NBA G League, where does it lead?

Formerly known as the NBA D League, the G league has been around for a while, since 2001 to be precise. This League offered players who weren't drafted to still get a chance to make it professionally, while organizations could get the best out of their players who weren't NBA ready.

The G League has seen lots of faces come and go, as not many players stay in the G League their entire career. Some Might find success in the US and make it tho the NBA, others might find better offers overseas, either in Europe, China or Australia. But others don't have another choice but to hang up their shoes and say goodbye to the game. Most of these players were either drafted and sent to the affiliate team, or signed on a two way contract, which came in handy for teams during the 2020 bubble Finals.

The G League isn't just for young players though, some former All Stars couldn't cut it for the NBA anymore and settled for the G League. Notable ones would be Kenneth Faried, Jeremy Lin, Lance Stephenson, and so on. Many of these players still play in either the G League or the NBA, but it’s not a secure position to be in, especially on a two-way contract. You might be playing at an elite level in the G League, but the NBA is just that much better that the gap seems almost unreachable.

Eugene “Pooh” Jeter III is a current player in the G League for the Ignites. After getting drafted to the Kings in 2006 and averaging 4 points and 1 assist, he got waved. Luckily he had the opportunity to sign for a team in Europe, where he found much success, including a stint for the Ukrainian national team at the 2014 FIBA world cup. After close to 15 years abroad, he got offered a contract to the G League Ignite. Now 39 years old, Pooh hasn't given up on his playing career, in fact he is playing above average, with a 70 three point percentage this season. At only 180cm tall, Pooh made a career for himself to be proud of as he never looked back to what one would refer to failing, and making close to half a million dollars.

Many players like Pooh, Lance Stephenson and Kenneth Faried can adapt to a younger league with their knowledge, skill and general veterancy.

You might have heard of his name, Andre Ingram, the basketball player who after playing four years in college went undrafted in the 2007 draft and spent his entire career in the G League playing for the Lakers and Utah's affiliate teams, including a brief stint with the Perth Wildcats in the NBL. Andre Ingram waited his whole career to be called up to the NBA, and as the G League salaries aren’t high, especially when they were lower, Andre had to find side hustles. Andre Ingram is most notably known for playing basketball while tutoring mathematics to children at elementary level, making as much as he could outside of games and training.

In 2017, the gods answered Andre's prayers, as the Lakers called him up to play 2 games, where he averaged 12 points, 3.5 assists, 1.5 steals and 1.5 blocks, all while shooting 55% from the three point line. The G Leaguer was playing so well that caught the attention of the media, and that's when the world got to know the story of Andre Ingram. To this day, at the tender age of 37, Ingram is still an active player in the G League, becoming the top sorcerer in the league still playing.