New option for 1 and dones?

[GloryDays 5,920]

  Now I guess we know why the Anthony Davis figure thrown around was at 600K.

The cat fans are up in arms over this proposal because they're afraid it will level the playing field.

 

Option for one-and-doners?: A California-based group says it will offer 2015 McDonald’s All-Americans $700,000 to play for an independent pro team called the Las Vegas Dealers.

The team owner says it will play 35 games in Las Vegas against European League teams and would also go on a 15-game tour of Europe.

Team owner Cerruti Brown told Las Vegas FOX 5 TV that some current McDonald’s All-Americans are being contacted to sign up for the 2015-16 season, to begin in October.

“We don’t see any problems in landing the right kids. Now, I’m not going to say we’ll have 10 of the top 25 kids this year, but I’m going to go on record as saying we’re going to have five,” Brown told the TV station.

On the league’s Website (lvdbasket.com), it says McDonald’s All-Americans will earn $700,000, underclassmen with college eligibility $400,000 and free agents $100,000 for the upcoming season.

“College is not for every young man that is trying to use basketball to provide a better situation for their families,” says owner Cerruti Brown. “Our innovative model targets the McDonald’s All-Americans who are projected first-round prospects by NBA scouts and general managers. This concept allows for the highly touted player to bypass college and immediately become a paid professional. We are able to offer competitive salaries averaging around $700k to the highly touted McDonald’s All-Americans who are typically ‘one and done’ players and $400k for college underclassmen. The Dealers’ niche will be based on giving basketball players a different option than what is presently offered in America. Before this, underclassmen had to either play college ball or go overseas. Venturing to Europe will not be a necessity when a U.S.-based organization will play top European teams.”http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2015/may/07/kansas-will-face-strong-schedule-15-16/?sports

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

Wow. This seems like a legitimate option for high school kids wanting to skip college. Pretty brilliant, actually.

[Hovadipo 56,262]

One thing I could see being a problem...how much will these guys develop on a team that basically amounts to an all-star team? (Provided they bring in the number of McD's guys they want) Will there be top notch coaches? Facilities? Practice competition? Yeah you're making 700k, but how will NBA scouts look at this? For guys that really want to develop their game, I still think the highest level of CBB (where the McD's AA's go) is the place to go.

[drewheck 749]

One thing I could see being a problem...how much will these guys develop on a team that basically amounts to an all-star team? (Provided they bring in the number of McD's guys they want) Will there be top notch coaches? Facilities? Practice competition? Yeah you're making 700k, but how will NBA scouts look at this? For guys that really want to develop their game, I still think the highest level of CBB (where the McD's AA's go) is the place to go.

I think the competition will be tough Im all for this leave college for the kids who actually want to go

[JSHoosier 20,266]

Get paid to play basketball without having to go to college.  Isn't that why they go to UK?

[Hoosier Roots 745]

Maybe this is what Swanigan plans on doing.

[GloryDays 5,920]

Get paid to play basketball without having to go to college.  Isn't that why they go to UK?

  I think this just ups the pay scale a little. 600 large wont cut it anymore.

 Anthony Davis's deal will look like bargain basement pricing now.

[LIHoosier 26,209]

It's not good for this potential team when a search of the owner's name yields this page in the first page of results*.

Where's the money coming from if they don't draw anybody to see Panathinaikos, Barcelona BB, etc?

 

*It is good for Btown Banners to get in the first page of search results.

[AKHoosier 6,931]

This actually sounds like a good idea.  So they are under the impression they'll get 5 current McDonald's All Americans?

 

I wonder who they are.  My guess is that Swanigan and Skal Labasierre are two of them.

[JSHoosier 20,266]

  I think this just ups the pay scale a little. 600 large wont cut it anymore.

 Anthony Davis's deal will look like bargain basement pricing now.

Sources tell me a call took place between Cal and WWW, here's a brief transcript:

 

Squid:  "Wes, you see this about the independent pro team in Vegas?  That's supposed to be us!"

WWW:  "Technically, John, you're a college team.  The 'U' in UK stands for university and the 'C' in NCAA stands for collegiate."

Squid:  "We're a non-traditional program."

WWW:  "You always talk about 'the greatest tradition in college basketball' for being so non-traditional."

Squid:  "Technicalities.  Anyway, what's this mean for us?"

WWW:  "It means the going rate just went up.  Uncle Wes will take care of it, remember you know nothing just like you didn't see Rose's cousin on the plane."

[Alford Bailey 12,386]

And hangers on in every inner city in America jumped for joy. I'm sure some kids will get screwed in all of this, BUT, if you wanna play with the big boys......

[bnkepner 1,509]

Sounds like a good idea, but I don't know how well it would do. I guess it will be one of those things I'll have to see first. I just don't seem them drawing away a large group of the McDonalds all americans. Even during the years when players could go straight to the draft out of high school, it seemed that only about 3 or 4 McDonalds All Americans would make the jump to the pros every year. Money talks I guess. 
Because it is so obscure right now I just don't see it working out. This thing is going to require  ALOT of money to get top level European clubs to come over to the US and play as well. 

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

The main hole I see in this so far is that the market in Las Vegas may not be able to support a "pro" team. They've been lobbying for an NBA team for quite some time.

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

And then, let's say this is a response to the demand for an alternative to college, and an option that doesn't involve moving to a new country. Parents, your third option is to now send your 18 year old to Vegas. Yikes.

Are the Dealers going to babysit these men? Will there be strict contractual clauses regarding legal trouble? When kids go to school, they are presented with similar risks, but schools have much greater control over the students, and their lack of funds prevent them from being fully independent.

My guess, is that this would be the best option for a kid with a handler who will actually manage them off the court.

[Walking Boot of Doom 18,170]

Also interesting that I have not seen more reporting or discussion of this potential system. I'm sure the NCAA already has their legal team filing enough paperwork to try to bury this thing, and ESPN probably isn't reporting anything until they decide how much they could make off this if it were to happen.

[rebelhoosier848891 9,588]

Wow----never thought college basketball would come to this......Maybe the new team could just play UK or put them in their league.

[Naturalhoosier 15,434]

Without solid backing I'd be afraid to send my kid in and watch it fold mid-year. Yeah a rich guy is backing it but what happens when the returns aren't what they thought? Risky for sure.

Then again, I'm not the 'laughing all the way to the bank' kind of person either.

[ctown2grhoosier 380]

Stay away from Thomas Bryant!

[GloryDays 5,920]

Wow----never thought college basketball would come to this......Maybe the new team could just play UK or put them in their league.

 If it did make it I could see it actually helping clean up the college game.

Some kids just aren't cut out for school and the current system makes a mockery of collegiate athletics.

[brtjohns 711]

it's a great premise.  very needed, as well.  essentially a usa u19 travel team.  the 700k salary seems heavy, and it's unnecessary to insist on targeting 'mcdonalds all americans'.  just state that it'd be another option for top prospects who have no interest in college to further play and develop until they meet the nba's age requirement.  there would have to be some kind of qualification if it's limited to one squad because dozens of the top prep players every year would be interested in this.  a handful of teams could easily be filled if funding can support it.

the one and done phenomenon wouldnt completely disappear from the college game.  there would still be top prospects who want to play college, and there would still be freshman unexpectedly blow up and opt for the draft.  that isnt going away until the nba changes its rule of age 19 and one year removed of high school.  so if you're just looking at how this would impact the college game, it'd be both positive and negative.  dominantly positive, imo.  on the good side, it would restore some integrity and purify it a bit.  scholarships once again given to players who actually desire college.  the college game would probably get a boost in balance and parity.  on the bad, the talent level would decrease, though the style and quality of play could become more appealing without the heralded fab frosh focus on showcasing and increasing their draft stock.

something like this is needed, though it would be concerning if too many chose to forgo college.  the best solution is the nba expand and create capacity in the d-league for top prospects with obvious, draftable potential.  the owners could keep their precious age 19 and one year removed of high school requirement.  they dont have to see the nba roster right away.  draft on potential, like whats being done anyway, and see them develop in the d-league a year or two, then get promoted.  these players wouldnt be paid anything near 700k in this route but it's better than forcing them to a college campus, a place they dont want to be.