News flash- the NBA wants to stir up trouble with high school players and their playing options for one reason: Emoni Bates
Maybe you don’t know Emoni Bates…yet.
Well, what about who Reggie Harding is? Do you know who Jalen Green is, or R.J. Hampton? What about LaMelo Ball (you better know who he is because your boy already wrote that fire post about him!)?
Don’t get it twisted; the only name you need to know, when it comes to the future of high school basketball players and their options beyond playing in the NCAA is Mr. Bates.
I’m about to make you hella smart in your basketball conversations.
Foreign Ball is NOT a Legit Threat to the NCAA.
If that were to be the case, friends, we would have seen it already.
Hell, if foreign teams wanted this then it would be happening already. Chinese teams could have offered Zion Williamson or R.J. Barrett millions to play for their squads. James Wiseman could have received a contract from a foreign squad.
Most of the players who have done this were guys who were afraid they would not keep their eligibility for the NCAA anyway- check the credentials on Brandon Jennings, Emmanuel Mudiay, or LaMelo Ball. Come on, people- I mean, R.J. Hampton is the exception, and his whole immediate family moved to Australia with him. You about to tell your mamma that we all have to move half way across the world so you can hoop?
The G-League is NOT a Legit Threat to the NCAA (I Almost Spit my Coffee Out even Typing this)
Jalen Green is, arguably, the most talented player in the class of 2020 men’s basketball players. He’s a combo guard that has all the scoring ability in the world. His potential is HIGH.
That being said, if you think his signing with the G-League will change the future for basketball prospects, the only thing higher than his potential is YOU!
I’ll wait here while you name all of the top-notch high school talent that has jumped to the G-League rather than play NCAA basketball NOT named Jalen Green.
*crickets*
If your argument is, rather, about the future potential of this option? I’m here to tell you there is no future potential for this option because…
When it Comes to High School Players Changing the Game, the Only Name you Need to Know is Emoni Bates
Reggie Harding was the first player to jump from prep to pro and enter the NBA Draft. The NBA would prefer you didn’t know that because, by all accounts, he was a deplorable human being. So, the league talks up Darryl Dawkins jump in the 70’s as the ground-breaking move.
The league cut off their nose to spite their face back in 2005 by implementing an age limit.
Then, they saw Zion Williamson! I mean, any ex-presidents going to watch any other college stars?
Well, friends. The next great one is Emoni Bates- and he has the league ready to flip everything on it’s head to get him in draft in 2022.
He is incredible! He is the highest rated high school player since a certain King of Akron.
And he wants to play in the NBA, like YESTERDAY!
The NBA regrets missing out on the revenue that Zion could have generated last year, with jersey sales and commercials. The league never, really, got to live that potential this season thanks to COVID 19. And Adam Silver saw the mortality of a huge, young, mega-star thanks to Williamson’s injury.
You think Adam Silver is letting this happen again?
Don’t be surprised when the NBA and the Player’s Association announce that they have amended the Collective Bargaining Agreement in time for the 2022 Draft. And, remember, it has nothing to do with foreign leagues or the G-League.
*Does his best Notorious B.I.G. “Going Back to Cali” impersonation*
It’s the E-M-O-N-I-B-A
T-E-S, yes, he’s-got-game!
Continue to check out the best basketball content on the web at Belly Up Sports NBA page. Follow me Twitter @ChakaCummings and check out my podcast “F” in Sports.
