Scoot Henderson of the Portland Trail Blazers exposes his honest emotions about the G League’s spark shutdown.
The G League Ignite was recently shut down by the NBA for a variety of reasons, including hit-and-miss attempts to generate superstars and the entry of NIL money into collegiate athletics. Shortly later, Portland Trail Blazers youngster Scoot Henderson shared his opinions on the trade. The G League Ignite was created as an alternative for high school talents who want to forego college and gain money before officially entering the NBA. During its tenure, the program produced a few significant players in the league today, including Henderson, Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, and Dyson Daniels.
In contrary to the program’s stated goal, G League Ignite players did not become top options or game changers in the NBA. Only Green has demonstrated the potential to be a perennial All-Star scorer among the stars who have made the move to the professionals. The problem is that the Houston Rockets star has just lately done so, following the injury of Alperen Sengun, which created an opening for him.
Henderson, on the other hand, has fallen short of expectations this season. San Antonio Spurs star Victor Wembanyama and Oklahoma City Thunder big man Chet Holgren are leading the Rookie of the Year race, leaving the Trail Blazers guard in the dust. Scoot Henderson, a Portland Trail Blazers player, expresses his enthusiasm for the G League Ignite following the shutdown. Henderson expressed his thoughts on Ignite’s discontinuation when it became public. Sean Highkin published an article for The Rose Garden Report:
“There were several reasons why it shut down,” Henderson explained. “But whoever played on the team and made a difference for ourselves and the world is all you can think about.” I sincerely appreciate everyone at Ignite. The little individuals you never see. They don’t get enough credit for how much they have invested in us. The coaches don’t get enough credit for having to bring in boys from high school and get them up to speed in a few weeks to play some adult men with families to feed. You do not see that. You see them getting beat a lot and having a bad record. Highkin wrote, “You don’t see what they go through on a daily basis.”
In 52 games, Henderson has averaged 13.1 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 4.8 assists. The Trail Blazers’ star is also shooting 37% from the floor, 30% from deep, and 82% from the free throw line. It remains to be seen whether Henderson and other G League Ignite players will gain more recognition in the NBA. In any case, it’s worthwhile to monitor their careers in the next years.