Coach K: NBA G-League could challenge college basketball "we can't have our heads in the sand"
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski was asked about the increasing number of high school players who are bypassing college to play overseas or pursue other professional options instead of spending a year in college.
Krzyzewski thinks it’s good for young athletes to have options.
“Not to be put in a situation where they have to do one thing, if they feel like there are two or three alternatives,” he said. “I like that. Just like a kid who’s an entertainer. I like the fact that they have alternatives. People are going to make those decisions. We have to adjust accordingly. As a collegiate community if we think the NBA is just going to stand still … the G League being what it is right now—it’s advanced. If and when high school players are brought in right away the G League has to improve. And they are investing in it. You could see them having more rounds in the draft, because if I’m the owner of an NBA team and have a G League affiliate, I don’t want to just protect two guys. I want to protect everybody. Now, that’s not the case. You can protect two and the others are open. If I’m improving somebody, I don’t want someone taking him. I think it will mirror a little bit of what baseball does. Don’t be shocked four or five years from now, if there’s G League on TV and maybe our college product is being challenged not just by the NBA. Where are these kids going to be marketed and developed? We need to not have our heads in the sand, and our heads are in the sand a lot for college.”
