Colin Cowherd: NCAA Basketball Creates More Lucrative Career than G-League

Colin Cowherd: “Giannis has been in the league for five years and is just now relevant, conversely Zion Williamson is already a star at 19-years-old… Why? Because of college basketball. Zion Williamson’s exploding shoe was nothing more than an internet meme, but because he played at Duke it was the biggest topic of conversation in America on every show for three weeks. We bang on college basketball because they don’t pay the players but college basketball is what makes the players money. We have so stigmatized college hoops, but I would argue it makes players more money when they get drafted because they’re already stars. I don’t know who Zion Williamson is besides an internet sensation if not for Duke. Giannis just won the MVP... Outside of Milwaukee and diehard Slam Magazine fans, nobody knew who Giannis was three years into the league. Zion is inches from an American superstar at 19 because of March Madness, Duke's rivalry with North Carolina, and his connection to Coach K. College Basketball and March Madness is tremendous brand building, the G-League NEVER will be."

Listen to Colin Cowherd discuss the trendy topic of conversation that involves people around the sport of basketball burying the idea of the top high school players in America choosing to go to college and play for free, rather than be salaried by going overseas or playing in the NBA G-League.

It’s easy to make that argument considering it’s money right in front of the noses of young basketball players who haven’t ever made a dollar to their name yet, but Colin believes that thought process is entirely flawed given the fact the vast majority of the United States has no idea what’s going on in those leagues, nor will they ever care.

Colin says big-time college basketball gives these star players the ultimate one, two, three, or sometimes even four year spotlight to be the lead actor in their own advertisement seen by millions of sports fans on a daily basis.

Check out the audio below as Colin argues that Zion Williamson went from an internet sensation to American icon in one year because he went to Duke, and that the G-League could never have made Zion into the brand that he’s now become.