The G League Ignite will shut down after the conclusion of this season. The program was introduced in April 2020 as an alternative to college for athletes looking to cash in on their talents and gain professional experience by competing against the G League affiliates of NBA teams. When the concept was first proposed, college athletes did not receive monetary remuneration for playing in games. However, the rise of the name, image, and likeness (NIL) and the transfer portal in college basketball have diminished Team Ignite’s competitive edge.

On Thursday, program president Shareef Abdur-Rahim said in a statement, “Four years ago, we started Ignite to fill a void in the basketball landscape, and I’m proud of the contributions we were able to make to that ecosystem. With the changing environment across youth and collegiate basketball, now is the right time to take this step.”

And now that the program has come to an end, veteran ESPN analysts reflected on its four-year run, criticizing it for failing to fulfill its intended purpose. Throughout its tenure, the Ignite only helped 10 players get drafted into the league. Among those were the Houston Rockets’ Jalen Green and the Golden State Warriors’ Jonathan Kuminga, the No. 2 and No. 7 picks in the 2021 NBA Draft, respectively. However, despite their success, analyst Tim MacMahon presents the harsh reality of G-League Ignite. “Guess what, it took until midway through their third year before they were really, I mean Jalen Green was obviously playing, but it took until midway through the third year before they were quality NBA players.”

Two years later, Scoot Henderson went No. 3 overall to Portland after a standout season at Ignite. But the rookie is still a work in progress despite spending two years with the team. “I thought it was a great idea. I was all in favor of it, but it’s been a failure. It has not been a good developmental environment. I mean Scoot Henderson spent two years there. And as a No. 3 overall pick, he is a project…he is raw,” added MacMahon. Moreover, for a program that took pride in youth development before hitting the league, half their young players are left in limbo with the Ignite shutting down.

Future of the current G-League Ignite players

Ron Holland, Matas Buzelis, Tyler Smith, and Izan Almansa are all projected to be first-round picks this year, with Holland and Buzelis potential lottery picks. However, scouts have struggled to assess their progress and predict their NBA potential due to the lopsided scores during games. This season, the team has managed only two wins out of 30 games so far.

Thierry Darlan, Babacar Sane, and London Johnson are expected to enter the pre-draft process and compete against players during the NBA Draft Combine in May to help their draft stocks. Meanwhile, Dink Pate, who isn’t eligible until the 2025 NBA Draft, will need to either find a team overseas, join Overtime Elite (a semi-pro league located in Atlanta), or possibly join a different G League team.

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G League Ignite, That Gave Shaquille O’Neal’s Son a Lifeline, Terminated as NCAA Boom Emerges