Junior Basketball Association
 Official logo featuring Lonzo Ball | |
| Sport | Basketball |
|---|---|
| Founded | December 20, 2017 |
| Founder | Frank Washburn and Carter Peabody |
| First season | 2018 |
| Claim to fame | First junior professional basketball league |
| No. of teams | 0 (8 planned) |
| Country | United States |
| Sponsor(s) | Big Baller Brand |
| Official website | www |
The Junior Basketball Association (JBA) is an upcoming men's professional basketball league, planned to be composed of 8 teams in four major U.S. cities. Considered the first junior professional basketball league in the world, it is designed as an alternative to the NCAA and to allow top high school prospects to immediately play professionally. The league was first announced in December 2017 by LaVar Ball, and it will be completely funded by Ball's sports apparel company Big Baller Brand. The JBA is expected to begin play in the summer of 2018.
History
On December 20, 2017, SLAM magazine first reported on the formation of the JBA after being sent a statement by LaVar Ball, the chief executive officer of Big Baller Brand and father to Los Angeles Lakers player Lonzo Ball and Vytautas Prienai–Birštonas players LiAngelo and LaMelo Ball.[1] Shortly after the announcement, Mike Golic of ESPN was among those who expressed doubts about the league's future.[2]
According to LaVar, his decision to launch the league was prompted by comments from Mark Emmert, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).[3] Earlier in the month, Emmert had remarked on LiAngelo's departure from UCLA following a shoplifting arrest in China: "Is this a part of someone being part of your university as a student-athlete or is it about using college athletics to prepare yourself to be a pro? If it's the latter, you shouldn't be there in the first place."[4]
The JBA was established as an alternative route for top amateur players to play professionally without having to compete at the college level for no money.[5] Players salaries will range from $3,000 to $10,000 per month for the season.[3] The league will also be fully funded by Big Baller Brand, and players will be required to wear the brand's merchandise. In addition, its official logo features LaVar's son Lonzo.[5]
On February 2, 2018, it was revealed that the JBA had contacted about 80 high school basketball players through Twitter about potentially joining its league, with a vast majority declining the offer.[6]
Teams
The league will be made up of eight teams, with an expected 80 players in total.[3] After the JBA was founded, Ball expressed hopes to hold its games in National Basketball Association (NBA) arenas in Atlanta, Brooklyn, Dallas, and Los Angeles.[4]
References
- ^ Calle, Franklyn (December 20, 2017). "LaVar Ball Launches Pro League". SLAM. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ Mullen, Logan (December 21, 2017). "Mike Golic Has Great Reason Why LaVar Ball's Basketball League Will Fail". New England Sports Network. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|website=(help) - ^ a b c Rovell, Darren (December 21, 2017). "LaVar Ball plans to start league for high school graduates". ESPN. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|website=(help) - ^ a b Bieler, Des (December 21, 2017). "LaVar Ball to start pro league for NBA hopefuls who don't want to attend college". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
- ^ a b Wells, Adam (December 21, 2017). "LaVar Ball to Start Big Baller Brand League for Players Who Skip College". Bleacher Report. Retrieved December 22, 2017.
{{cite web}}: Italic or bold markup not allowed in:|website=(help) - ^ Winfield, Kristian (February 2, 2018). "LaVar Ball is sliding in DMs, getting turned down by top HS recruits for his pro league". SB Nation. Retrieved February 2, 2018.
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