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Texas Tech basketball: New G-League program won’t hurt Red Raiders

By Matthew Conner

FORT WAYNE, IN - OCTOBER 22: General view of the NBA Development League logo on the floor during a preseason game between the Indiana Pacers and the Charlotte Hornets at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on October 22, 2015 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Pacers defeated the Hornets 98-86. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images)
FORT WAYNE, IN - OCTOBER 22: General view of the NBA Development League logo on the floor during a preseason game between the Indiana Pacers and the Charlotte Hornets at Allen County War Memorial Coliseum on October 22, 2015 in Fort Wayne, Indiana. The Pacers defeated the Hornets 98-86. NOTE TO USER: User expressly acknowledges and agrees that, by downloading and or using the photograph, User is consenting to the terms and conditions of the Getty Images License Agreement. (Photo by Joe Robbins/Getty Images) /
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The Texas Tech Red Raiders’ 2019 Final Four banner hangs between the Texas flag and the American flag (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images)
The Texas Tech Red Raiders’ 2019 Final Four banner hangs between the Texas flag and the American flag (Photo by John E. Moore III/Getty Images) /

Though top high school players now have more reasons to head to the G League rather than college, this change shouldn’t hurt the Texas Tech basketball program.

A new rule change in the world of professional basketball has the potential to alter the landscape of college hoops.  And now that Texas Tech basketball is a national player, Red Raider fans are going to be keenly aware of how this rule will impact what Chris Beard is building in Lubbock.

The NBA’s G League, which is essentially their minor league system, is now pioneering a year-long development program that allows high school players to spend a year in the G League instead of going to college.  This is not the first year that players had had this option but a change to the program has made it far more enticing for high school players to go this route.

In addition to a jump in the one-year salary from $125,000 to $500,000, players now will not play in regular-season G League games but will instead participate in exhibitions against G League and even international teams around the world.   The advantage for high school players now, outside of the massive increase in pay, is that they can work out with G League talent and learn from G League coaches, many of whom are destined to be future NBA head coaches.  Also, they will play in 10-12 games but will not have their flaws exposed against veteran players on a nightly basis thus preventing draft stock from tumbling.

"“We have kids leaving the United States — Texas and California and Georgia — to go around the world to play, and our NBA community has to travel there to scout them. That’s counter-intuitive,” G League president Shareef Abdur-Rahim told MSN.com. “The NBA is the best development system in the world, and those players shouldn’t have to go somewhere else to develop for a year. They should be in our development system.”"

We are already seeing this revamped initiative make serious waves in the world of high school recruiting.  This week, Jalen Green, the No. 3 player in the class of 2020, announced his intention to go the G League route rather than spend the upcoming season in the NCAA.  The same is true of Isaiah Todd, the No. 13 player in the 2021 class who was previously committed to Michigan.

Certainly, this is a new dynamic in the ever-evolving world of college basketball recruiting and with Tech spending more and more time playing at the top of the recruiting food chain, Red Raider fans are going to be increasingly aware of how top targets react to this new option.  However, there’s no reason to fear this perceived challenge from the G League.  In fact, in a number of ways, it could work in Tech’s favor.

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