Will Bazely Get Drafted?

[Arangeman]

In the G League draft? Steve Kyler, some NBA writer with G League knowledge was just on Axe. He said the following:

- Bazely may not get drafted in the G League draft as teams generally draft guys who will be around for a few years. They also may not want to devote resources to a guy that will likely be with another franchise in a year.

- G League execs he has spoken to are basically unsure of how they will handle this situation.

- If he is drafted and on a team, he will have to earn every minute of playing time. Again, they have no vested interest in developing him. And there will be multiple players ahead of him that they do want to develop. He won’t be given any favorable treatment.

- It’s going to be hard for him to earn playing time anyway due to the age, physicality, size and skill of the players he will compete with. They will have zero empathy or patience for his situation.

I know Bazely said he’s super mature cause he doesn’t party and really likes basketball. Perhaps the mature thing would have been for him or his handlers to do their due diligence. This may be one man’s opinion but it certainly seemed like an educated one. Bazely is brazenly venturing into the unknown. I wonder if he knows that.

 

[Orangezoo]

If he was so mature, some sort of statement acknowledging the relationship with Syracuse and thanking for the opportunity would have been issued by now. Unless I missed it- I have yet to see this sentiment from Darius.

 

[GooseMutt]

In the G League draft? Steve Kyler, some NBA writer with G League knowledge was just on Axe. He said the following:

- Bazely may not get drafted in the G League draft as teams generally draft guys who will be around for a few years. They also may not want to devote resources to a guy that will likely be with another franchise in a year.

- G League execs he has spoken to are basically unsure of how they will handle this situation.

- If he is drafted and on a team, he will have to earn every minute of playing time. Again, they have no vested interest in developing him. And there will be multiple players ahead of him that they do want to develop. He won’t be given any favorable treatment.

- It’s going to be hard for him to earn playing time anyway due to the age, physicality, size and skill of the players he will compete with. They will have zero empathy or patience for his situation.

I know Bazely said he’s super mature cause he doesn’t party and really likes basketball. Perhaps the mature thing would have been for him or his handlers to do their due diligence. This may be one man’s opinion but it certainly seemed like an educated one. Bazely is brazenly venturing into the unknown. I wonder if he knows that.

This! Recruits get recruited over all the time. The G league shuffle is probably more active and callous.

 

[longislandcuse]

I thought, as time passed, that this decision would make more sense.. but as each day passes and it seems more and more idiotic.

Let's say, since he's the first guy to do this, some agent gives him $250k. (I doubt that but let's roll
with it) That $250k plus his G-League salary of $35k = $285k.

He's taking that $$$ now, and betting on himself in unknown territory, rather than go to school for a year and essentially have millions guaranteed after that year.

You can talk all you want about players getting paid but this is just hilariously bad decision making from almost every objective long term view of the situation.

 

[kcsu]

He may not have had a choice

 

[dasher]

He may not have had a choice

That is just guess work and I don't believe it because of the way Syracuse touted his play at the Mickey Dees game. They would have been in a position to know if he was in trouble with grades or any other such thing.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

I thought, as time passed, that this decision would make more sense.. but as each day passes and it seems more and more idiotic.

Let's say, since he's the first guy to do this, some agent gives him $250k. (I doubt that but let's roll
with it) That $250k plus his G-League salary of $35k = $285k.

He's taking that $$$ now, and betting on himself in unknown territory, rather than go to school for a year and essentially have millions guaranteed after that year.

You can talk all you want about players getting paid but this is just hilariously bad decision making from almost every objective long term view of the situation.

Let’s face reality, going to SU wouldn’t guarantee he’d be a first round pick in a year making millions of dollars. It’s highly probable, as we’ve done it several times over the past 15 years. But nothing’s guaranteed.

The G-League is right now an unknown. In Bazley’s mind it will still get him to the same place in a year because he’s a confident, albeit immature (he’s 18, he’s immature), young adult. So he’d rather ditch the school and no cash thing in favor of a basketball only and cash thing. It remains to be seen if it gets him drafted in 2019. Many of the risks associated with his decision have come out in the past 24 hours, but nobody really knows how it will play out. The only one that can really control it now is Bazley himself. He chose that path, he needs to put in the work to get drafted. We will all be watching closely in 15 months to see how it all turns out.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

That is just guess work and I don't believe it because of the way Syracuse touted his play at the Mickey Dees game. They would have been in a position to know if he was in trouble with grades or any other such thing.

He’s a 3.0 student. Not Isaac Newton, but not a kid failing out either.

 

[CousCuse]

He could very well have been a lottery pick if he took the normal route. He was going to be starting and be a featured player on offense. Whoever got in this guys head and put him in this spot should be ashamed of themselves. Hope for the best for the young guy but his path is full of pitfalls.

 

[Cusefan95]

If he went to college, the coach would have a vested interest in helping him develop. No matter what, the team/coach he plays with in the G league has no vested interest in helping him develop. That’s easily the biggest risk in this situation.

 

[007]

You can talk all you want about players getting paid but this is just hilariously bad decision making from almost every objective long term view of the situation.

Every "objective" long term view?

Let's see...he can start learning pro-style offense and defensive rotations playing with and against players who are all good enough to be competing to make an NBA roster. And he can do so with NBA level resources and without any NCAA restrictions on practice time, benefits, endorsements or income.

 

[longislandcuse]

Every "objective" long term view?

Let's see...he can start learning pro-style offense and defensive rotations playing with and against players who are all good enough to be competing to make an NBA roster. And he can do so with NBA level resources and without any NCAA restrictions on practice time, benefits, endorsements or income.

He needs to get drafted the following year over everything you mentioned, and the G-League, along with his future teammates and coaches don't really care who he is.

 

[LarryC44]

Interesting article on this situation. Note the G-League coach's viewpoint
How the NBA can make sure Darius Bazley succeeds

 

[Moontan]

So he’d rather ditch the school and no cash thing in favor of a basketball only and cash thing.

College athletics is not cashless. Players receive stipends, and depending on his family situation there is also possible federal assistance. In the current athletics world, there is no way that a player would be without money unless he/she just blows through it.

 

[Arangeman]

Interesting article on this situation. Note the G-League coach's viewpoint
How the NBA can make sure Darius Bazley succeeds

Wilbon just eviscerated Bazely’s decision. Main points were that the teams have no reason to develop him and that the G League is nothing like Europe. It’s a grind like Coach Roth said in that article. Whatever you may think of Wilbon he is well connected in NBA circles.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

College athletics is not cashless. Players receive stipends, and depending on his family situation there is also possible federal assistance. In the current athletics world, there is no way that a player would be without money unless he/she just blows through it.

I think you’re missing the point. He’s restricted as a college athlete. As a pro he’s free to take cash from any source he wants: agents, shoe companies, endorsements, appearance fees, etc. Can’t do any of that in college. Kid obviously didn’t want to be a poor college kid under the thumb of the NCAA.

 

[007]

He needs to get drafted the following year over everything you mentioned, and the G-League, along with his future teammates and coaches don't really care who he is.

Of course they care. It's in the NBA's best interest that consensus top 10 types like Bazley are successful. Bazley's success, or lack thereof, could profoundly influence how many other top kids jump straight to the G League in the years ahead.

 

[Arangeman]

I think you’re missing the point. He’s restricted as a college athlete. As a pro he’s free to take cash from any source he wants: agents, shoe companies, endorsements, appearance fees, etc. Can’t do any of that in college. Kid obviously didn’t want to be a poor college kid under the thumb of the NCAA.

That’s short $

 

[Funk Doc]

Of course they care. It's in the NBA's best interest that consensus top 10 types like Bazley are successful. Bazley's success, or lack thereof, could profoundly influence how many other top kids jump straight to the G League in the years ahead.

I agree...I think the NBA wants the G league to be relevant, and right now it’s really no more then a pool of injury roster fill-ins. I think they want it viewed as more of a developmental league than it actually is.

When it comes to DB in particular, if he doesn’t do well there will be a large sample size of him against players who are closer to NBA level talent than he would face in college. Teams are going to know exactly what they’re getting when/if they draft him. Could be a homerun move, or it could really sink him.

 

[SUfanNC]

If he went to college, the coach would have a vested interest in helping him develop. No matter what, the team/coach he plays with in the G league has no vested interest in helping him develop. That’s easily the biggest risk in this situation.

I feel like this is important as well. Kids of his caliber get to choose who to play for. When you are drafted you get no choice. The coach may not be good at developing talent at all.

 

[50YRsofCuse]

Do we believe/feel that Darius Bazely is getting paid already? If so, does it even matter if he is done playing high school ball and will not be playing college ball? If he is getting paid by an agent, was he approached prior to the end of the high school year and given any money or other considerations? If so, will we see more of this kind of agent-recruit interaction (if they are/were any) in the future with other recruits?

 

[GooseMutt]

Every "objective" long term view?

Let's see...he can start learning pro-style offense and defensive rotations playing with and against players who are all good enough to be competing to make an NBA roster. And he can do so with NBA level resources and without any NCAA restrictions on practice time, benefits, endorsements or income.

Gonna look like a hangman stick man out there. Imagine the jump from high school at this weight playing against all man boys

 

[GooseMutt]

Additionally, he will have no alliances out there. Teammates won’t csre because it’s Everyman for himself literally climbing over one another to get to the promise land. Coaches gonna favor best prospects and you better be one out the gate

This is just sooooo risky

 

[manleyzoo]

He may not have had a choice

If he was in grades trouble he had other choices...Europe comes to mind.

 

[OrlandoCuse]

Do we believe/feel that Darius Bazely is getting paid already? If so, does it even matter if he is done playing high school ball and will not be playing college ball? If he is getting paid by an agent, was he approached prior to the end of the high school year and given any money or other considerations? If so, will we see more of this kind of agent-recruit interaction (if they are/were any) in the future with other recruits?

Adidas FBI fallout must have freed up a whole bunch of extra cash.

I have no doubt Baz was given money to make this decision. He didn’t do it for the $26k salary. There’s countless agents and frontmen in these kids ears. One of them got a hold of Baz and made the G League decision worth his while.