Paths to the NBA: There Are a Lot!

The past always seems simpler, and for casual fans of the NBA, it was. The beasts of the game—guys like Michael Jordan, Magic Johnson, and Larry Bird—all played college basketball before being drafted into the league. Throw in an occasional dude who jumped straight from high school and another who came from Europe, and it all made sense. But now—well, it’s complicated. Let’s take a look at some paths to the NBA, starting with the old and ending with the new.

 

What You Know

If you haven’t paid attention to the landscape in a while, here’s what you probably remember.

High School

A handful of elite players have been able to proceed directly from high school to the big time. While the phenomenon dates back to the 1970s, the floodgates opened in 1995 with the arrival of Kevin Garnett, paving the way for the likes of Kobe Bryant and LeBron James.

By 2005, however, the NBA and the players’ union agreed to 19 as a minimum age for entry into the league, adding the wrinkle that players had to be at least one year removed from high school. Although this policy might eventually be abandoned, it has for now made this pathway a no go.

College

As above, this route has been by far the most common. In years past, even the best of the best would stay in college all four years or perhaps leave one year early to monetize their talent. In current times, equivalent players often stay for just one year (one and done), using the year as a simple filler to comply with the policy above.

The fact that athletes cannot receive direct payment for their services has been a source of controversy and given rise to the novel paths to the NBA below. (Of course, now that amateur athletes are able to capitalize on their name, image, and likeness, the lines have blurred.)

Overseas

The best players from outside the US follow developmental pathways available to them prior to making the leap to the NBA.

 

What You Might Not Know

And now for the new wave.

Overseas

While once the domain of non-Americans and Americans unable to land a gig in the NBA, some youngsters from the US destined for a spot in the league have chosen this route over the one and done college option, thereby receiving a salary for doing the same work. Knowing this track was being taken, it was only a matter of time before entrepreneurial minds brought it stateside…

G League

The G League is the NBA’s official minor league entity. And while you might be envisioning players who’re not next-level material, that label doesn’t apply to NBA G League Ignite, a team founded in 2020 and now based in Henderson, Nevada.

G League Ignite is a one-year developmental program for legitimate NBA prospects, offering a chance to play against top competition and earn a salary of up to $500,000 for the year.

Overtime Elite

Overtime is a sports media company that has grown its brand using an array of social media channels. In 2021, the company founded Overtime Elite, a basketball league based in Atlanta and designed for those aged 16 to 20.

Backed by big-name investors, the league boasts a professional route—offering minimum salaries of $100,000, signing bonuses, and equity stakes—as well as a scholarship route that allows players to maintain college eligibility. The latter option has made Overtime Elite an important arena not just for NBA scouts but also college recruiters, adding yet another layer of complexity.

Gap Year

That’s right. The gap year isn’t just for wealthy suburbanites to prove that they’re wealthy suburbanites. NBA-bound athletes can use the year to train and dabble in paid internships.

 

What’s the bottom line regarding all these paths to the NBA? College basketball isn’t alone. And it’s not quite the same.