Art Chansky’s Sports Notebook is presented by The Casual Pint. YOUR place for delicious pub food paired with local beer. Choose among 35 rotating taps and 200+ beers in the cooler.
Did you know that college basketball can now sign players from the G League?
Michigan State’s Hall of Famer Tom Izzo found out and sounded off on the latest news.
Hubert Davis was caught by surprise when asked about recruiting from the G League, which is the “minors” of the NBA. ACC foe Louisville is the first school to do it by signing two “older” guys with pro experience. The Cardinals are picked second in the ACC preseason poll and Carolina is third behind Duke.
Davis’ fifth Tar Heel team plays an exhibition game against BYU in Salt Lake City Friday night with nine new on scholarship from the freshman class of 2025 and transfer portal, so he is set for the upcoming season. But he said he’d check out what caused such national news.
Izzo went slightly bonkers at the new rule that G League players within five years of graduating from high school can still play college basketball regardless of their pro status. He is entering his 31st season coaching the Spartans and did not hold back.
“I know I’m going to get myself in trouble,” Izzo said Wednesday. “I listen to people talk about how kids have changed. Kids aren’t the problem. We’re the problem. This was sprung on us yesterday, where a guy can be in the G League for two or three years and then all of a sudden, he’s eligible.”
He said neither he nor his assistant coaches knew about it. He believes the NCAA created that rule because they were afraid of getting sued in the litigious world we live in. “To me, it’s ridiculous, embarrassing,” Izzo added.
Wonder if UNC general manager Jim Tanner can sign a couple of G League veterans and have them meet the team in Utah, where foreign transfer Luka Bogavac is questionable because the university has yet to clear him even though the NCAA has. And freshman guard Isaiah Denis is nursing an injury against the Cougars and their top-rated freshman star AJ Dybantsa.
“I’ll find out about the G League thing and let you know what I think,” Hubert said, tongue in cheek when leaving his press conference Wednesday. He is excited about taking his revamped team to play a game at the sold-out home of the Utah Jazz, but reminded us several times that “it is an exhibition.” A year ago, the Tar Heels beat Memphis in such a game without sidelined R.J. Davis, but a much-improved Seth Trimble emerged. Trimble is the only returning starter.
Hubert noted that Memphis became an NCAA Tournament team and 5 seed, while the Tar Heels won 23 games and barely squeaked into the First Four of Big Dance.
So the Tar Heels who have been practicing against themselves since last season ended can’t be judged until they play an actual opponent. Only then will Davis think he might look to the G League for reinforcements. Wink, wink.
Art Chansky is a veteran journalist who has written ten books, including best-sellers “Game Changers,” “Blue Bloods,” and “The Dean’s List.” He has contributed to WCHL for decades, having made his first appearance as a student in 1971. His “Sports Notebook” commentary airs daily on the 97.9 The Hill WCHL and his “Art’s Angle” opinion column runs weekly on Chapelboro.Chapelboro.com does not charge subscription fees, and you can directly support our efforts in local journalism here. Want more of what you see on Chapelboro? Let us bring free local news and community information to you by signing up for our newsletter.
