McDonald's All-American Darius Bazley De-Commits From Syracuse, Will Enter G League Draft

Darius Bazley was a McDonald's All-American this year and the No. 10 recruit in the class of 2018, according to 247 Sports.

Darius Bazley, the No. 10 recruit in the class of 2018 according to 247 Sports, has de-committed from Syracuse and will enter the NBA G league draft in October, he told Shams Charania of Yahoo Sports.

Bazley signed a letter of intent to join Syracuse in November of 2017, but he told Yahoo Sports that after talking with his mother, high school coach Steve Wright and the rest of his inner circle, he decided that going to the G League would be his best route to the NBA.

Bazley told Yahoo Sports he considered going overseas to play, but after speaking with Wright—who played professionally in Germany, France and Finland—and G League players, it was determined the G league would be a better option.

"The G League will have the most to offer, considering that is the development league for the NBA," Bazley told Yahoo Sports. "I will get more out of that than going overseas. The G League is the closest thing to the NBA. I see most guys now are spending time in the G League even after they went to school and the draft, so this gives me the chance to accelerate the process. There have been a lot of successful guys who have been brought up in the G League, and I’m confident that I will be one of them."

Bazley turns 18 in June, but even after he joins the G League, he will still not be eligible for the NBA or NBA draft until 2019, meaning no team will have his exclusive rights.

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Interesting choice. Bazley has a ton of upside and should be a first rounder in 2019 if all breaks well. He needs to get a lot stronger. Would have been a dynamo in Syracuse zone. https://t.co/WcBJHTerMr

— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) March 29, 2018

Biggest thing we forget in discussions about G-League route is that it’s not glamorous. Not all facilities are great. Lots of travel. Teammates fighting for a limited number of opportunities. Can be a total reality check for guys who shows up entitled, particularly out of HS

— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) March 29, 2018

Also, Bazley’s rights won’t belong to any team until he’s draft-eligible. He’s not going to show up and star against older guys from day one - what’s the incentive for a G-League affiliate to play and develop him, then see him go to a different NBA team? Fascinating case study.

— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) March 29, 2018

Counterpoint: G-League teams are mostly composed of pool players, who can be picked up by any NBA team at any time. But coaching staffs generally give opportunity to their best players, not necessarily the best prospects. Hope Bazley lands in a good situation for his growth.

— Jeremy Woo (@JeremyWoo) March 29, 2018

Bazley, who scored 11 points in the McDonald's All-American Game Wednesday, will play in the Jordan Brand Classic and Nike Hoops Summit in April.

"It’s not heard of leaving school to go to the G League and going to the NBA," Bazley's mother Lynnita Bazley told Yahoo Sports. "This is history in the making, and this could open up the doors for so many people behind him, which is a good thing. I will always encourage my kids to make history, to be the best that they can be, and don’t forget about those who are coming behind you. This could be a very huge success story and I’m willing to go for it. I’m always going to be by his side, pass or fail."