The NBA G League is a great platform for players who couldn’t secure a spot in the NBA Draft or were late-round picks. It allows them to stay active, work on their game, and showcase their talent while still playing at a high level. However, former Celtics center Vincent Poirier believes the G League is not worth the hype.
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Poirier even compared it to the second-division French league. In a clip uploaded by Euro Hoops on X, the 30-year-old can be heard talking about the G League. Poirier says that the quality is so low that it doesn’t even qualify as a league in his opinion.
The talent pool in the G League is full of players with borderline NBA talent. The ones who appeared for the draft but couldn’t get selected or the ones who were selected but in later rounds are still professional athletes. On top of that, their chances of making it into the NBA are high, but Poirier sees it as a mere cop-out for those athletes who don’t want to go and play in a foreign league.
He said, “For me, the G League is not even a league… I know a lot of guys that are not ready to leave America and explore overseas, they stay here. So, it doesn’t really show the level that they have…I don’t know what’s more valuable for the NBA, EuroLeague, or G League. I think it’s like the second division in France… I played there, I can say that.”
Vincent Poirier on the level of G League
"It's like French second division. I know because I played there" 😜 pic.twitter.com/oH3NJyaVzj
— Eurohoops (@Eurohoopsnet) September 20, 2024
Poirier clarified that he meant no disrespect with his take and that he has seen players who went to the Euro League instead of the G League become better players. However, someone like Isaiah Thomas would disagree with Poirier’s opinion as he has recently played in the G League and managed to secure a spot in the NBA.
He said, “I think this is the quickest route to get back in the NBA and to get on a playoff roster by the end of the season.” Another reason that he added was that he is a family man and staying away from his kids for a long time is something he cannot afford.
The EuroLeague has given some incredible talent to the NBA
Poirier’s opinion cannot be labeled wrong because if we look at the recent trend, we will see that there are a lot of great players in the league who come from Europe. European basketball has been producing better talent and the effects are visible in the NBA.
The EuroLeague has given the likes of Luka Doncic and Victor Wembanyama to the NBA and it’s undeniable that they are the future of the league. While Wemby had one of the best rookie seasons ever, the Mavericks star took his team to the NBA Finals in 2024.
Besides that, the number one NBA Draft pick of 2024, Zaccharie Risacher, and the number two pick, Alex Sarr, are both products of the EuroLeague. So, there’s clearly an influx of talent coming in from overseas and if Poirier’s assessment is correct, maybe other players should consider giving the French league a chance in the hope of playing high-level basketball.
