[VB Card]

I have questions for those who follow college hoops recruiting closely.

How are the G League's inroads into the top echelon of basketball prospect talent changing the landscape of college basketball recruiting, college basketball in general, and Stanford in specific?

My perception as a casual observer is the best players are increasingly opting for professional development as opposed to amateur in college. If this is the case, it seems more players who choose college will be doing so because they want the education/college experience. This doesn't mean the "blue bloods" won't land good players, it just means they won't be landing the players - at least not as many of them - who are far superior than the majority population of college players.  This will create more parity in the sport.

Is this a reasonable picture of reality, or is it more like a relative few will opt for pros instead of college, but not enough to make any real material difference for college basketball, and Stanford specifically?

 

The G League has not had as big an impact on college hoops as previously thought. In the 2020 class, only 4 recruits opted for the G League. Jalen Green, who was the projected #1 pick heading into this past year, has fallen to #4 in the mock drafts, not because he hasn't impressed (he played very well), but because those who went to college like Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, etc. received much more exposure and hype. Green has since said that he wished he went to college just so he could've received the same hype and still probably be projected #1 overall. In the 2021 class, only 3 players have elected for the G League. It's really just a small blip for NCAA basketball and I don't think it will become an issue.

[VB Card]

I have questions for those who follow college hoops recruiting closely.

How are the G League's inroads into the top echelon of basketball prospect talent changing the landscape of college basketball recruiting, college basketball in general, and Stanford in specific?

My perception as a casual observer is the best players are increasingly opting for professional development as opposed to amateur in college. If this is the case, it seems more players who choose college will be doing so because they want the education/college experience. This doesn't mean the "blue bloods" won't land good players, it just means they won't be landing the players - at least not as many of them - who are far superior than the majority population of college players.  This will create more parity in the sport.

Is this a reasonable picture of reality, or is it more like a relative few will opt for pros instead of college, but not enough to make any real material difference for college basketball, and Stanford specifically?

 

The G League has not had as big an impact on college hoops as previously thought. In the 2020 class, only 4 recruits opted for the G League. Jalen Green, who was the projected #1 pick heading into this past year, has fallen to #4 in the mock drafts, not because he hasn't impressed (he played very well), but because those who went to college like Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, etc. received much more exposure and hype. Green has since said that he wished he went to college just so he could've received the same hype and still probably be projected #1 overall. In the 2021 class, only 3 players have elected for the G League. It's really just a small blip for NCAA basketball and I don't think it will become an issue.

[OutsiderFan]

I have questions for those who follow college hoops recruiting closely.

How are the G League's inroads into the top echelon of basketball prospect talent changing the landscape of college basketball recruiting, college basketball in general, and Stanford in specific?

My perception as a casual observer is the best players are increasingly opting for professional development as opposed to amateur in college. If this is the case, it seems more players who choose college will be doing so because they want the education/college experience. This doesn't mean the "blue bloods" won't land good players, it just means they won't be landing the players - at least not as many of them - who are far superior than the majority population of college players.  This will create more parity in the sport.

Is this a reasonable picture of reality, or is it more like a relative few will opt for pros instead of college, but not enough to make any real material difference for college basketball, and Stanford specifically?

 

The G League has not had as big an impact on college hoops as previously thought. In the 2020 class, only 4 recruits opted for the G League. Jalen Green, who was the projected #1 pick heading into this past year, has fallen to #4 in the mock drafts, not because he hasn't impressed (he played very well), but because those who went to college like Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, etc. received much more exposure and hype. Green has since said that he wished he went to college just so he could've received the same hype and still probably be projected #1 overall. In the 2021 class, only 3 players have elected for the G League. It's really just a small blip for NCAA basketball and I don't think it will become an issue.

"Hype" shouldn't have any influence on where a player is drafted. The projected potential of a prospect should determine draft position. Though I suppose if your team is more interested in marketing than winning, picking the player being fawned in college is probably going to sell more tickets than the guy few have heard of who might have the higher upside.

[OutsiderFan]

I have questions for those who follow college hoops recruiting closely.

How are the G League's inroads into the top echelon of basketball prospect talent changing the landscape of college basketball recruiting, college basketball in general, and Stanford in specific?

My perception as a casual observer is the best players are increasingly opting for professional development as opposed to amateur in college. If this is the case, it seems more players who choose college will be doing so because they want the education/college experience. This doesn't mean the "blue bloods" won't land good players, it just means they won't be landing the players - at least not as many of them - who are far superior than the majority population of college players.  This will create more parity in the sport.

Is this a reasonable picture of reality, or is it more like a relative few will opt for pros instead of college, but not enough to make any real material difference for college basketball, and Stanford specifically?

 

The G League has not had as big an impact on college hoops as previously thought. In the 2020 class, only 4 recruits opted for the G League. Jalen Green, who was the projected #1 pick heading into this past year, has fallen to #4 in the mock drafts, not because he hasn't impressed (he played very well), but because those who went to college like Evan Mobley, Jalen Suggs, etc. received much more exposure and hype. Green has since said that he wished he went to college just so he could've received the same hype and still probably be projected #1 overall. In the 2021 class, only 3 players have elected for the G League. It's really just a small blip for NCAA basketball and I don't think it will become an issue.

"Hype" shouldn't have any influence on where a player is drafted. The projected potential of a prospect should determine draft position. Though I suppose if your team is more interested in marketing than winning, picking the player being fawned in college is probably going to sell more tickets than the guy few have heard of who might have the higher upside.

[Goose]

"Hype" shouldn't have any influence on where a player is drafted. The projected potential of a prospect should determine draft position. Though I suppose if your team is more interested in marketing than winning, picking the player being fawned in college is probably going to sell more tickets than the guy few have heard of who might have the higher upside.

Very true, but since the evaluation of talent is a matter of opinion and certainly not an exact science most franchises can't help but pay attention to what "everybody else" thinks, or appears to think. The may be some franchises that do their own evaluations and are totally immune to the flavor du jour but I think very few. The hype unfortunately does matter.

[Goose]

"Hype" shouldn't have any influence on where a player is drafted. The projected potential of a prospect should determine draft position. Though I suppose if your team is more interested in marketing than winning, picking the player being fawned in college is probably going to sell more tickets than the guy few have heard of who might have the higher upside.

Very true, but since the evaluation of talent is a matter of opinion and certainly not an exact science most franchises can't help but pay attention to what "everybody else" thinks, or appears to think. The may be some franchises that do their own evaluations and are totally immune to the flavor du jour but I think very few. The hype unfortunately does matter.

[DC 86]

The G League has not had as big an impact on college hoops as previously thought. In the 2020 class, only 4 recruits opted for the G League. Jalen Green, who was the projected #1 pick heading into this past year ...

What is your source for this? Cade Cunningham was the consensus projected #1 pick going into this season and remains so. To confirm my recollection I googled "NBA 2021 mock draft" with a date range from April-October 2020, and the first eight links that came up (ESPN, CBS, USA Today, DraftValue, Bleacher Report, HoopsHype, Sports Illustrated, 247 Sports) all had Cunningham #1 and most had some combination of Green, Mobley, Suggs and Kuminga following, which is more or less how things seem to stand now. It's almost a certainty that Cunningham goes first and who follows is likely still up in the air pending individual workouts, interviews and the actual draft order.

The counter argument to college exposure is that choosing the wrong college destination (see B.J. Boston at Kentucly and dare I say our own Ziaire Williams) can have a negative effect on draft position, whereas the structure of the G-League select team (Ignite) protects its stars from negative exposure or being relegated to a bench role. College offers the possibility of a dark horse dramatically rising up on draft boards (hmm, Tyrell Terry), but Ignite protects stars from sliding down draft boards, so each has its merits vis a vis the draft depending on the individual case.

[DC 86]

The G League has not had as big an impact on college hoops as previously thought. In the 2020 class, only 4 recruits opted for the G League. Jalen Green, who was the projected #1 pick heading into this past year ...

What is your source for this? Cade Cunningham was the consensus projected #1 pick going into this season and remains so. To confirm my recollection I googled "NBA 2021 mock draft" with a date range from April-October 2020, and the first eight links that came up (ESPN, CBS, USA Today, DraftValue, Bleacher Report, HoopsHype, Sports Illustrated, 247 Sports) all had Cunningham #1 and most had some combination of Green, Mobley, Suggs and Kuminga following, which is more or less how things seem to stand now. It's almost a certainty that Cunningham goes first and who follows is likely still up in the air pending individual workouts, interviews and the actual draft order.

The counter argument to college exposure is that choosing the wrong college destination (see B.J. Boston at Kentucly and dare I say our own Ziaire Williams) can have a negative effect on draft position, whereas the structure of the G-League select team (Ignite) protects its stars from negative exposure or being relegated to a bench role. College offers the possibility of a dark horse dramatically rising up on draft boards (hmm, Tyrell Terry), but Ignite protects stars from sliding down draft boards, so each has its merits vis a vis the draft depending on the individual case.

[Hurlburt88]

Any news on Bryce WIlls?   I thought transfer portal option expired on June 1 . . .

[Hurlburt88]

Any news on Bryce WIlls?   I thought transfer portal option expired on June 1 . . .

[SamuelMcF]

Any news on Bryce WIlls?   I thought transfer portal option expired on June 1 . . .

July 1.

I hope that announcement (if it comes) does not appear in the "MBB Recruiting Thread" and becomes its own. It is not recruiting.

[SamuelMcF]

Any news on Bryce WIlls?   I thought transfer portal option expired on June 1 . . .

July 1.

I hope that announcement (if it comes) does not appear in the "MBB Recruiting Thread" and becomes its own. It is not recruiting.