Over the past year, more pathways for NBA-hopefuls have continue to spring up – the NBA G-League Ignite program, the Professional Collegiate League, NIL rights for college student-athletes, among others. While all these options give high school recruits plenty to think about, the one that has been making the most noise this past summer is Overtime Elite. The transformative new league made headlines again on Sunday when they signed forward Tyler Smith, the No. 8 player in ESPN’s class of 2023 recruiting rankings, per ESPN’s Jonathan Givony.
Smith chose to join Overtime Elite (OTE) over the likes of Kansas and Texas due to his desire to become a professional as soon as possible. With a state of the art 103,000 square foot facility set to open in Atlanta next month, the media conglomerate will allow its players to prepare and play as professionals at a young age. The Fort Bend Bush High School standout will be the seventh five-star recruit signed to play in its inaugural season in September.
Even standing at six-foot-ten, 205-pounds, Smith can put pressure on the defense due to his ability to knock down long-range shots, as well as play above the rim thanks to his natural athleticism. He is the epitome of a modern-day power forward with such a versatile build and playstyle to compliment. The lefty still has room to grow taller and build muscle onto his frame, making him one of the more high-end player in the NBA draft class eligible for the 2024 draft, being listed as the eighth best prospect according to NBADraftRoom.com.
Smith becomes the 16th player to sign with the league, putting them eight below of the publicly stated goal of 24 signees. The athletes range from top-ten high school prospects to international stars looking to bypass the college route and immediately earn money to jumpstart their professional career. Each player will receive a salary of at least $100,000, including bonuses, share of equity in Overtime, full healthcare coverage, guaranteed payment of college tuition up to $100,000, plus plenty more opportunities. Overtime received funding for this project from larger-than-life names such as Jeff Bezos, Drake and Kevin Durant.
While the idea is certainly trailblazing into a new frontier of professional options for athletes, many question how Overtime will turn a profit with such a steep investment into starting up. The New York City-based social media publisher has brought in plenty of big names to keep eyes on the league, however the logistical answer to “How will this even work?” is a big wait-and-see until the first game tips off.
Overtime Elite will continue to recruit players through the end of the month and into September before its 24 players officially start in Atlanta. The league will be split into three teams and play each other, as well as top prep schools, academies, and international teams to ensure they are playing other top-level talent.
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