G League Ignite Getting Extinguished By The NBA
There is no question that the Las Vegas valley loves basketball. The city comes alive for the NBA Summer League every year. There are also very strong hints being made by very powerful players (literally and figuratively) that a professional NBA basketball team will come to Las Vegas in the coming years. Oh, not to mention your Las Vegas Aces are back-to-back WNBA Champions! That said, it goes without saying that the G League Ignite isn’t connecting. Soon, they won’t be playing either.
The National Basketball Association announced on Thursday that the G League Ignite will be bidding the team adieu at the end of the season.
The G League Ignite Were Snake-bitten From The Start
Of all the years to start a sports franchise, 2020 wasn’t it. Playing at the Dollar Loan Center, the team is one of several minor league franchises to flood the market (and the DLC in particular). The fan base has been quite thin.
It certainly doesn’t help that the results haven’t been there. The team is currently an anemic 2-28 in the 2023-24 season. It is bad bad this year. One look at highlights from a G League Ignite game will show you the fan base wasn’t really there. (Author’s note: I did bring the family to a game a year ago and we had a great time. But admittedly didn’t feel a reason to return)
The Reason For The G League Ignite To Exist Has Vanished
While the NBA G League is continuing as essentially an NBA minor league. The G League Ignite was made to give prospective NBA players a way to make some money before the NBA Draft. An alternative to being an un-paid college player. The team did just that with several players who ended up in the big show.
But the NCAA rules changed and now college players are able to make legitimate money off of their likeness. Not to mention the NCAA basketball program is larger by every measure than the G League. So going to a lowly attended minor league team in Henderson wasn’t really the “big money move” it might have been four years ago.
You’ve got three more home games to catch the team before their final curtain call. Here’s hoping they can win two of them and double their win total.
5 NBA Teams to Watch Right Now
5. Philadelphia 76ers
The 76ers are solid this year, but they aren’t one of the best of the best. That said, there’s lots of potential here. Watch these guys closely. It’s so fun to watch Tyrese Maxey, who is a total superstar. He’s been averaging an upwards of 28 points per game lately.
(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)
4. Minnesota Timberwolves
The Minnesota Timberwolves had a big loss to the Bucks following the break, but then, they came back and definitively beat the Nets. The Wolves have been experiencing a few offensive hiccups, but they’re still one of the strongest teams in the league.
(Photo by David Berding/Getty Images)
3. Oklahoma City Thunder
The Oklahoma City Thunder crew is on fire. Coming back from break, they totally blew out the Clippers, Wizards and Rockets. Chet Holmgren is a star here, averaging around 24 points a game.
(Photo by Joshua Gateley/Getty Images)
2. Denver Nuggets
The Denver Nuggets are another team that came out of break with fire. These guys have been on a winning streak since the break ended. Nikola Jokic has been especially strong since break, averaging around 27 points per game.
(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
1. Boston Celtics
The Boston Celtics are really the strongest team in the NBA right now. They’re on a winning streak, which is nothing new for them. They have not one but a group of star players in Jaylen Brown, Jayson Tatum and Derrick White. It’s hard to see any team topping them.
(Photo by Steven Ryan/Getty Images)
