G League Ignite, former home of Jonathan Kuminga, shuts down
It was fun while it lasted.
It’s March Madness, which means members of the Golden State Warriors have an eye on the TV to see how their alma maters are doing. But one player on the team is instead seeing his bridge between high school and the NBA be taken down.
On Thursday, the NBA announced that it would shut down the G League Ignite at season’s end — which is next week. The Ignite was the lone G League team not affiliated with any NBA organization, but instead was operated by the NBA itself, with the goal of providing a pipeline to professional basketball for players who chose to forego college hoops.
One of the most famous players to play for the Ignite? Current Warriors forward Jonathan Kuminga, who suited up for the Ignite in their inaugural season in 2020-21. Kuminga used his stint in the G League to audition for the NBA, and was rewarded by being drafted seventh overall in the 2021 NBA Draft by the Warriors. Now in his third season, Kuminga is flourishing and quickly turning into a star.
The NBA somewhat-vaguely alluded to the reason for shuttering the team, with G League President (and former NBA player) Shareef Abdur-Rahim saying, “With the changing environment across youth and collegiate basketball, now is the right time to take this step.” In a press release, the NBA noted that, “The decision to end the program comes amid the changing basketball landscape, including the NCAA’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) policy and the advent of collectives and the transfer portal.”
NBA announces it is ending the G League Ignite, which served as a development hub for Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga and Scoot Henderson, among others. pic.twitter.com/Oa4AKAOOxF
— Howard Beck (@HowardBeck) March 21, 2024
The NIL policy allows college players to finally receive some compensation for their star power. Unlike G League teams that are affiliated with NBA squads, the Ignite was allowed to offer contracts of up to $500,000, making the feeder team an exciting alternative for one-and-done prospects who didn’t want to spend a year starring for an NCAA team without pay.
There are 10 Ignite alumni who have been drafted in the NBA: lottery picks Kuminga, Jalen Green, Scoot Henderson, and Dyson Daniels; first-round pick MarJon Beauchamp; and second-round picks Jaden Hardy, Isaiah Todd, Leonard Miller, Sidy Cissoko, and Mojave King. Two other players — Daishen Nix and Michael Foster Jr. — made the league as undrafted players following a stint with the Ignite. The final roster from the team’s four-year run is expected to produce a few NBA players, including projected top-five pick Matas Buzelis.