Is the NBA killing the Traditional Big Man?
Updated: Jun 27, 2023
Oscar Tshiebwe in college made roughly $3-4 million at the University of Kentucky last season with NIL. He reportedly wanted eight million to return to UK for his final season and Coach Calipari turn it down. He would have made at least the same or more if he returned to Kentucky, however he opted to remain in the draft. Even though there were no mock drafts that had him getting selected. Which is exactly how the NBA draft went on Thursday night for Oscar, going undrafted.
On Friday he signs a deal with the Indiana Pacers to play a max of 50 games in the G-League with an option to be called up (2 way contract). This contract has a value of 1/2 the rookie salary for a total of $508k. These guys dream and are pushed by everyone around them to play professional basketball(NBA) but it’s not always best to turn “pro” when you are financially better off to stay in school. Most of these kids in the G-League never get called up and they play in obscurity.
College Bigs To The NBA
Oscar(Former National Player of the Year) isn’t the only one, as two-time Gonzaga All American Drew Timme had the exact same thing happen to him as well. Last seasons Most Outstanding Player of the Final Four UConn’s Adama Sanogo did too. These are bona fide superstars in the collegiate game in the time of NIL money with eligibility remaining. Big man and centers who’s game just doesn’t translate to today’s up and down all five guys spread for shooting NBA.
Big Ten superstars C Zach Edey(reigning NPOY) returned to Purdue. Indiana C Trace Jackson-Davis slid all the way down to the second to last selection, Michigan C Hunter Dickinson remained in college transferring to Kansas. All of these young men have excelled on the collegiate level in a time when they are able to benefit financially from name, image and likeness(NIL). Exhibit 10(non-guaranteed before the start of the season) and 2-way contracts mostly in the G-league “witness protection program” for four to ten times less than on college basketball’s biggest stage is not beneficial.
It is time we change the narrative. It’s time we as a society give good sound advice to these top-notch collegiate athletes. Recognize, guide, and lead them in the best direction for them for 3-5 years of their young adult lives and stop pushing them to be professionals in a basketball world that clearly says otherwise. The NBA world is a different game. These exceptional players are better off cashing in on themselves in college basketball.
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