NCAA Basketball: Options for Cade Cunningham after Ok State postseason ban

G League still available for Cade Cunningham

For over six months, Cunningham has been set to go with Oklahoma State. But if he feels that there’s no point in playing 30 games for free without any postseason as a reward, the five-star guard may opt to get paid right away. Typically if players don’t want to play in college, they go overseas to China, Europe and Australia. But with Covid-19 still being dealt with, it’s hard to envision that being a legit route to consider.

Good thing there’s a new pro initiative inside the United States and the NBA that is an alternative for top-tier high school players that don’t want to go to college. They have the “G League Select Team”, a developmental squad that includes several top recruits that have already committed. Isaiah Todd, Jalen Green, Dashien Nix and international big man Kai Sotto are on the team, while No. 1 class of 2021 prospect Jonathan Kuminga could reclassify and go pro as well and join the roster.

Cunningham, like several others, was reportedly approached by the G League but the offer wasn’t worth passing up playing in college for Oklahoma State. With things now in flux, they could up their financial offer to the player and have a major star to boost intrigue for this new initiative. And while he may not have millions of highlights being on this team with other five-star talents, it could actually work in Cunningham’s favor and “protect” the projected top-3 NBA Draft pick in 2021.