G League is the NBA’s minor league. This is where they mainly develop young prospects who want to make it to the NBA.
We know that they don’t earn much compared to NBA players.
But how much do G League Players earn exactly?
The current average salary of G League Players for five months of play is $37,000, which is $2,000 higher than the previous year’s $35,000. On the other hand, players under two-way contracts can earn around $502,000. While players in the G League Professional Path can earn from $125,000 to $500,000.
Let us learn more about the G league and how much they earn.
What is the Average G League Salary?
The NBA G League is one of the ways for prospective NBA players to enter the scene and get noticed for a call-up in the big leagues. Unfortunately, it does not pay as much.
The average G League salary is around $37,000 for five months of play, which has already increased by $2,000 since the previous years following the formation of the G League Players Union in 2020.
So, it wouldn’t be surprising if the players’ average salary increases in the upcoming years.
However, the $37,000 salary means the players earn around $7,4000 monthly in five months, which may look like a spare change compared to what NBA players with standard contracts are making. The NBA player’s salaries average around 7.5 million, paid all-year round semi-monthly.
Aside from the relatively low income of G League players, they are also not enjoying the same benefits as NBA players that come with their contracts.
Before establishing the base salaries of G League players of $37,000, the salary scheme was very different. There used to be a three-tiered salary system: Tier A: $25,000, Tier B: $19,000, and Tier C: $13,000.
What is the G League Minimum Salary?
The current minimum G League Salary is pegged at $37,000, which is also the average league salary. This salary is far below the NBA Rookie salary of over $1,000,000.
However, G League players mostly stay in the minor league to have the opportunity of getting discovered by coaches and scouts so that they can be called up to the NBA.
What is the Highest G League salary?
While the G League is not giving out lucrative amounts of money to its players, some still earn more than the rest. Here are some of the highest-paid G League Players in the previous years.
1. 2020-21 Season – Jalen Green ($500,000)
Jalen Green was ranked as a top recruit in 2020. He then decided to forgo the usual college basketball route and sign with the G League Ignite Team, where he earned $500,000 in his one-and-done year with the G League.
He goes on to be the 2nd Overall Pick in the 2021 NBA Draft.
2. 2021-22 Season – Sharife Cooper ($462,629)
Sharife Cooper is a 2021 2nd Round Draft Pick by the Atlanta Hawks. He then signed a two-way deal with the Hawks.
During his time in the G League, he earned at least $462,629.
What are the Different Types of G League Contracts?
There are various ways to get into the G League, which only means that players can be compensated in several ways.
G League players enter the development league through one of these three contract types.
1. Standard G League Contract
Basketball players who enter the G League can sign a one-year contract with the league itself instead of signing through a specific team.
Any NBA team can call up players who sign a standard contract at anytime. Standard contracts are worth $37,000 ($7,400 per month).
However, if a player is cut from the team after attending the summer league, then decides to sign with their affiliate team, they will be eligible for a bonus of up to $50,000 based on the NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement (NBA CBA) Exhibit 10 Clause.
2. Two-Way Contract
The NBA CBA also included the ability for teams to sign a maximum of two players under two-way contracts.
This means an NBA Team can have 17 players (15 regulars, two two-way players) on their active roster. These players will divide their playing time between their NBA Team and its G League Affiliate Team.
According to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN, players under the two-way contract can earn half the minimum rookie contract of $1,017,781, around $502,000.
After the recent rule changes, two-way contract players can appear in as many as 50 games out of the 82 regular season games. They are also entitled to practice days, travel days, and other activities of their NBA Team.
3. Select Contract
The NBA G Leagues has also been an avenue for prospective NBA players who are eligible to play professionally but not yet eligible for the NBA Draft and want to skip the usual college basketball one-and-done path.
The NBA G League Professional Path offers a “Select Contract” where players can earn a $125,000 for a five-month season.
The G League Select Contract is exclusively offered to players 18 years and above considered elite prospects due to their current player ranking.
How Does the Exhibit 10 Clause Affect G League Players’ Salaries
The G League can also have some form of bonuses, mainly what came to be the Exhibit 10 clause of the latest NBA Collective Bargaining Agreement.
The Exhibit 10 clause allows NBA Teams to convert a player’s one-year minimum non-guaranteed contract into a two-way contract before the start of the season.
So if a player is waived by their NBA Team and then goes to sign with the team’s G League Affiliate Team and remains in that team for at least 60 days, they will be entitled to a $5,000 to $50,000 bonus.
This bonus will not be reflected in the team’s salary cap, giving more wiggle room for the NBA teams to move around players during the season.
The Exhibit 10 Clause only applies to teams with G League Affiliated Teams, so the Phoenix Suns and the Portland Trailblazers can’t use the Exhibit 10 Clause.
What is the G League?
The NBA G League is the official minor league of the NBA. It was previously known as the NBA Development League or D League until the 2017-18 Season when the NBA partnered with Gatorade, hence the G.
It has been around since the 2000-01 Season but only served as a developmental league, not the NBA’s official minor league.
It started with only eight teams but has soon proved vital to the NBA’s player development and talent acquisition. There are 30 teams in the G League. 28 are NBA affiliate teams, while the other two are exhibition teams.
Through the years, the NBA G League has produced stars and talents that have proved to be valuable assets for NBA Teams.
It has also been the breeding ground for undrafted players who developed into valuable players.
What is the G League Ignite?
The G League Ignite is the current team of the G League that offers a professional path and development program for its players as an alternative to the usual college basketball (NCAA) path.
It is mainly composed of prospects and veteran players.
While it was only an exhibition team in 2020, players in the G League Ignite can earn up to $500,000, which Jalen Green earned in only one year of play.
Some of the most notable alumni from the G League Ignite are Jalen Green (2021 2nd Pick), Jonathan Kuminga (2021 7th Pick), and Dyson Daniels (2022 8th Pick).
Best NBA Players to Come Out of G League
The NBA G League has been an excellent avenue for players to develop and hone their skills and prove they are NBA-ready and deserving of an NBA contract.
Since its inception, several NBA players have managed to exceed expectations and gain respect from the League. Here are some of the greatest G League Players.
1. Khris Middleton (17.1 points, 4.9 rebounds, 3.8 assists, 1.2 steals, 0.2 blocks)
Middleton was drafted 39th Overall in the 2012 NBA Draft by the Detroit Pistons, which soon assigned him to its D-League Affiliate Fort Wayne Mad Ants, where he averaged 11.0 points and 7.7 rebounds, and 3.0 assists.
His game improved since playing with the Milwaukee Bucks, which formed a formidable duo with Giannis Antetoukoumnpo, winning the 2021 NBA Title.
From starting in the G League, he is now a 3x NBA All-Star, champion, and one of the most lethal 3-and-D players in the League.
2. Paskal Siakam (15.7 points, 6.3 rebounds, 3.1 assists, 0.9 steals, 0.7 blocks)
Siakam is the 27th pick in the 2016 NBA Draft by the Toronto Raptors. In his first year with the Raptors, he played 15.6 minutes per game but only managed to average 4.2 points, 3.4 rebounds, and 0.3 assists.
His underwhelming performance prompted his team to assign him to the Raptors 905 to hone his skills further.
In his single season with the Raptors 905, he averaged 18.2 points, 8.6 rebounds, and 2.6 assists. His team also won the G League Championship and was named the G League Finals MVP.
Upon his recall from the G League, he would continually improve his game by winning the Most Improved Player award in 2019. He is also vital during the Raptors’ championship run with Kawhi Leonard the same year.
Aside from being the most improved player awardee and a champion, he is also an All-Star and 2x All-NBA member.
3. Rudy Gobert (12.3 points, 11.7 rebounds, 1.3 assists, 0.7 steals, 2.2 blocks)
Coming out as the 27th pick in the 2013 NBA Draft by the Denver Nuggets before being traded to the Utah Jazz, where he played for 9 seasons. But before transforming into the defensive juggernaut he is today, he also spent some time with the G League.
In his lone season in the G League, he averaged 13.9 points, 11.4 rebounds, and 3.0 blocks in eight games.
After being recalled to the Utah Jazz, he never looked back. He is now a 3x Defensive Player of the Year, 3x All-Star, 4x All-NBA Team, and 6x Defensive Team. He also led the league in rebounds (2022) and blocks (2017).
G League Salary vs. Other Leagues
The monetary rewards of playing basketball are unequal among the different sports leagues worldwide. Here is a table showing the average annual salary of various sports leagues.
| Sports League | Average Annual Salary |
| NBA G League | $37,000 |
| NBA | $7,500,000 |
| WNBA | $102,751 |
| FIBA | $8,000 – $24,000 |
| College (NCAA) | $39,229 |
The NBA G League may seem like one of the lowest-paying basketball leagues in the world and the lowest in the US. However, what they are paid is the opportunity to get discovered and called up to the NBA, where the grass is greener.
The NBA is the world’s highest-paying basketball league and sports league, where the average annual salary is a whopping $7.5 million.
Players can earn from as low as $1,000,000 for rookies to as high as $48,000,000 per year if you’re Stephen Curry.
On the other hand, FIBA teams don’t publicly disclose the average annual salaries of basketball teams worldwide. Still, according to sources, they only earn $8,000 to $24,000, depending on which countries they play.
The WNBA is another basketball league where female players earn much less than their male counterparts in the NBA, with only an average of $120,000 annually.
Lastly, college basketball players from the NCAA earn around $39,000, but skipping the college route and going straight to the G League can be the more viable option for elite players since they can make as much as $500,000 during the year.
Conclusion
The G League has transformed itself from a development league to the official minor league of the NBA. It has also emerged as one of the best places for NBA hopefuls to get discovered by scouts to play in the big league.
While it pays much less than the NBA, the sacrifices along the way and betting on yourself can help you develop into the best basketball player you can be and finally earn an NBA contract.
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