Oh, So This Overtime Elite League Is Actually Legit - Signs Top-2 Recruit Jalen Lewis To A Ho-Hum $1 MILLION-Plus Contract
Well, then, guess it's time to actually pay attention to this Overtime Elite league. I know people will say who will watch this, yada, yada, yada, but the fact is they are signing legit players. This isn't just throwing darts and hoping some no-name sticks out. They just landed Jalen Lewis, a top-2 recruit in the class of 2023 according to ESPN 60. They've also landed four other 5-star players. That's a pretty good start!
Now, let be clear. This isn't a death to the NCAA or anything like that because as I've always said. We cheer for laundry. It doesn't matter the players as much as we always cheer for laundry. But here's the thing, it's showing that NIL was necessary. We don't know yet if Lewis will be able to college basketball based on this contract or not. It's one of those weird grey areas where it's technically pay-for-play, but it's not for a college team. Remember, this is a high school thing (h/t 247)
Overtime, a multimedia sports company, is planning to launch a semi-professional basketball league that will provide compensation for high school basketball prospects, multiple sources tell 247Sports. The expectation is that Overtime will announce the league this month with the goal to begin competition September of 2021, sources told 247Sports.
The aim of the league is to field up to eight teams of the top high school basketball prospects in the country with the vision of providing a new preps-to-pro alternative — with salaries expected to be well within the six-figure range, per sources. Upon graduating, the next step for these prospects would likely be for the G League or other overseas opportunities.
It is currently unclear as to how this will impact college eligibility but the prevalence of club basketball teams competing during the high school basketball season due to COVID-19 restrictions has created an interest in this type of environment.
The prospects competing in this league are expected to no longer attend their local high schools or participate in scholastic events but to compete on the Overtime Select league while receiving coaching and training from former NBA athletes, coaches and trainers and academically receiving non-traditional education.
I couldn't imagine getting a million bucks at 16-years old. What do you even do with that? Obviously you buy a car, shout out my 1995 Jeep Grand Cherokee Laredo I got when I was 16. But then you just put it in the bank. It's not like you can go buy a house or something. You're 16. Imagine going to your parents and telling them your plans is to join a new league, still graduate but be a millionaire. Gotta be a top-1 feeling.
We still don't know what's going to happen with the NBA getting rid of the rule that you have to be removed from high school for a year. But if they get rid of that, this league actually has a chance to make a ton of sense. They are getting 'non-traditional' education which means they should in theory have a degree. They also are getting coached by people who were in the NBA. Remember, this is their job. To go a little bit like Cardale Jones, why not go to school for basketball? That's what your career is going to be, it makes sense to start learning about the training, the financials, building a brand, etc.