N/P: Rich Paul and his advice

Read this article. Curious as to what people think of the advice he gave this kid.

http://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/2...-broken-system

Paul seems like a guy who doesn't talk behind a whole lot of fluff and gets to the point. I appreciate that about him. Overall, I do like the advice he gave Bazley. Sometimes school isn't for everyone, and he's putting Bazley in a position to succeed right off the bat.

What worries me about him is his association with LeBron, who I don't trust in the slightest.

I don't know. A million dollar internship with a reputable billion dollar company sounds pretty good to me.

I can respect the advice that he gave his client. As Kinglio pointed out, college isn’t for everyone, so why treat these athletes like they are everyone? The G-League option isn’t bad either, but going the “intern” rout is the safest way from “point a” to “point b”. This kid wouldn’t be taking this chance if he didn’t have the assurance that he would still get his shot at the NBA, and a solid NBA combine and workout for an individual team will help you as much as a season of college basketball.

With the right accountants and team around you, $1m after taxes invested properly can kick out ~$50k a year... FOR LIFE. If Paul can get this kid to bank that money he can set up his own annuity that will change his life no matter what happens when this internship is up. If the NCAA was paying student athletes even a $10k/yr pension after they graduate, I'd respect them more.

Personally I think it is bad advice. Playing, whether college or GLeague, at least hones his skills as well as keeps him in front of GMs for the future. This "internship" is not a guaranteed $1 million as I read it. He only gets the future payouts if he is on a roster. So it appears he could be risking his career (or at least a significant drop in value) for what could turn out to be only $200,000.

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Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

Personally I think it is bad advice. Playing, whether college or GLeague, at least hones his skills as well as keeps him in front of GMs for the future. This "internship" is not a guaranteed $1 million as I read it. He only gets the future payouts if he is on a roster. So it appears he could be risking his career (or at least a significant drop in value) for what could turn out to be only $200,000.

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If he's not an NBA player he can still go overseas and play, or eventually the G-League. The question is whether there is any evidence that going to school would increase his chances of being a 1st round pick (guaranteed salary) and if so by how much do they increase those chances. This is calculated. He's a top 15 NBA prospect. I'm not sure if sitting out a year (uninjured) will decrease his stock at all. Only thing he's really losing is the opportunity to increase his stock during the season. It's interesting and a different approach. It's actually a very conservative move.

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Originally Posted by NMThreeMVP

If he's not an NBA player he can still go overseas and play, or eventually the G-League. The question is whether there is any evidence that going to school would increase his chances of being a 1st round pick (guaranteed salary) and if so by how much do they increase those chances. This is calculated. He's a top 15 NBA prospect. I'm not sure if sitting out a year (uninjured) will decrease his stock at all. Only thing he's really losing is the opportunity to increase his stock during the season. It's interesting and a different approach. It's actually a very conservative move.

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You don't think his stock would fall taking a year off? If he were the #1 prospect, maybe that could be the case. However, he is not even top 10 and he has a very slight build, so he has something to prove. Very risky move.

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Originally Posted by PELICANSFAN

You don't think his stock would fall taking a year off? If he were the #1 prospect, maybe that could be the case. However, he is not even top 10 and he has a very slight build, so he has something to prove. Very risky move.

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i agree with you his stock may fall but also look at who is he signed with....i said it before that those dudes dont make moves without knowing the second move has a high chance of cashing in....they probably already have a deal with a GM to take him in the draft early......think about it..thats a huge gamble for that kid but rich is taking the gamble and imo its a done deal but we will see....

I love it. Anything to put the screws to an organization that cashes in billions from youngsters putting their bodies on the line.

$200k for his first year with a chance to "go pro in something else" if basketball doesn't work out is a great deal. That internship has its own value in terms of job experience. I tell all of my students not to graduate without taking an internship somewhere.

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Originally Posted by boardtown

I love it. Anything to put the screws to an organization that cashes in billions from youngsters putting their bodies on the line.

$200k for his first year with a chance to "go pro in something else" if basketball doesn't work out is a great deal. That internship has its own value in terms of job experience. I tell all of my students not to graduate without taking an internship somewhere.

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I am sure this is not a "real" internship but more of a precursor to a shoe deal. I highly doubt his future is in the shoe business. Maybe it will all work out fine for him.

I think this is great advice, even if I dont think its the best path. You have to play, and pick-up and one-on-one will put him behind his peers in his draft class. But he will be ahead of his peers from a business standpoint and the "education" he gets in the internship, no matter how real, is WAY more than he will be getting taking basket-weaving at Syracuse. But any 6-9 kid with guard skills has a chance to be in the league, so its a safe way to get to the league.

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Originally Posted by NMThreeMVP

With the right accountants and team around you, $1m after taxes invested properly can kick out ~$50k a year... FOR LIFE. If Paul can get this kid to bank that money he can set up his own annuity that will change his life no matter what happens when this internship is up. If the NCAA was paying student athletes even a $10k/yr pension after they graduate, I'd respect them more.

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No it can’t...

I’m fine with the move although I do think a year away from the game isn’t going to help him. Ultimately he’ll get a shot to play, but if he drops to the second round how much salary lost is that? There is a potential cost to this as well.


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I won't pretend to know enough about the situation and the system to say whether this is a good or bad piece of advice, and good or bad decision. Certainly it would be interesting to know the details on the years 2-5 and what they actually entail (being on a roster alone, how many games etc). To me it just comes across like a pawn for Rich and co to fight the far bigger battle, but hey if he knows it and is happy to be that then so be it. The cynic in me doubts they have his best intentions truly at heart, no matter how they sell it. Probably true in either choice, it just comes down to what are his goals short term and long in life.

For Syracuse coach to be that upset, you know that kid has talent. This isn't a coincidence. Paul is smart and he is upsetting the natural order and I love it

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Originally Posted by kinglio21093

Paul seems like a guy who doesn't talk behind a whole lot of fluff and gets to the point. I appreciate that about him. Overall, I do like the advice he gave Bazley. Sometimes school isn't for everyone, and he's putting Bazley in a position to succeed right off the bat.

What worries me about him is his association with LeBron, who I don't trust in the slightest.

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Why? What shady thing has LeBron ever done besides leave cleveland, then go back and win them a championship?

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Originally Posted by boardtown

I love it. Anything to put the screws to an organization that cashes in billions from youngsters putting their bodies on the line.

$200k for his first year with a chance to "go pro in something else" if basketball doesn't work out is a great deal. That internship has its own value in terms of job experience. I tell all of my students not to graduate without taking an internship somewhere.

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Seems contradictory to support internships if you don't like kids giving away their labor for free.

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Originally Posted by billfromfinance

I won't pretend to know enough about the situation and the system to say whether this is a good or bad piece of advice, and good or bad decision. Certainly it would be interesting to know the details on the years 2-5 and what they actually entail (being on a roster alone, how many games etc). To me it just comes across like a pawn for Rich and co to fight the far bigger battle, but hey if he knows it and is happy to be that then so be it. The cynic in me doubts they have his best intentions truly at heart, no matter how they sell it. Probably true in either choice, it just comes down to what are his goals short term and long in life.

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I think Paul is using him as a pawn as well to try and get the NBA to drop the silly one and done rules. If it works and the kid does not suffer, I get it.

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Originally Posted by LouisianaJoseph

Seems contradictory to support internships if you don't like kids giving away their labor for free.

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Hypocrisy-seeking is the enemy of pragmatism. Would I rather see everyone paid? Of course.

Am I so foolish as to not recognize that a student with a 4.0 and relevant experience has the upper hand in a tight job market than a student with just a 4.0?

Of course not.

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Originally Posted by boardtown

Hypocrisy-seeking is the enemy of pragmatism. Would I rather see everyone paid? Of course.

Am I so foolish as to not recognize that a student with a 4.0 and relevant experience has the upper hand in a tight job market than a student with just a 4.0?

Of course not.

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I agree with you but that doesn't equate to that labor being free.

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Originally Posted by boardtown

Hypocrisy-seeking is the enemy of pragmatism. Would I rather see everyone paid? Of course.

Am I so foolish as to not recognize that a student with a 4.0 and relevant experience has the upper hand in a tight job market than a student with just a 4.0?

Of course not.

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Unpaid internships are wage theft. You can accept that sometimes having done an internship can be advantageous while still understanding that having them be unpaid is exploitative and unfair.