Darius Bazley - Players Tribune

[DaCuse]

Yeah the "free college tuition" argument is a silly one in this case. He gets to put money in the bank ASAP with G-League (or spend it, his choosing). His free year at Syracuse won't mean anything financially if he never decides to finish school.

He also loses a year of his youth. Being the stud on campus has to be a lot better than traveling with the G-League.

$35,000 for that kind of experience? Nah...

 

[Newhouser]

$35K with five months of housing isn't nearly as good as free college tuition, free year-round free housing, free meals and unlimited access to top-flight training facilities.

On purely the financial merits this is a terrible decision.

Wait Nappier was starving at UCONN. Couldn't afford a sandwich

 

[reedny]

He also loses a year of his youth. Being the stud on campus has to be a lot better than traveling with the G-League.

$35,000 for that kind of experience? Nah...

And he's not guaranteed minutes either. If he's 18 by October he can play. But he's very thin ... not going to push G-L dudes around that are 24-25 and full of muscle with college and/or European pro-league experience. Even if he survives, the D-L draft stats are not glistening ... a total of about 30 guys get a call-up every year from all 26 teams. That gives them about a 1-10 chance. Going from college ... not only is it a far nicer experience, but about 140 players declare and +/- 20 are drafted (1-7 odds). And that's without considering playing for a well-respected college coach in a high-profile program that makes a deep tourney run. Even losing 5 or 6 spots could cost you a million or more per year. So something else is afoot here.

 

[SUFaninNJ]

Wait Nappier was starving at UCONN. Couldn't afford a sandwich

What about the jalapeño Mac and cheese? I hear it’s worth going to jail over.

 

[Scooch]

If he's going for a year ... how is free college tuition better than 35K?

I’d venture a guess that the contacts he’d have made at SU would end up being pretty valuable when his pro basketball career inevitably turns to dust.

But whatever. It’s not important. He’s not going to the G league for $26K or $35K or whatever. That’s all noise.

 

[NineOneSeven]

He also loses a year of his youth. Being the stud on campus has to be a lot better than traveling with the G-League.

$35,000 for that kind of experience? Nah...

People have different priorities.

 

[GooseMutt]

Darius, I heard you read this board and I just want to remind you of a few things. You will be playing in front of thousands vs millions on TV for march madness. The g league move is unprecedented and don’t think you’re physically ready yet. Performance in ACC play and Ncaa tourney have been stages to launch careers and improve draft status ie Ennis/Malachi in recent years. Where within the g league is the opportunity to do this. Decisions and evaluations made by scouts only. You can argue that had Ennis and Malachi been in g league their stock appreciation would not have jumped so substantially. What venue/ circumstances in g league afford you that opportunity? You’re giving up dollars for pennies and your game and size both would have improved at Cuse. You need to get past all the bells and whistles and take in the big picture. You worked hard and now for whatever reason you have chosen to undermine yourself and our program. It isn’t to late to get back on course and all this stuff will be in the rear mirror and eventually forgotten. Don’t blow it now! Good luck kid.

 

[AZOrange]

Darius, I heard you read this board and I just want to remind you of a few things. You will be playing in front of thousands vs millions on TV for march madness. The g league move is unprecedented and don’t think you’re physically ready yet. Performance in ACC play and Ncaa tourney have been stages to launch careers and improve draft status ie Ennis/Malachi in recent years. Where within the g league is the opportunity to do this. Decisions and evaluations made by scouts only. You can argue that had Ennis and Malachi been in g league their stock appreciation would not have jumped so substantially. What venue/ circumstances in g league afford you that opportunity? You’re giving up dollars for pennies and your game and size both would have improved at Cuse. You need to get past all the bells and whistles and take in the big picture. You worked hard and now for whatever reason you have chosen to undermine yourself and our program. It isn’t to late to get back on course and all this stuff will be in the rear mirror and eventually forgotten. Don’t blow it now! Good luck kid.

Oh stop. The kid made a decision we don’t like. Time to move on

 

[two3zone]

Its nothing to get excited about. I make about that as a teacher assistant and I'm not exactly living the good life. First off I don't see him getting the max, and then it all depends on where he goes. If the Knicks take him and he goes to Westchester, good look getting by on that over there. If he goes to like Sioux Falls, yes its doable, he will probably be miserable though. Bottom line its not work crapping away the opportunity he had at Syracuse.

Everything I've read projects he goes first in the D League draft, except for what I read on here.

 

[HOFCeluck]

I’m on lunch break and I’m hungry for some H0T Takes!!

 

[NineOneSeven]

I’m on lunch break and I’m hungry for some H0T Takes!!

IMAGINE LIVING IN SIOUX FALLS AS A 19 YEAR OLD?!?!

I bet he would be the only 19 year old kid out of the 175,000+ people who live there.

 

[cuse10]

At age 18 and someones going to give me 35K in 5 months and I don't have to spend any of it on food or where I live?

Absolutely.

You have no idea of this kids financial background. What if his family struggles to make ends meat?

I'd take 35K for 5 months and wouldn't look back

Another year of just getting by isn't going to hurt to put yourself in prime position for a guaranteed multi-million dollar contract.

Too many families get involved in the process, including players here, and think short term instead of having foresight.

 

[UnknownOrange]

Another year of just getting by isn't going to hurt to put yourself in prime position for a guaranteed multi-million dollar contract.

Too many families get involved in the process, including players here, and think short term instead of having foresight.

Okay so if he came to Syracuse it's a guarantee he'd have a multi-million dollar contract? Got it.

We're fans of Syracuse - anytime someone burns us it hurts. I'm over it. Hope it works for the kid but I obviously have my doubts. I'm certainly not going to tell a 17/18 year old what is the 'best' choices for him & his family

 

[HOFCeluck]

Okay so if he came to Syracuse it's a guarantee he'd have a multi-million dollar contract? Got it.

We're fans of Syracuse - anytime someone burns us it hurts. I'm over it. Hope it works for the kid but I obviously have my doubts. I'm certainly not going to tell a 17/18 year old what is the 'best' choices for him & his family

Judging the life decisions of 18 year olds you've never met is the whole point of being on a message board.

 

[cuse10]

Okay so if he came to Syracuse it's a guarantee he'd have a multi-million dollar contract? Got it.

We're fans of Syracuse - anytime someone burns us it hurts. I'm over it. Hope it works for the kid but I obviously have my doubts. I'm certainly not going to tell a 17/18 year old what is the 'best' choices for him & his family

It's not just about Syracuse. I've been around grassroots basketball on an intimate level and you see this time and time again. Parents pushing kids to go pro after one year to chase a check.

 

[Briancuse]

Everything I've read projects he goes first in the D League draft, except for what I read on here.

There is a g league mock draft lol?

 

[kingtidge]

There is a g league mock draft lol?

Handicapped by Sol Rosenberg at Ceasar's palace vegas sports book.

 

[two3zone]

There is a g league mock draft lol?

No. But teams seem to want to grab him and develop him.

If you think of it, here's a kid who's most likely a mid to late round pick. What he does in the G League probably doesn't matter too much, whomever grabs him has pretty much a free year to develop him which saves millions.

 

[Briancuse]

No. But teams seem to want to grab him and develop him.

If you think of it, here's a kid who's most likely a mid to late round pick. What he does in the G League probably doesn't matter too much, whomever grabs him has pretty much a free year to develop him which saves millions.

Why he's only going to be there for a year?

 

[two3zone]

Why he's only going to be there for a year?

He won't be under NBA contract for a year. He could be in the G League for 3 years, who knows, but he'll have an NBA contract after his first year.

 

[Briancuse]

He won't be under NBA contract for a year. He could be in the G League for 3 years, who knows, but he'll have an NBA contract after his first year.

He's going to put his name in the NBA draft in a year. So lets say the Celtics g league team takes him why would they have an invested interest in developing him for another team?

 

[UnknownOrange]

He's going to put his name in the NBA draft in a year. So lets say the Celtics g league team takes him why would they have an invested interest in developing him for another team?

People really need to read up about how the G League works...

 

[two3zone]

He's going to put his name in the NBA draft in a year. So lets say the Celtics g league team takes him why would they have an invested interest in developing him for another team?

It's a perfect opportunity for an NBA team , I don't think you're getting it.

If the Celtics G League team grabs him it's because they can see themselves drafting him in the NBA the next year. They'll know everything about him, see his development, or see if he isn't worth it. That 35k is a damn good price to pay to have a heads up on a kid to draft or not. They don't draft him the next year they lose what they'd lose on a second round pick, who cares, but if they hit a home run then it's perfect. Low risk, high reward

 

[PauliePeppas]

It's a perfect opportunity for an NBA team , I don't think you're getting it.

If the Celtics G League team grabs him it's because they can see themselves drafting him in the NBA the next year. They'll know everything about him, see his development, or see if he isn't worth it. That 35k is a damn good price to pay to have a heads up on a kid to draft or not. They don't draft him the next year they lose what they'd lose on a second round pick, who cares, but if they hit a home run then it's perfect. Low risk, high reward

Bingo...its basically a test drive

 

[UnknownOrange]

It's a perfect opportunity for an NBA team , I don't think you're getting it.

If the Celtics G League team grabs him it's because they can see themselves drafting him in the NBA the next year. They'll know everything about him, see his development, or see if he isn't worth it. That 35k is a damn good price to pay to have a heads up on a kid to draft or not. They don't draft him the next year they lose what they'd lose on a second round pick, who cares, but if they hit a home run then it's perfect. Low risk, high reward

This is what I meant. The G League is a developmental league - it's not like AAA baseball yet.