This is an interesting arrangement.
“Bazley will be paid a $200,000 base salary annually over five years, assuming he is on an NBA roster in the second year and in the league each season thereafter. Paul earlier this week told The New York Times that the internship was part of a multiyear shoe contract that could pay Bazley up to $14 million if he reaches performance incentives written into the contract.”
First off , the one and done rule is one that is begging for some kind of market efficiency to route around. The challenge in doing that, is two fold:
1. You need to be able to make some money to make not going to college worthwhile.
2. You need to be able to play competitive basketball during the year and not disappear from scouts radar.
This arrangement solves 1, by paying a kid now in order to benefit the shoe company later. (Sort of what is suspected goes on in violation of the NCAA now, but just out in the open), but 2 is a different story. How is this kid going to get run while working as an intern?
What’s coming, eventually, is a shoe company savvy enough, rich enough, and fearless of the NCAA enough to just start a league. Offer up a whole bunch of kids similar arrangements, play tournament basketball all year, and reap the benefits when they get drafted a year later.
The current system is practically begging for it.
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