NBA G League Select Contracts are developed for 12-month professional training that includes several chances for basketball skills development, life tools training, guidance, and academic scholarship.
The pathway program features include basketball training workouts during the hot months of summer.
It also includes the National Basketball Association summer league, basketball academies held by the NBA, and in-depth academic educational learning programs designed to increase players’ ability to successfully manage their personal and professional lives during and after basketball.
The goal is to provide basketball players the opportunity to develop skills to succeed in basketball and life.
The NBA will do this by providing in house training and also partnering with organizations that promote the sport of basketball and focus on developing athletes.
A Dedicated Workgroup Will Decide Who Is Eligible For Select Contract
Though this season was cut short, during the previous year leading up to 2019-20 season, the National Basketball Association G League hired a dedicated program manager that will establish a talent evaluation basketball workgroup that will own the responsibly of prospecting, evaluating, and identifying eligible elite players who can be offered Select Contracts. This evaluation workgroup will also decide and activated the implementation of the G League professional basketball program methodology.
Basketball players will be free, transparent, and eligible to receive and sign Pathway Select Program Contracts if they become 18 years of age by September 15, before the season that they would play in. NOTE: There is not a maximum age for a player to be eligible for a select contract. So yes, players in college that choose to level early are eligible as long as they have not gone through the NBA draft. Let me say that again, as long as they have not gone through the NBA draft.
NBA G League Start Time
The National Basketball Association’s G League starts on or about November 2. The NBA G League is a 50 game regular season; they end in March. The layoffs take place in April.
Who Plays on G League Rosters
The NBA G League Rosters are comprised of NBA players that have signed two-way contracts, players on an assignment such as injury recovery, players signed to G League contracts, and now Select Players.
Possible Reasons for G Pathway Program Initiative
Players such as James Wiseman of Memphis was a player that most likely could have been a lottery in last year’s draft was required to attend college at least one year before being eligible to be drafted in what ended up being a washed season.
The NBA and NCAA have always worked in conjunction or at the very least tried to keep an amicable relationship as the NCAA would promote its college players, thus creating more visibility for the League and the teams that drafted them. The NCAA could build a player brand that would help the NBA when the player was drafted.
With more and more actions that seemed unjust by the NCAA, the increased social media pressure regarding the unfairness of the NCAA, and pressure from NBA stars like LeBron James and others, the League was forced to do something to give young players an option.
Benefits of the G League Pathway Programs
If you are a G League Select Pathway player, you will have the benefit of playing and participating in the annual in-season scouting event when all the league teams meet in Lass Vegas to showcase their basketball talent.
Evaluators, scouts, NBA general managers and player personal executives from all national basketball teams are there typically in December, a week before Christmas.
This is a superb opportunity for Select Contract players to showcase themselves against the best talent in the world and implant a lasting positive memory in scouts minds before the upcoming NBA draft in the middle of the next year.
Pathway Program vs. Amateurism
The Pathway Program is just nor about give players a chance to make money but additionally about provide them with another development path option.
The NCAA, as much as we all enjoy March Madness, has forced the hand of athletes, parents, and even the NBA.
While amateurism is essential as it does provide a safe environment for young people to develop and mature before being introduced to the world of high profile business, the NCAA has seemed to use draconian punishment when possibly kinder discretion may have been used. And thus chose to turn a blind eye when colleges or coaches have had significant indiscretions.
The NCAA has a long history of wielding power, but now it has run its course, and the NBA was forced to step up. Suspended players like James Wesimans and a plethora of other harsh rulings do not help the NCAA nor the NFL or, in this case, the NBA.
The G League Pathway Program was not a move to compete with the NCAA, nor was it a slap in the face; it was merely an action to fill a need. Everyone should celebrate this move. $300,000 is a decent income, especially when you add in the training, life skills, and development programs.
The key is players taking advantage of this opportunity. High School basketball players now have options; it is now up to the parents and athletes to seize the opportunity.
What is a Select Contract?
A Select Contract is a new G League Contract formed in 2018 for elite basketball athletes. They would like to develop their skills as professional basketball athletes before they are eligible to enter the NBA draft.
How much are Select Contracts worth?
Players signed to Select Contracts will earn$125,000 fr the five-month National Basketball Association G League Season.
What was the first season of the Select Contract?
Select Contracts became available for eligible players during the 2019-20 NBA G League Season.
Who is eligible to sign a Select Contract?
Players that are 18 years of age by September 15 of the current year he or she will play in the NBA G League.
Is there an age limit for Select Contracts?
No, the only restriction is an eligible player cannot have gone through the NBA draft process.
How many Select Contracts can be offered during a season?
There is no cap, but the Select Contract Pathway Program is determined by an NBA workgroup of evaluators that identify players for the program.
What off the court opportunities are available to players signed to Select Contracts?
The NBA G League will provide diverse basketball development opportunities, dedication training, and life skills programs for all athletes that are part fo the program. These offerings will come directly from NBA and high-quality third-party organizations that focus on the specific needs of players.