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Post by spacejammer on May 22, 2023 22:09:57 GMT
Hi I don't know if this seems like a daft question.
But given how many players I have seen over the years have experience in the NBA G League I sort of wondered what would happen of you pitted a BBL Squad against some of the teams in the G League?
Whilst I know a BBL squad could never best an NBA squad.
I sort of wondered if the likes of London Lions would ever consider inviting a G League side for a pre season friendly next season.
And whether it would attract a bigger audience to the BBL as you could sort of put on a BBL event with links to the NBA.
When I was stateside a couple of years ago I caught a bit of an NBA G League match on TV and the gym they were playing in looked similar to some of the arenas in the BBL as well.
To be honest with as crazy as it sounds after 777 announced an All Star game it wouldn't suprise me if they considered the idea.
Or possibly got so overzealous they decide to invite the soon to be crowned NBA champions of this season as well.
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Post by dexter on May 23, 2023 7:37:46 GMT
I don’t think G League teams will be interested in this. But a London Lions summer/pre season tour to North America could be the subject of an interesting documentary.
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Post by ScottishBasketballFan on May 23, 2023 7:59:07 GMT
I think it wouldn't be worthwhile, the gap would still be too big.
The BBL is still very much an obscure league and no amount of money is going to change that, I'm not trying to sound negative but realistic.
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Post by voise on May 23, 2023 11:07:44 GMT
To be fair I don't think the g league has much fan visibility in the States, let alone across the pond. Think any interest would be driven by individual players like McClung.
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Post by cosbyrider on May 23, 2023 12:09:46 GMT
To be fair I don't think the g league has much fan visibility in the States, let alone across the pond. Think any interest would be driven by individual players like McClung. It’s simply there to serve as a farm league and maintain the player pool. |
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Post by milehigh on May 23, 2023 17:00:01 GMT
The is some interest in smaller towns that do not have an NBA team, but it is a minor league, although of a very high quality.
An average G League team won't need to get out of second gear to comfortably beat any BBL team, even London.
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Post by Stephen Abootman on May 23, 2023 18:07:25 GMT
G League Ignite played a couple of preseason games against Metropolitans 92 last year. Though I don't think Lions have anyone with quite the drawing power of a Wembanyama.
Given that three of the better players in the BBL this season were pretty ordinary G Leaguers previously, I imagine an average G League side would put 9/10ths of the BBL to the sword. How they'd get on against London I honestly don't know but I'm pretty sure they would need to get out of second gear to win. Not sure it's a fixture too many folk would be fussed about seeing regardless. I doubt Lions would pack out the Copper Box for an exhibition game against the Memphis Hustle. Unless maybe a rehabbing Ja Morant was playing.
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Post by spacejammer on May 23, 2023 19:33:09 GMT
The is some interest in smaller towns that do not have an NBA team, but it is a minor league, although of a very high quality. An average G League team won't need to get out of second gear to comfortably beat any BBL team, even London. I did think that although given how many players from the BBL come from the G League to the BBL and vice versa. It did make me wonder if the G League is really as strong of a league if a player can drop from the G League all the way down to the BBL or another less extravagant European league? I agree I'm not sure what would be the benefit for the G League side other then an opportunity to visit the UK. But I would love it and be curious to see if 777, the Eagles or some BBL squad was to ever test the theory and certainly tune in to watch the game. I suppose I'm also wondering if by sticking NBA onto a fixture would it attract anyone new to the game? I know some people might just look at it as supermarket brand coca cola compared to real brand Coca-Cola Cola but it could be a way to get some new fans through the door. |
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Post by SamH on May 23, 2023 21:22:42 GMT
To the original question, what would happen would be the g-league team laying waste to the BBL team. The g-league is full of guys sent down from the NBA for development, most of whom get called back up again. They often send rookies there who wouldn't get many minutes on the main roster. There are also veterans are really good but not quite good enough to make the cut, but whom hope by working hard in the g-league, they'll get a call up. Even a 10 day contract is highly lucrative, after all. If the NBA has the best 400 players in the world, the g-league probably has at least 100 or so of the next best 400.
I think a g-league team v a top European or South American team would be closer.
Don't forget Nick Nurse also coached in the g-league after the BBL, clearly seeing it as a step up - and this then led to his chance in the NBA.
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Post by dexter on May 23, 2023 21:58:28 GMT
To the original question, what would happen would be the g-league team laying waste to the BBL team. The g-league is full of guys sent down from the NBA for development, most of whom get called back up again. They often send rookies there who wouldn't get many minutes on the main roster. There are also veterans are really good but not quite good enough to make the cut, but whom hope by working hard in the g-league, they'll get a call up. Even a 10 day contract is highly lucrative, after all. If the NBA has the best 400 players in the world, the g-league probably has at least 100 or so of the next best 400. I think a g-league team v a top European or South American team would be closer. Don't forget Nick Nurse also coached in the g-league after the BBL, clearly seeing it as a step up - and this then led to his chance in the NBA. The G League champion gets to play in the FIBA Intercontinental Cup against the BCL Americas champion, the BCL Europe champion and the hosts, often Tenerife. The G League champion usually finishes below the European and South American teams. G League is below Euroleague and other top European teams. G League minimum salary is $40.5k. I’m not sure what the highest paid player is on, but maybe about $1m. Top 3 earning Euroleague players are: Nikola Mirotic Barca $5m Shane Larkin Efes $4m Vasilje Micic $3.3m |
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Post by SamH on May 23, 2023 22:26:09 GMT
Yeah I would think the top players not in the NBA would go to Europe for better deals, but there'd be plenty of guys still chasing the NBA dream who perhaps feel the g-league is where they'll get noticed more and the chance of a call up. Or maybe they just don't want to go overseas. So still plenty of talent there plus as I said lots of younger guys who get sent down there for development and playing time, especially if on a good team where they won't get minutes for a while. These guys are obviously on good deals already but it's about their development.
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