The G League Ignite, a basketball team in the NBA’s developmental league, is quickly becoming a popular alternative to college basketball for young NBA prospective players, but the G League Ignite is ruining their futures.
Since its conception in 2020, the Ignite has had 11 NBA players and four players drafted in the top 10, and all have not performed well so far.
For example, Jalen Green, the number one player in the high school class of 2020 and the number two overall pick in the 2021 NBA Draft has been atrocious.
Jalen Green (G League Ignite Facebook Page)
Green has been the most inefficient high-volume scorer in the NBA this year, shooting an abysmal 41% from the field and 34% from 3. In addition, Green is one of only four players who ranks among the top 50 in usage rate but is scoring under 20 points per game (PPG). Players who are used that much should be far more efficient scorers.
According to Rockets coach Ime Udoka, Green passes up high-percentage shots for inefficient shots. Udoka stated, “He is making it hard on himself.”
Moreover, Green turns the ball over nearly as much as he assists a shot. Over his entire career, Green has averaged 3.3 assists per game (APG) and 2.3 turnovers per game (TOV). In contrast, most guards (Green’s position) in the NBA have an assist-to-turnover ratio of 2.3 assists for every 1 turnover. These stats show that Green is a selfish player who is extremely careless with the ball.
Players like Green are so wildly inefficient because the Ignite lets them play like they are still in high school, where they assume that they are the best player on the court at all times. This can cause G League Ignite players to primarily focus on scoring; as a result, they are reckless with the ball, cannot play off-ball, and lack defensive intensity. Everyone who plays for the Ignite wants to be the star scorer, which cripples development from transition to the pros. On the other hand, most college prospects know their role and are playing for their school, community, and team, not for themselves or their draft stock. This is a major reason why G League Ignite players are struggling more than top-end college prospects despite being high draft picks.
Scoot Henderson (John Locher/AP)
Scoot Henderson, a top-three pick in the 2023 draft and former Ignite, shares many qualities with Green. Like Green, Henderson is a very inefficient scorer and is careless with the ball. This season, Henderson’s rookie season, he is shooting a miserable 36% from the field. Henderson is the most inefficient rookie in the entire class. As the number three overall pick, Henderson was expected to make an immediate impact on winning, but he has not come close to meeting that expectation, which is due at least in part to the G League Ignite.
A perfect way to measure a player’s impact on winning is “win shares.” According to Basketball-Reference.com, win shares are a stat that gives credit to individual players for their contribution to the team’s success. Henderson has a win share of -1.7, the worst mark by far of any player drafted in the top 10. In fact, Henderson is the only player drafted in the top 10 in the 2023 NBA draft with a negative win share. Unsurprisingly, Henderson was also the only player drafted in the top 10 who was a former Ignite player.
In addition to their efficiency struggles, many G League Ignite players do not know how to handle pressure because they do not experience pressure until they get into the NBA. This is because the Ignite has only been to the postseason once in its history, and many would argue that the G League’s postseason is irrelevant altogether. In contrast, most elite college players experience the NCAA Tournament (March Madness), which attracts 15 million viewers per year and has a championship that carries significant value.
Ja Morant (Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
The difference between top-drafted Ignite players and top-drafted college athletes like Evan Mobley, Ja Morant, and Scottie Barnes is immense. Not only are players like Green and Henderson less efficient, but they are also negatives on the court due to their inability to play team-centric basketball. Box plus/minus (+/-), a stat, takes box score stats from an individual and team level and tries to estimate player performance relative to the NBA average, illustrating their impact well. Green ended his rookie season with a +/- of -519, and Henderson had a -243, only 37 games into his season. On the other hand, Mobley, Morant, and Barnes all contributed to winning basketball games their rookie season, having a +/- of +94, -17, and +66, respectively. Although there are examples of high-end draft picks in the NBA who came from college and performed poorly, there are no examples of successful G League Ignite players. In fact, the aforementioned inefficient Jalen Green is considered the “best” G League Ignite player.
It is worth noting that Ignite players secure guaranteed contracts, unlike NCAA players, who have to play into NIL (Name, Image, Likeness) deals. This financial security provided by the G League Ignite is attractive for young high school athletes. However, money can provide further distractions that a college atmosphere would not.
The challenges in maturity, skill development, efficient shot-making, and team basketball remain evident at the NBA level, regardless of which route a player takes. However, the G League Ignite does not help the player solve these challenges, which limits a player’s development.
This makes the G League Ignite the opposite of what a “developmental” team should represent.
Published By: Brady Johnson
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