For years, college basketball followed a clear path to the pros. That clarity has faded in the NIL era, where player movement and compensation have blurred the line between amateur and professional. As voices like Jay Bilas and Steve Kerr call for reform, UConn coach Dan Hurley weighed in on the growing confusion. It is around eligibility rules that protect both players and the sport’s integrity.

Hurley’s comments underscored the importance of maintaining a clear distinction between the NCAA and professional leagues to preserve the sport’s identity. While the UConn coach had no problem with players jumping between the professional and amateur leagues, he expected long-term investment from them.

“We just don’t want college basketball to turn into the G-League,” Dan Hurley stated.

The NBA G League stands as a professional alternative for players to enhance skills to come back to the NBA, but it lags behind college basketball in terms of financial appeal. With the NIL and new revenue-sharing models, where schools pay money to student-athletes from their sports programs, college basketball can become a more comfortable and profitable option than turning pro.

“Can we just make the travel better in the G-League? Can they stay at nicer hotels? Can they get more pdeium? Can they pay him more money so that G-League players, it’s obvious what the G-League players are coming back for. They’re coming back for the money you can make in college.”

“We’re also traveling and $40 million practice facility. We play in front of big crowds. We travel well. I could see what’s appealing for G-League players to want to return to college, but I just don’t want to lose our donors. You lose your fans. You lose your current students,” Hurley further added.

NBA G League salaries vary widely, but most players do not earn life-changing money. Those on standard contracts typically make between $40,000 and $55,000 for a season that lasts about five months. While the league offers a direct pipeline to the NBA, the financial reality for many players remains modest compared to opportunities now available in college basketball through NIL deals.

Players on two-way contracts earn significantly more, with salaries that can climb toward $500,000 depending on time spent with the NBA team. However, those spots are limited. For the majority of G League players, the combination of lower pay, demanding travel, and fewer perks makes a return to college basketball financially and professionally appealing.

Adding tension to the debate, Baylor Beans recently added James Nnaji, who was the 31st draft pick in the 2023 NBA draft. After spending several years playing professional basketball in Europe, Baylor’s new addition has raised major concerns. The move has drawn major criticism from other coaches.

John Calipari and Matt Painter raise eyebrows, drawing parallels to Dan Hurley’s views

The two coaches have successfully built up systems with clear rules, structure, and accountability where players have seen growth. After Baylor’s draft pick, John Calipari questioned the eligibility rules.

“THE RULES BE THE RULES. If you put your name in the draft, I don’t care if you’re from RUSSIA, you can’t play college basketball! If your name was in that draft, and you got drafted, YOU CAN’T PLAY COLLEGE BASKETBALL!” Calipari stated.

Matt Painter called for leadership to provide some clarity on the rules and the system.

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“We just want to know the rules so we can abide by them. We don’t know what’s going on. We need some leadership. We need someone to step up and break down how it’s run, how NIL works.”

Their views revolved around the same issue that Dan Hurley pointed out earlier. The coaches look for distinctions between college basketball and professional leagues, but players and teams do make use of the loopholes in the system. As Baylor got some heat for signing Nnaji, their coach, Scott Drew, came forward to defend the move.

“We’re going to adapt to put our program in the best position to be successful, because that’s what we got paid to do.”

The 21-year-old Nigerian never played any NBA or G-League games after getting drafted in 2023. It made him eligible to play in college for four more years, exposing a technical loophole in the rules.