LeBron James drops the Hammer on the NCAA - 'Sorry, it's going to make headlines'
Cleveland Cavaliers star LeBron James did not mince words when the subject of the NCAA came up at shoot around before Tuesday’s game against the Brooklyn Nets.
“The NCAA is corrupt, we know that,” said James. “Sorry, it’s going to make headlines, but it’s corrupt.”
#Cavs LeBron James says NCAA is 'corrupt,' plans to work with NBA Commissioner to shore up 'farm system' https://t.co/IBW212NWbO
— Chris Fedor (@ChrisFedor) February 27, 2018
College basketball has been under FBI investigation for widespread bribery and corruption at several schools, including Louisville, which had to vacate its 2013 national championship title over recruiting violations.
“I don’t know if there’s any fixing the NCAA. I don’t think there is,” James said. “It’s what’s been going on for many, many, many years. I don’t know how you can fix it. I don’t see how you can fix it.”
James, of course, was drafted number 1 overall in the 2003 NBA Draft straight out of high school, back before the one-and-done rule went into effect.
“Obviously, I’ve never been a part of it, so I don’t know all the ins and outs about it. I don’t know all the rules and regulations about it, but I do know what five-star athletes bring to a campus, both in basketball and football. I know how much these college coaches get paid. I know how much these colleges are gaining off these kids,” James said.
“I’ve always heard the narrative that they get a free education, but you guys are not bringing me on campus to get an education, you guys are bringing me on it to help you get to a Final Four or to a national championship, so it’s just a weird thing,” James added.
LeBron James says the NCAA is "corrupt," adds that G-League expansion is possible https://t.co/tSMwB8S9iU pic.twitter.com/QhLIP9WsaE
— Sports Illustrated (@SInow) February 27, 2018
For James, going straight to the pros was a no-brainer.
“Me and my mom was poor, I’ll tell you that, and they expected me to step foot on a college campus and not to go to the NBA? We weren’t going to be poor for long, I’ll tell you that. That’s a fact,” the Cavs forward said.
He was asked what he thought about the one-and-done rule, which requires players to attend college for at least one year before going pro.
“It’s something we’ve got to discuss,” said James. As far as the NBA development league, now called the G League, James thinks the NBA needs to continue to expand it so that it is a true minor league.
“I just look at it like a farm league, like in baseball. Or you look at pros overseas — some of those guys get signed at 14, but they get put into this farm system where they’re able to grow and be around other professionals for three or four years. Then when they’re ready they hit the national team, or when they’re ready they become a pro. We have to kind of really figure that out, how we can do that,” James said.
Currently, there are 26 teams in the G League, not quite one for every NBA team. A 27th team, a Wizards affiliate, is joining in 2018, with a Hawks affiliate joining in 2019. The only NBA teams without an exclusive G League team are the Pelicans, Nuggets and Blazers.
“As the NBA, we have to figure out a way to shore up our farm league and if kids feel like they don’t want to be part of that NCAA program thing, then we have something here to be able to jump back on and not have to worry about going overseas,” said James.
“I actually got a couple of boys that could be heading in that direction, so there’s going to be some decisions that we as a family have to make,” James added.
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