No. 1 high school prospect Jalen Green will enter the G League

Colleges hoping to recruit Jalen Green — considered to be the No. 1 overall high school basketball prospect — can stop trying. Green announced Thursday that he’s going to the G League, according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.

Green is, at the very least, the best shooting guard available. He’s considered one of the best overall prospects as well. Some publications rank Green as No. 1, while Rivals.com believes he’s the second-best prospect in the nation.

Why did Jalen Green choose the G League?

The G League offers Green, 18, the opportunity to make basketball his full-time job. The league offers $125,000 contracts to elite players, though there are reports that figure is going to increase. For a player like Green, who was likely going to play one year at a college and then go pro, it makes sense to just transition to the NBA’s developmental league for a year, make money and then enter the NBA draft.

The move makes even more sense considering Green will reportedly make $500,000 when he joins the G League.

Green’s stepfather — Marcus Greene — confirmed Green would make more than $125,000 in the G League, but also said Green’s decision also had to do with being better prepared for the NBA.

Jalen Green isn’t the only player who opted for the G League

With that decision, Green becomes the second major NBA prospect to opt for the G League over college this week. Isaiah Todd, who Rivals ranks as the 14th-best player in the nation, announced he would go to the G League on Tuesday. Todd had committed to Michigan, but changed his mind. While LaMelo Ball and R.J. Hampton didn’t play in the G League last season, the two decided to take similar paths, opting to play professionally overseas.

Will Jalen Green’s decision become a trend?

While the G League — and overseas options — have become more popular for elite prospects, that could come to an end soon. There are rumors the NBA’s one-and-done rule may be eliminated before the 2022 draft. If that happens, players like Green would be eligible to go straight to the NBA out of high school. They wouldn’t have to spend a year in the G League before gaining eligibility for the NBA draft.

If the rule remains in place, however, it seems likely more elite prospects — like sophomore phenom Emoni Bates — would follow in Green’s footsteps and start getting paid for their skills a year earlier.

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