Overtime Elite A New Pathway to the NBA

by Jules Da Costa, age 16

The Overtime Elite (OTE) basketball league is paving a new pathway to the NBA, separate from that of the NBA G-League and college ball.

OTE is a professional basketball league for 16-to-19-year-old prospects, who have the chance to make at least six-figure salaries. The league provides the athletes with an annual base salary of $100,000 or a scholarship contract if the athletes want to play in college. The league, founded in 2021 by Dan Porter and Zack Weiner, was created for fans of popular and highly rated high-school players. They decided to build a business around the millions of fans who would enjoy watching these athletes compete against each other.

Twins Amen and Ausar Thompson were the faces of OTE. The 6’7” brothers skipped their senior year of high school to play for OTE. They then became the first players from the program to be drafted into the NBA and in the top five too. Amen was drafted by the Houston Rockets as the fourth overall pick, while Ausar was chosen by the Detroit Pistons as the fifth overall pick. This year's second-overall pick, Alex Sarr, also played for OTE and was selected by the Washington Wizards.

OTE is expanding. They started with three teams in 2021, but now have eight and are gaining more NBA scout attention to watch these athletes play. However, OTE’s prospects can be difficult to evaluate, as scouts are still figuring out how OTE players can translate to the league, since in college basketball and the G-League, playing styles translate to the NBA pretty well. These players already play in front of a very influential audience, and as OTE grows, that audience will only get far more influential. Hundreds of scouts and coaches will fill the stands observing and watching as these players progress on their path to the professional leagues.

By providing a unique platform for young prospects, Overtime Elite is revolutionizing approaches to the NBA. The success of players like Amen and Ausar, as well as Alex Sarr, highlight the league's potential to produce stars. As the league continues to grow and evolve, it will likely become a contributor to future NBA talent, offering new opportunities for athletes around the world.

[Sources: Sports Illustrated; WABE; Time]