The G League is looking to make Kobe Bryant's Mamba Sports Academy the home base of their newly-formed “Select Team,” according to a report from Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports. The Lakers legend passed away in a tragic helicopter crash earlier this year, but the facility that bares his mentality would feature high school players who are looking for a different path to the NBA, including Jalen Green and Isiah Todd.
Although the partnership with the Mamba Sports Academy is not official with other venues still being considered, the committed prep stars and the those still deliberating joining the G League are of the mindset that they will be training at the academy for the 2020-21 season, sources said.
As part of his report, Haynes notes that there are a three former NBA head coaches who are “in the running” to be the play caller for the Select Team: Sam Mitchell, David Fizdale and Brian Shaw. Shaw has ties to Los Angeles, as he has previously served as an assistant coach with the Lakers.
Sources: Sam Mitchell, David Fizdale and Brian Shaw are being considered for the Select Team head coaching job. Mitchell was Jalen Green’s AAU coach. https://t.co/ePhzAWkPAT https://t.co/oruGMRsIlJ
— Chris Haynes (@ChrisBHaynes) April 20, 2020
In years past, aspiring young players had to complete at least one year of schooling before entering the NBA Draft. It was known as the “one-and-done rule.” Now, however, the G League is offering this new alternative with the Select Team. The prospects will be compensated in the high six-figure range and given a full scholarship opportunity while preparing for the 2021 NBA draft, according to Yahoo Sports.
Jalen Green, who is considered to be a potential No. 1 overall pick in the coming draft, announced Thursday that he is bypassing college to become the professional pathway's first participant. Since he won't be under the NCAA's guidelines, he (as well as the other prospects in this program) will be able to hire an agent and profit from their own likeness.
“I wanted to get better overall and prepare myself for the NBA because that’s my ultimate goal,” Green told Yahoo Sports last week. “Everything was planned out right and set up for me to succeed. I think this was a good decision at the end of the day. I’m still going to be able to go back to college and finish school. So, it’s not really that I’m missing out on college because I can go back and finish whenever I need to. School is a big thing in my family.”
https://www.instagram.com/p/B_DMCmUJUHM/?utm_source=ig_embed
There were several NCAA schools hot on Green's trail, including Auburn, Memphis, Oregon, Florida State, USC and Fresno State. Now, he'll be looking to become of the first members of this new program to reach the NBA.
Kobe Bryant was taken far too soon, but the Lakers icon would be happy to know that his facility — a 100,000 square-foot sports park with five basketball courts — could be home to some of the NBA's top young prospects in the near future.
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