OT: Big Baller Brand to sponsor Junior Professional Basketball League
December 20th, 2017 at 7:24 PM ^
I think it’s a genius idea. Don’t think it will take off right away but it has some serious potential for those who don’t want to play school
December 20th, 2017 at 7:30 PM ^
only technically playing school, while earning the school millions.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:38 PM ^
How is this different than the G League? And who cares about that? You think Nike, Adidas or Under Armour are letting anyone play in this league? Let’s be honest NCAA basketball would be unwatchable if we all didn’t have a connection to the school.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:42 PM ^
The G-League pays more than $3k a month, and you can get an endorsement from whatever shoe brand you like/can successfully negotiate with. And yet virtually no kid chooses the G-League over the NCAA.
December 20th, 2017 at 10:01 PM ^
3k and 10k way different
December 21st, 2017 at 2:12 AM ^
and there isn't a ton of shoe companys banging down the door of the NBA G league to sign players.
Ball has had time to think about what a dumb decision it was to pull his kid out of UCLA and high school to have them sign with some backwater team. He obviously has money to do this and it makes sense for him, his kids and his company.
Let's say the next Lebron is coming out of high school. He played for a Nike AAU squad and instead whatever college, he choose to play in this Ball league. Nike says no you can't play there, so player says ok Nike, I'll just sign with Adidas, Under Armour, Puma, Reebok, Sprints... At this point probably more than ever kids have a ton of options.
December 21st, 2017 at 12:25 PM ^
Next Lebron ain’t playing shit for 10k/month, if he’s just about cashing checks. Brian Bowen a borderline top 20 got 100k for a year at Louisville. Only time NCAA loses a kid for millions overseas or they get in trouble or horrible grades. If next Lebron is playing in the BBBBA he is signing with BBB for his rookie shoe deal. Real Lebron signed with Nike for $90 million in 2003. If BBB has the capital to sign Next Lebron the league has a chance. Maybe a TV contract and the capital follow next Lebron into the BBBBA but at that point I’d want a large equity stake if I were next Lebron.
I have my doubts Lavar could pull this off, wierdly I think it’d depend on Lonzo’s success.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:26 PM ^
“I’m pulling my boy Lonzo out the NBA and starting my own league, the BBBBL! Big Baller Brand Basketball League! Only BIG BALLERS allowed!”
December 20th, 2017 at 7:29 PM ^
but I think it's awesome.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:30 PM ^
it could very well work. No reason if cannot.
But again, it needs funding to train and maintain the players through a season.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:31 PM ^
There's one very big reason: LaVar Ball is running it.
This thing never sees Opening Night.
December 20th, 2017 at 9:54 PM ^
Stop putting a microphone in front of this guy and his shameless self promotion.
December 20th, 2017 at 10:42 PM ^
from and I just don't see it. I can see a lot of expenses. I don't see why anyone would want to sink a lot of money into it.
I watch a lot of basketball. I watch the NBA to see the best players, my home team, and players that I rooted for when they were in college. If I watch a G League game, it would only be to see a former Michigan player like Trey. I watch college basketball because I root for a team and I know some others. I watch some Big Ten games to see our rivals. If I was to watch a high school game on TV, it would only be to see one of our incoming players.
I don't see the appeal in watching Ball's proposed league. No rooting interests and not a compelling level of play. How can it even match the appeal of AAU summer leagues?
New leagues are hard to keep solvent. He wants to rely primarily on HS players. They'll be asked to give up HS and college eligibility and I would think good prospects would want some guarantee that it will work out. Otherwise they may have earned a few thousand and forfeited good opportunities.
December 21st, 2017 at 6:12 AM ^
The revenues will come his world wide takeover of the shoe industry with those $500 Big Baller brand sneaks. LeBatard ordered a pair a year ago, paid the $500 a year ago and just his shoes last week. He opened them on the air and it wasn't even the pair he ordered - haha!
He did like the style he received better than the style he ordered...but still.
December 21st, 2017 at 2:18 AM ^
It really depends on a lot of things. It depends on who is broadcasting the games, if it's Lavar with a goPRO putting the games on Youtube, it probably won't work. It depends on who signs and plays in the league. If he pulls some top high school prospects, some college players and enough street ballers to form some teams then it might be fun. People loved the And-1 team and the Harlem Globetrotters but, you can only watch the same show so many times.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:30 PM ^
Professional sports already take away from college athletics anyway, especially in basketball. Even if 4-5 of the top kids do this every year, it would keep the NCAA from ever seeing them compete. I love college athletics for its amateurism. Just think how cool it would have been to have seen Kobe, KG or Lebron play college ball. I think there needs to be some tweaks the system but this is not the answer.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:06 PM ^
I can't stand selfish thinking like yours. "I like college sports so I'd hate to miss on 1 or 2 years of a few players while they profit off of their talent. How inconvenient for me."
December 20th, 2017 at 8:40 PM ^
I really could care less what you can stand and what you can’t stand. The post asked for our thoughts on the matter and I gave mine. If wanting to see kids play college athletics instead of going to play in some newly formed league makes me selfish then so be it.
December 21st, 2017 at 9:15 AM ^
That’s not what makes it selfish. It’s the fact that you’d rather see players waste their time in a school they’ll be at for a year, risk injury, and potentially lower their draft stock, just for your entertainment sitting your ass on a couch. I think people should also have the players’ best interest in mind, but like you said, just “my thoughts”. How the hell would the players you named in the above post benefit from college?
December 21st, 2017 at 3:16 PM ^
I’d rather them go to school for 3 years so they would actually have something to fall back on if something happened to them and they couldn’t play ball anymore. I’m sure the Big Baller League will set them up for life though. As far as the guys above, KG couldn’t even speak clearly when coming out of High School and had to learn to speak just to do commercials. Let’s say he had blown out his knee in game 2 of the BBB league and couldn’t play again. Where would KG have went then? At least if he attempted college he would have that to go back to, even if for one year. Like I said above, there needs to be changes to the system but starting a league because you are an obnoxious butt hurt jack ass isn’t the answer either. Perhaps I really just hate the idea because of who’s behind it, I don’t know. Thanks for clarifying the other dudes stance on what makes me selfish though, I’m crystal clear now!
December 20th, 2017 at 8:20 PM ^
lol “amateurism”
December 20th, 2017 at 7:31 PM ^
Just as long as they let them choose they nicknames for bak of they jerseys I'm down
December 21st, 2017 at 11:02 AM ^
Lol. Everything Lavar touches has XFL written all over it. Trying to compete with established companies offering inferior product and tons of hype. BBB shoes are overpriced orthopedics. Who the hell would want to watch this league. I barely want to watch college basketball or NBA. This is a really pipe dreamy idea. Good in theory, but the execution of it will lead to its downfall. Look at his kid on the lakers. All hype, very average player. Not even close to being a top pg in the league and with that hideous jumper, he will never be elite. This whole family has had their 15 minutes, they are past their expiration date and are the b-ball equivalent of the kardashians. All flash no substance.
December 21st, 2017 at 11:32 AM ^
Ball is only 19 and has a lot of developing to do. If he has a work ethic like the stars of the league do, he could develop into a very good guard. His shot is awkward and he doesn't seem like a natural on the athletic side, but his court awareness and hustle is great for a kid his age. Too bad his dad is a douche.
December 21st, 2017 at 2:50 PM ^
He could develop into a solid pg but he will never be elite. Right now he is all hype, so I’m unimpressed.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:32 PM ^
You're talking about need numerous teams, can't have the same 2 teams play each other night in and out. Where is the money coming from? Is this going to be players who are rented for one year?
I just do not understand why a player can't go to the D league right out of high school, or better yet let the players who can get drafted go right out of high school.
December 21st, 2017 at 1:33 PM ^
"I just do not understand why a player can't go to the D league right out of high school"
They can.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:37 PM ^
Obligatory "Fuck Lavar Ball" comment from me
December 20th, 2017 at 7:38 PM ^
I personally cannot see this league being successful. The type of competition, housing, nutrition, and strength & conditioning a player will receive in college (even for a year) will not be available in a league like this.
If it were structured correctly and funded appropriately upfront, then I can see it at least being launched, but the ramp-up to do it in an organized way would take years, I would think. Even then, there's no real guarantee of support or survival unless you've got a stellar marketing plan that can assure eventual returns, and when I look at who is running it.....ehhh......hard pass.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:38 PM ^
You are helping this douche bag’s attention whoring by posting this thread. The guy is a world class shit head and I hope his sons are busts simply so their idiotic father will fade away.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:41 PM ^
Strangely, your post makes you out to be quite the douche.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:46 PM ^
Hope it's well-funded and takes off. Then I hope somebody follows suit with a football league and we can stop the "pay players" nonsense and let college kids play college football.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:48 PM ^
If a league like this starts for college football and becomes extremely popular, that means...
NO MORE MICHIGAN FOOTBALL!
December 20th, 2017 at 8:55 PM ^
There is minor league baseball that pays baseball players and there is college baseball for college students.
There is major junior hockey that pays hockey players and there is college hockey for college students.
Even if a minor pro football league stole hundreds of kids from college, Michigan would take the next best 85 from the MAC or FCS or D-II or whatever. Michigan's not going anywhere. Let the people in this for a paycheck go get a paycheck and leave college football alone.
December 21st, 2017 at 11:11 AM ^
Yeah but who actually gives a rats ass about college or minor league baseball??? College baseball is diluted enough, same with college basketball. I don’t want to see college football and the talent pool diluted with minor league football. We all want fair treatment of these athletes, but let’s be honest, I think most of us don’t want to see MAC level talent at Michigan, we want the best players here. Just being honest.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:48 PM ^
heard a discussion about this earlier on espn radio here in LA. sounds like it would be in almost direct competition with the G League which is already tied into the NBA and corporate sponsors like Gatorade. i think they said kids can already go straight to the G league from high school.
December 21st, 2017 at 5:49 AM ^
Max Kellerman also had a pretty good take with numerous reasons-- from funding, to the G-League already existing, to venue problems, to roster-size issues, to LaVar himself-- why this will not work.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:50 PM ^
This will hurt the blue Chip programs the most. I'm fine with it
December 20th, 2017 at 7:50 PM ^
I do not think this would work, there is still a lot of glamour to college basketball. Besides that, if you get hurt what then? If a star college player gets a serious injury they will still end up with a degree. Playing in this shit for brains league you would be screwed.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:53 PM ^
I can't see minor league basketball being popular enough to support $10k/month salaries.
If the players aren't making big money, I doubt they'll choose to go to a minor league over going to college.
December 20th, 2017 at 7:53 PM ^
Is there a market for more basketball leagues? I mean college hoops has a built in fan base with students, alumni and people who have always just been fans of a particular school. Plus the NBA, G-League and countless foreign leagues.
I wouldn't mind this succeeding so that kids who don't want to go to college have an option to play hoops in the US, but I'm skeptical that it will get the fan support necessary to survive.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:00 PM ^
To counter, Kentucky and Kansas have now offered $20,000 a month.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:02 PM ^
Pretty sure that is less than they pay now...
December 20th, 2017 at 8:11 PM ^
I hope it works. I'm not going to go against the idea because I disagree with a lot of Lavar Ball's publicized antics. A league of this sort could be beneficial for athletes who do not want to be and/or cannot be students.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:57 PM ^
Can I get a show of hands of those that are as sick of the word "antics" as I am.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:21 PM ^
I feel bad for his kids.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:22 PM ^
NBA teams drafting the one and dones can at least expect those kids to be coached by the Coach K's, Izzo's, Beileins,etc. etc. etc.
Not some fool who decides to pull the entire team off the court because of a bad call.
Another swing and miss by the Big Baller.
December 20th, 2017 at 8:25 PM ^
shouldn't this be labeled "OT"?
December 20th, 2017 at 8:31 PM ^
No chance of it working, not even close. The biggest and most important reason it won't is because Lavar Ball is a bad leader. Successful leaders and businessmen don't act like he does from a business standpoint. He is so all over the board that he isn't stable enough to make one business work, let alone all of the things he is trying to at once. He is a nutcase who has a hard time stringing coherent sentences together. He isn't a genius. He is a clown. I feel sorry for his kids who have to listen to him all the time. It seems pretty clear that Lonzo isn't much like him and tries to keep his distance when he can.