High school junior Scoot Henderson is forgoing his senior year at Kell High School in Marietta, Georgia, to sign with the G League Ignite.

The deal will make Henderson the youngest professional in the history of American basketball, per Shams Charania of Stadium and The Athletic.

The decision is sure to be a lightning rod for controversy, only it makes quite a bit more sense when considering the contract value.

Charania later reported Scoot Henderson's contract is worth $1 million.

That's a truly astonishing sum for such a young prospect, but it also reflects the G League's willingness to provide a different pathway to the NBA.

The traditional trajectory of most top prep stars tends to be at least one year at the collegiate level. However, that trend has been bucked in recent years. The Ignite squad, formed just prior to the 2020-21 season, has played an enormous role in changing the game.

The Ignite previously signed top prep stars Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga, both of whom opted to head to the G League rather than spend a year in college. Both Green and Kuminga are widely expected to be among the first 10 players selected in the upcoming NBA draft later this summer. Will Scoot Henderson eventually join them in the NBA?

Teams are likely to be quite enthralled by the opportunity to draft such a talented prospect at such a young age. Scoot Henderson offers plenty of upside as a dynamic point guard who can score at all three levels and get downhill in a hurry.

Henderson had previously been thought to be considering Auburn and Georgia as his top two collegiate options. Instead, he will take his talents to the G League.