DC300
Maybe that's the way it needs to be. Kids who aren't going to school for an education, but rather to promote their basketball skills on a bigger stage for a year or two to improve their draft potential - let the NBA take care of paying them to play in their development G league, if they show that much potential out of high school.
I don't suspect it will be a "lucrative" package, however. A quick google search (not sure how accurate it is) revealed this:
"Effective next season, players signed to G League contracts will earn $35,000 — or $7,000 per month — in addition to housing and insurance benefits over the course of the league's five-month regular season. Players under G League contracts previously earned either $26,000 or $19,000. (Apr 17, 2018)"
The source is the NY Times.
I still think college offers the bigger stage for players playing at the major Division 1 schools versus the G league, basically because the powerhouse programs get much more visibility and exposure each week with nationally televised games. I've not seen much with regard to the G league, unless one has access to the NBA TV cable channel, and even then it's marginal coverage at best. Viewers who want more have to upgrade their cable television packages.
They're basically exchanging visibility on national cable programming for a salary. And since most of them qualify to still be considered under their parents' health care insurance plans as a student, and since they have room and board paid for with a college scholarship - the moderate salary they might earn would be the only real difference. And for some - that might be worth the tradeoff.
Not sure, but I think a high schooler is already eligible to play in the G league if he meets the age criteria (18). But there is a sticking point in play.
According to the NBA's G-league website:
"If a player from high school, college or overseas enters the NBA G League without ever having declared for the NBA Draft, he will also join the waiver pool. That player remains NBA Draft-eligible but is not eligible to be called up to the NBA."
He can play, he can earn a salary, and he has the opportunity to develop his game while also getting paid. But the only way he can enter the NBA is through the draft.
It'll be interesting to see if that changes in the coming years, especially if the G-league becomes a popular alternative for talented high school prospects who forgo college.