How Many G League Players Make The Nba?
The answer may surprise you. The G League is the NBA’s official minor league, and it’s filled with incredibly talented players. But how many of them actually make it to the NBA?
G League Basics
The NBA G League, or simply the G League, is the National Basketball Association’s (NBA) official minor league. Named the Development League (D-League) until 2017, it was founded in 2001. The league consists of 26 teams, with 22 of the NBA’s 30 teams owning an affiliate.
What is the G League?
The G League is the NBA’s official minor league, preparing players, coaches, officials, trainers, and front-office staff for the NBA while acting as the league’s research and development laboratory.
While NBA players typically join the league out of college, the G League offers an alternative path to those who may not have had the opportunity to play collegiately. Players in the G League earn a salary of $35,000-$385,000 while maintaining G League rights for a maximum of four seasons.
Each NBA team can field up to six Affiliate Players — players with signed two-way contracts that enable them to move back and forth between their NBA parent club and its G League affiliate — in addition to their 15-man NBA roster. For example, Toronto Raptors two-way player Chris Boucher was called up from Raptors 905 on December 3 and has since appeared in 15 games for Toronto.
Affiliate players must be assigned to their NBA parent club’s G League affiliate and are not eligible to be recalled by any other team in either league. In order to be eligible for assignment to an NBA G League team, players must:
Be at least 18 years old during the calendar year of the draft in which they are eligible
Not be under contract with (or have already been drafted by) an NBA team
Not be a high school or college international student who needs clearance from the International Basketball Federation (FIBA)
Who is eligible to play in the G League?
Players who are at least 18 years old and have been out of high school for at least one year are eligible to play in the NBA G League. Players who are not yet eligible for the NBA can sign a “G League Affiliate Player” contract with an NBA G League team.
In order to be eligible to play in the NBA G League, players must meet certain educational requirements. Players must have graduated from high school or a foreign equivalent and must also be one year removed from their high school class.
Players who are not yet eligible for the NBA can sign a “G League Affiliate Player” contract with an NBA G League team. These players are placed on the team’s affiliate list and can be called up to the NBA G League roster at any time during the season.
What is the G League draft?
The G League draft is an annual event that allows NBA teams to select players to join their affiliated G League team. This is different from the NBA draft, where teams select players who will then go on to play in the NBA.
The G League draft usually takes place in late October or early November, after the NBA season has begun. It consists of two rounds, with each team getting one pick in each round.
Players who are eligible for the G League draft are typically unsigned rookies or second-year players who were not selected in the NBA draft. However, any player who has not signed an NBA contract is eligible to be drafted, including international players and players who have been released by NBA teams.
G League drafts are not televised, but they are open to the public. The draft order is determined by a lottery, which gives the team with the worst record in the previous season the best chance of getting the number one pick.
G League and NBA Call-Ups
In order to understand how many G League players make the NBA, we must first understand the NBA’s G League. The G League is the NBA’s official minor league. It was created in 2001 and is made up of 26 teams. Each team is affiliated with one or more NBA teams. The G League’s season runs from November to April, and each team plays 50 games.
What is a G League call-up?
A G League call-up is when an NBA team signs a player from the G League to a standard NBA contract. Players in the G League are signed to one-year deals that are non-guaranteed, meaning they can be released by their NBA team at any time. A G League call-up allows a player to earn an NBA salary and compete for an NBA roster spot.
NBA teams can sign players to two-way contracts, which allow them to spend up to 45 days with their NBA team while also spending time with their G League affiliate. Players on two-way contracts are not eligible for the playoffs or to play in the NBA Finals.
G League call-ups are relatively rare, but they do happen from time to time. In the 2018-19 season, there were 11 G League call-ups. The most recent example is Naz Mitrou-Long, who was called up by the Indiana Pacers in February 2019.
Players who are called up from the G League often have very short stints in the NBA. Most of them are quickly relegated back to the minor league, but some have been able to stick around for longer periods of time. Known examples of players who made successful transitions from the G League to the NBA include Hassan Whiteside, Jeremy Lin, and Danny Green.
How many G League players have been called up to the NBA?
In the 2018-19 season, a total of 53 players have been “called up” from the G League to the NBA. Of those 53 players, 45 have been called up by their NBA parent club while eight have been signed by other NBA teams.
The following is a complete list of G League-to-NBA call-ups during the 2018-19 season:
Player | NBA Team | G League Team
—|—|—
Boykins, Earl | Washington Wizards | Capital City Go-Go
Brown, Sterling | Milwaukee Bucks | Wisconsin Herd
Carter, soluble | New Orleans Pelicans | Erie BayHawks
Collins, Omari | Phoenix Suns | Northern Arizona Suns
What are the benefits of a G League call-up?
When an NBA team wants to sign a G League player to a standard NBA contract, they must first waive a player on their own roster. If no one claims that player off waivers, then he becomes a free agent and is free to sign with any team, including the team that just waived him. In exchange for this flexibility, the NBA assigns each team a certain number of “affiliate players” that they can choose to keep under NBA contract and recall from the G League at any time throughout the season.
There are a few benefits of being on an NBA affiliate player list. For one, it gives players the chance to stay in game shape and work on their skills while getting paid a significant salary (G League players make approximately $35,000-$75,000). Secondly, it allows players to be recalled by their NBA parent club at any time during the season if there is an injury or need for another body. This is beneficial for both the player and the team as it gives the player an opportunity to prove themselves at the NBA level while also giving the team added depth in case of injuries.
In recent years, there has been an increase in the number of G League players receiving call-ups to the NBA. In 2017-18, there were 41 call-ups league-wide (an all-time high), and in 2018-19 there were 37 call-ups. The most notable recent example is All-Star guard Kemba Walker, who spent time in both the G League and NBA before becoming an All-Star with the Charlotte Hornets.
G League to NBA Pathways
The G League has been a Developmental League for the NBA since 2001. In that time, there have been 258 G League alums who have gone on to play in the NBA. Of those 258 players, 44 have played in an NBA game this season.
What are the different pathways from the G League to the NBA?
Players can enter the G League in a variety of ways, including being drafted or signed as a free agent by a G League team, or by being assigned to the G League by an NBA team. Players can also choose to play in the G League as an alternative to playing in college.
There are three different pathways for players to get from the G League to the NBA:
-The NBA Draft: Players who are eligible for the NBA draft can declare for the draft and be selected by an NBA team. If they are not selected, they become free agents and can sign with any NBA team or with a G League team.
-The G League Pathway Program: This program, which launched in 2019, is designed to provide opportunities for elite players who choose to bypass college to play in the G League. Players who are enrolled in this program are given “two-way” contracts, which allow them to spend up to 45 days with their NBA team while primarily playing for their G League affiliate.
-Assignment: Players who are under contract with an NBA team can be assigned to their team’s affiliated G League team. These assignments can happen at any point during the season and help players stay sharp while they wait for their opportunity with the NBA team.
Which pathway is the most common?
The G League has been a viable pathway to the NBA for many players. In recent years, an increasing number of players have made the jump from the G League to the NBA. Much like players who are drafted out of college, G League players also have to prove themselves at the NBA level.
There are two main pathways that G League players take in order to make it to the NBA. The first pathway is through being drafted by an NBA team. The second pathway is by signing a contract with an NBA team.
The most common pathway for G League players to make it to the NBA is through being drafted by an NBA team. In fact, over 60% of current NBA players who came from the G League were drafted into the NBA. This includes big names such as Pascal Siakam and Zhou Qi.
The second most common pathway for G League players to reach the NBA is by signing a contract with an NBA team. This includes players such as Alex Caruso and Thomas Bryant. A number of these players have played for multiple teams before finally finding a home in the NBA.
Despite these two pathways being the most common, there are other ways that G League players have made it to the NBA. These include undrafted free agents, two-way contracts, and player option contracts.
What are the benefits of each pathway?
The G League to NBA pathway provides players with an avenue to the NBA that is both direct and transparent. Players who are signed to G League contracts are strictly ineligible for the NBA draft, meaning that they must be drafted or signed by an NBA team in order to play in the league. The advantage of this path is that it allows players to develop their skills in a professional environment without the pressures and scrutiny of the NBA draft process. In addition, G League salaries are not subject to the NBA’s rookie wage scale, so players can earn more money while honing their craft.
The other main pathway to the NBA is through college basketball. While there is no guarantee that players will be drafted or signed by an NBA team, the college route provides players with a higher level of competition and exposure. In addition, colleges also offer players scholarships which can cover the cost of tuition, room, and board. While the G League pathway is a direct route to the NBA, the college pathway provides players with an opportunity to develop their skills and earn a degree.
