The whispers had been getting louder over the last few weeks.
GG Jackson’s commitment to North Carolina was in danger.
The usual cast of characters were in play. NBA G-League. Overtime Elite. Then, of course, there was a reclass from ’23 to ’22. If he would do that, South Carolina was in play with Jackson, more than likely, being one and done.
Welcome to the world of reclassing.
Jackson has reclassed to the class of ’22. The Tar Heels do not have a scholarship available. The last one went to Northwestern transfer, Pete Nance.
How did we get here?
Jackson’s performance at NBPA Top 100 camp where he was named MVP. At that point, Jackson looked to fast track himself to the NBA Draft even though, the ’23 draft has a lot more depth than this past year’s draft.
The decision every player has to make is weighing what means more. Get into the draft as early as possible to get the clock ticking on the rookie contract or risk playing an additional year in college to go a few slots higher.
This is the impact of the rookie cap. If you’re a top player, it’s work the risk to get to the second contract over going a few slots higher because of the money involved.
If Jackson is a hit, his second NBA contract will supersede those slots or any NIL being offered. From that point of view, Jackson’s move makes perfect sense even though he could go higher in the ’24 draft than the ’23 draft.
This isn’t going to be the last time we see a player do this. How the economics of basketball works, this type of move will be in play among top recruits for years to come.
