Despite an increasing number of prospects from the 2020 recruiting class spurning the NCAA in favor of the NBA G League’s new professional pathway program, one such marquee talent could still end up at a blue-blood school.
Jon Rothstein of CBS Sports reported on Sunday that Kentucky and UCLA are the favorites to land 5-star prospect Makur Maker if he decides to play college basketball. Rothstein adds that Maker, the cousin of Detroit Pistons big man Thon Maker, is unlikely to play in the G League next season and is also considering Memphis, Auburn, and Oregon.
The 19-year-old Maker stands 6-foot-11 and last played for Hillcrest Prep in Phoenix, Ariz. He declared for the 2020 draft and was granted eligibility by the NBA but still has time to withdraw his name from consideration.
The G League’s new development program is taking a major chomp out of the NCAA’s talent pool — UCLA just lost five-star guard commit Daishen Nix to it, and Kentucky signee Terrence Clarke was also reportedly targeted by the G League. College coaches don’t sound too concerned about the trend though, and Maker illustrates how there should still be plenty of stars to go around.
