The NBA and its developmental affiliate, the G League, are reportedly looking at using the Mamba Sports Academy as a home base for the newly formed “Select Team,” according to Chris Haynes of Yahoo Sports.
The academy, launched by the late Kobe Bryant, is located in Thousand Oaks, California. In total, the 100,000 sq. ft. multi-sports training centre houses five basketball courts, as well as a comprehensive sports medicine practice — including a therapy and rehab centre, a biomechanics lab and a world-class cognitive training lab — aimed at providing athletes a multi-faceted, holistic approach to training.
Prior to his death in January, Bryant had used the facility to train NBA, WNBA, college and high school players.
At the moment, there is no official partnership between the G League and the Mamba Sports Academy to use the complex for its new team, Haynes noted, but prep stars who have committed and those who are currently considering whether or not they will choose the G League over the NCAA are “of the mindset they will be training at the academy for the 2020-21 season.”
Shareef Abdur-Rahim, president of the G League, clarified to Sportsnet that the league’s process of searching for a home for its Select Team is ongoing, and no affiliation with the Mamba Academy is imminent.
“That’s a little premature,” Abdur-Rahim told Jeff Blair, Stephen Brunt and Richard Deitsch during an appearance on Writers Bloc. “We’re looking at different locations that would house the program. A decision isn’t final. We haven’t made a decision.”
The G League’s Select Team was introduced to offer top-level prospects the chance to train and develop professionally instead of attending college or playing overseas.
Prospects who choose to play for this Select Team will be compensated 500,000-plus for playing in the one-year development program, according to Adrian Wojnarowski of ESPN.
Jalen Green, a five-star recruit and legitimate candidate to be the top pick in the 2021 NBA Draft, was the first player to announce he would be choosing the G League’s program instead of taking the NCAA route.
Another five-star recruit, Isaiah Todd, will also join the G League team in Southern California.
Former Toronto Raptors head coach Sam Mitchell, as well as ex-NBA coaches David Fizdale and Brian Shaw, are reportedly in the running to become the team’s coach, Haynes reported. Mitchell appears to be a favourite due to his history coaching Green in AAU.
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