For every Amen and Ausar Thompson, there are the Bryce Griggs of the Overtime Elite league. Skipped college, got paid, played professionally, but didn't really make it professionally.

I think we're going to start seeing those guys back on college campuses. It looks like it's on a case by case basis at this point.

And here we go... https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/vanderbilt-hosts-22-old-pro-161704292.html

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Vanderbilt recently hosted 22-year-old pro point guard Bryce Griggs for an official visit, a source told Rivals. Griggs visited the Commodores for their matchup against Tennessee on Saturday, February 21st.

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Following his pro career, Griggs is now looking to make the move to college basketball. According to an X post from his agency, Prestige Management Group, Griggs has officially received NCAA clearance to enroll in college and is expected to have at least two years of eligibility.

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I don't follow college ball closely, other than tuning in for Aggie games. Is this really any different than Dominguez?

Seems like if he signed a 2 way G league contract it would be more like Bediako than Dominguez . Difference being he didn't play in G league and Bediako did.

No, it's more like Dominguez because the big thing about Bediako is that he already played college basketball. That is not the case with Griggs.

The NCAA has been able to hold the line that if you play college ball and then willingly forfeit your college eligibility, then you're done.

Right now that appears to be the only distinction that matters. Have you previously played college basketball or not?

I'm not sure what to think or if I even care. With NIL, they're all "professional" anyway.
Part of me thinks everyone should just get a total of 4 years to play college ball; however you want to dice it. Do 2 years, go pro, come back for 2 more. Who really cares at this point? 45 year old Lebron retires, then goes to UCLA to play college.

Ok. Thanks for that detail. I missed that totally.

I think there's a decision of which path we want to take, and based on that we can decide everything else:

1) We're fine with the idea that college basketball (and football) players are essentially just advertisements for the schools they represent and we don't care whether they're actually students or not

2) College basketball is a sport for athletes who are in college trying to progress their way to either professional basketball OR a profession that isn't basketball, but are expected to be trying to progress their way to both of those outcomes.

I think I'm good with #1. I get that most college athletes overall do not go pro. But a large percentage of athletes in the big 3 sports do have the goal of going pro. Let them "major" in their sport, and let's stop the charade of "student athletes."

As for Bryce Griggs, he got $1.2 million from Overtime Elite, then got some walking around money in the Mexico league. Now he'll get NIL money.

He's not probably good enough for the NBA, but he could parlay this into a long career overseas.

If you think about it, he's done Ok for himself at 22 years old. Heck, he'll even get a year or two worth of college credits… not a degree but whatever.

He put out a roadmap for other kids who are pretty elite to get paid pretty well

It reduces spots for high school athletes to have their opportunity. Don't need washed out pros taking spots from younger athletes and don't need dudes taking spots from females either. Let young athletes have their moment and opportunities to develop and shine.