The Overtime Elite announced on Wednesday that it will build a 103,000-square-foot complex where preparatory players will train, research and compete. The new league promises academic education and six-digit salaries to market to top players between the ages of 16 and 18. This is another potential route to the NBA besides going to college, the G League under development, or abroad.
Jeff Bezos is an investor besides famous basketball players and Overtime company, so they got the cash for this. I suspect they’re aiming for players in the '24 and beyond as they built the facilities in a big campus. Wouldn’t surprise me if they get a Tv deal as well.
My concern is this is for kids who want to major in basketball. I’m sure they’ll get the opportunity for education, Will they take full advantage? We’ve seen where an athlete can be “can’t miss” and then some freak injury and their career is over. I’d hate to see some 16-18 year old kid, and they are still kids, get injured and have no backup plan other than basketball.
Yeah, this is much closer to how youth sports development works basically anywhere else in the world. School sports, especially as a pipeline to the pros, is a pretty uniquely American thing.
Their release said “In addition to selling custom jerseys, trading cards, video games and non-fungible tokens, we also generate revenue from the use of names, images and portraits.”
Are you saying something like once some of these guys make it to the NBA and get really popular Overtime Elite will then make their money selling NFTs and high school jerseys of those players?
Some kids need to grow into their bodies and mature mentally… Others don’t. Getting paid in high school and then in one of many pro leagues isn’t a bad option for elite players, or non-studious types…
Okay, I offer you a service and you want to pay me over $1M over 2 years and I’m 17. Are you crazy? I’m taking that deal.
Matt, who is ranked No. 3 by ESPN for the Class of 2023, and Ryan, ranked No. 12, will forgo high school and college eligibility to join the start-up league in September for contracts that are expected to pay them each seven figures over the two-year range of the deals, sources said.
So if you’re chosen as an elite recruit you could have 3 years playing as a professional the way Doncic was in Europe and getting paid and getting an education, plus the benefit to go to college if you choose to in your off time.
players and Overtime company, so they got the cash for this. I suspect they’re aiming for players in the '24 and beyond as they built the facilities in a big campus. Wouldn’t surprise me if they get a Tv deal as well.