Reports have emerged indicating that the NBA has made the decision to discontinue operations of the G-League Ignite team. The program was designed to offer NBA draft prospects a unique opportunity to enhance their skills, cultivate their game, and even generate income prior to becoming eligible for the draft.
The G-League Ignite was established at a time when none of the current Pro Leagues in America provided eligible players with compensation prior to entering the draft. However, the future of Ignite was reevaluated last month during the all-star weekend due to various factors.
NBA announced it would shut down G-League Ignite
In a report issued by Shams Charania of The Athletic, NBA Commissioner, Adam Silver confirmed the dissolution of the G-League Ignite team. Silver said, “I’m not sure what the future of Team Ignite will be because before I felt there was a hole in the marketplace we were filling. Now my focus is turning to earlier development of those players.”
Ignite was launched in 2020, at a time when the NCAA had not yet embraced the concept of Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL). However, in 2024, the college basketball landscape will have undergone significant changes. The introduction of the NIL concept has revolutionized the game, enabling players to gain valuable NCAA playing experience while also earning a salary.
So, the program is being shut down after summing up its final season, as per the NBA’s announcement.
How many G League players are now NBA players?
The NBA has signed a total of 17 players from the G-League in draft history: six players in the first round, of whom two are among the top three, and eleven in the second round of the NBA draft. The Miami Heat, Portland Trail Blazers, and New Orleans Pelicans are tied for drafting the most players from the G-League.
The League’s first signings included the Houston Rockets signing Jalen Green at number 2 and the Golden State Warriors signing Jonathan Kuminga at number 7 of the draft. Scoot Henderson was picked as the 3rd overall pick in the 2023 NBA draft.
The salary they offered their star player was up to 1 million dollars per year, but when the college started giving the players perfect exposure and a salary, the need for the G-league Ignite was eliminated. Still, the G-league will have 30 teams, which will be affiliated with one of the NBA teams as usual.
