Will Cal have another dominant team at Kentucky?

[Dwight Schrute]

My friend hates Boeheim. He wanted him gone when we first met...in 2006.

These coaches can really drain a program if they land these bizarre, horrible contracts and just linger around producing mediocre teams. Cal isn’t in that boat yet (last year was, let’s remember, very fun) but a season just like this one is definitely possible if we have another mass exodus this spring and he has to start over again.

He won’t be here in 2023 if there’s another season resembling this one.

[40bill]

College ball in some form will survive, maybe thrive. It will just be a different game. Will we like it? Maybe yes, maybe no. A newer younger fan base will be the ones to say.

College ball has always been a bit different than pro ball...for years on end, the best college teams were only moderately successful with making Pro players. Even those guys normally rode a bench for a time...and those days are loooooooong gone. If a GM invests tens of millions in a guy, he wants instant impact.

Back to the OP....Cal probably will not have a dominant team. Too many folks fishing for the same kids, too much to ask those kids to stick around three, four years and be special.

[Joneslab]

College fans didn’t really like the pros going straight to the NBA. I remember a lot of talk back then about how we were missing out on seeing stars like Kobe, LeBron, etc.

But as I said, NBA people didn’t love it either. Which I guess is the reason they’re trying to figure out how to make the G-League viable.

It’s a similar situation that baseball has been in for years. College baseball has traditionally lost tons of elite talent to farm teams, which obviously dilutes the talent in college baseball. The thing is though those farm teams aren’t really financially healthy—as evidenced by the fact that so many farm teams are going out of business.

Basketball is a different sport, yeah, but minor league baseball has incredible tradition in many cities—like Louisville. And those franchises still struggle mightily.

[JFCats22]

Make no mistake about it. A lot of passionate 'Cuse fans want Boeheim gone.

I have said for years that Boeheim is the most overrated coach in history. 40+ years with 1 title (he better thank Carmelo everyday) and minimal Final Fours. It’s a joke he is talked about as an all time great. He’s a product of longevity, not quality.

[lilproUK98]

I have said for years that Boeheim is the most overrated coach in history. 40+ years with 1 title (he better thank Carmelo everyday) and minimal Final Fours. It’s a joke he is talked about as an all time great. He’s a product of longevity, not quality.

Speaking of Boeheim lol

[85 Fly]

And also just in terms of viewership, college basketball outperforms the NBA.

How would the G-League be able to compete with either?

You have a good point Will...but I will be watching the elite G league group this season...I saw an interview on Youtube with Jalen Green, I think there are 12 (or was it 6?) teams that will begin competing mid Feb

[Spiritof96]

And also just in terms of viewership, college basketball outperforms the NBA.

How would the G-League be able to compete with either?

The NBA is a worldwide market. The NBA thinks it is going to become more popular than the NFL in America. The NBA runs the WNBA at a loss just to buy PR. They can afford to run the G league at a loss for years, especially if they can funnel the top 10% of HS talent through it.

[Joneslab]

The NBA is a worldwide market. The NBA thinks it is going to become more popular than the NFL in America. The NBA runs the WNBA at a loss just to buy PR. They can afford to run the G league at a loss for years, especially if they can funnel the top 10% of HS talent through it.

Agree.

But the point remains: it will be at a loss. It will totally fail if they see it as some kind of an entertainment vehicle. Nobody will watch, and I mean flat-out nobody. (I'm not 100% convinced the G-League really wants to even do this. I said this, but I think what they envision is one or two teams full of these young players that play around the world against foreign professional teams.)

As I said above, minor league football can't get going. If that fails disastrously there's no way any other sport has a shot.