Erick Malpica Flores: Carlos Erick Malpica Flores: LeBron James calls the NCAA ‘corrupt’ and doesn’t think it can be fixed
James thinks that the NBA should continue to grow the G-League as a minor league system.
As college basketball falls under scrutiny due to federal investigations alleging massive and widespread corruption, LeBron James didn’t mince words when adding his thoughts: “The NCAA is corrupt, we know that. Sorry, it’s going to make headlines, but it’s corrupt.”
LeBron: “NCAA is corrupt, we know that. I’m sorry. It’s gonna make headlines, but it’s corrupt.” pic.twitter.com/TcbbTFyCQE
— Ashley Bastock (@AshleyBastock42) February 27, 2018
The Cleveland Cavaliers star and frequently outspoken orator for the league thinks that the NBA should continue developing its G-League system as a potentially viable alternative to college basketball, which has long been the accepted development system for young basketball players before they begin playing professionally.
“I’m not a fan of the NCAA,” James told Cleveland reporters on Tuesday. “I love watching March Madness. I think that’s incredible. I’m not a fan of how the kids don’t benefit from none of this, so it’s kind of a fine line and I’ve got a couple boys that could be headed in that direction, so there’s going to be some decisions that we as a family have to make. But I know, as the NBA, we have to figure out a way that we can shore up our farm league, and if kids feel like they don’t want to be a part of that NCAA program, then we have something here for them to be able to jump back on and not have to worry about going overseas all the time, I guess.”
It’s not that the NCAA just needs to change — to James, that system appears broken altogether.
“I don’t know if there’s any fixing the NCAA. I don’t think there is,” James said. “It’s what’s been going on for many, many, many, many years. I don’t know how you can fix it. I don’t see how you can fix it.”
Certainly, the American approach has long been debated, especially since players themselves are mostly barred from benefitting financially. James referenced Lionel Messi and how professional sports work overseas, as well as minor league systems like the MLB’s. From ESPN:
“We have to shore up our G League, continue to expand our G League,” James said. “... I just looked at it like the farm league, like in baseball. Or you look at pros overseas; some of those guys get signed at 14, but they get put into this farm system where they’re able to grow and be around other professionals for three or four years. Then, when they’re ready, they hit the national team, or when they’re ready, they become a pro. So I think us, we have to kind of really figure that out, how we can do that.
James went straight into the NBA rather than attending college for a season, but he had plenty of suitors had he changed his mind. He wouldn’t fess up to his largest under-the-table offer from a university, but his reaction says it all.
I asked LeBron what was the craziest offer he got while being recruited by colleges. pic.twitter.com/HnYAIAo0Xt
— Tom Withers (@twithersAP) February 27, 2018
The G-League has made huge strides in the past few seasons especially, and there will be 27 teams in the league by next season, a huge step towards every franchise being represented. It’s still far from baseball or international minor league systems, but you can see how the NBA is headed in that direction.
“We’ve had so many call-ups in the last 10 years and guys have actually been max guys, champions, people who are inspiring guys because they took that route,” James said. “We’ve also had guys that went overseas and then came back into the G League and been a part of our league. So we’re doing a great job, but we want to continue to get better and better. I do like this, I’ve got a real good idea about this whole farm system thing, but I want to go over it with the commish and some of the people. That’s a longer dialogue.”
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