• Loading stock data...
Tuesday, July 1, 2025

2024 No. 1 Prospect Gets Best of Both Worlds with OTE Commitment

  • The top men’s basketball prospect in the class of 2024 is joining Overtime Elite.
  • To keep NCAA options alive, he won’t receive a salary for playing.
Landon Bost/Naples Daily News

Last year, Overtime launched a professional high school men’s basketball league called Overtime Elite, an enticing and lucrative alternative to the traditional amateur hoops pipeline.

But there was a major catch: because players were paid salaries, participants would lose NCAA eligibility.

2024 No. 1 men’s prospect Naasir Cunningham, however, found a loophole.

The young star will join the league next season, OTE announced. But Overtime, which normally offers six-figure paychecks, won’t pay Cunningham a salary so he can keep NCAA options open, a spokesperson confirmed to Front Office Sports.

Cunningham will also get a “scholarship” package, per ESPN. He’ll receive educational resources, access to OTE facilities, and the ability to profit off his name, image, and likeness.

Overtime Elite held its inaugural season this year, streaming games on its own platforms. The league came with the backing of major investors including Drake and Jeff Bezos, who contributed to an $80 million Series C funding round in April 2021.

Despite the league’s hype, there were concerns about post-OTE options, particularly as the league catered to players looking to make the NBA. 

Graduating athletes would have few options as the NCAA no longer saw them as amateurs. They could stay at OTE, go overseas, or attempt to play in the G League in the year between high school and NBA draft eligibility.

Losing the platform and infrastructure of blue-blood NCAA basketball raised a major question mark. The growth of NIL in college sports also potentially made OTE less alluring, as players could now be assured they could make money while in the NCAA. 

Cunningham, however, is paving a new path that certainly appears to be the best of worlds.

Linkedin
Whatsapp
Copy Link
Link Copied
Link Copied

What to Read

Nuggets, Rockets Make Aggressive Moves to Challenge Thunder

Denver took the Thunder to seven games in the conference semifinals.

What Would a LeBron James L.A. Exit Look Like?

ESPN’s Bobby Marks said “there isn’t” a trade market for James.
Jun 10, 2025; Pittsburgh, PA, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (8) drops back to pass during minicamp at their South Side facility.
opinion

Steelers Win-Now Mode Is Good News for NFL Media Partners

The conservative “Steeler Way” has finally adapted—and media partners are happy.

As NBA Salary Cap Rises, Role Players Are Getting $100M+ Deals

The salary cap has increased by 10% in three of four seasons.

Featured Today

The Battle Over Wimbledon’s Ambitious Expansion Plan

A classic NIMBY standoff on one of the most hallowed grounds in sports.
Seattle Rough & Tumble
June 28, 2025

Women’s Sports Bars Are on the Rise. Survival Isn’t Guaranteed

Some women’s sports bars are cashing in. Others are clawing for funding.
June 27, 2025

Shitposters Have Taken the Reins of Pro Sports’ Official Voices

Meet the social media pros turning sports teams into internet trolls.
Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers center Sam Reinhart (13) hoists the Stanley Cup after winning game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers at Amerant Bank Arena
June 26, 2025

Stanley Cup’s International Summer Tour: Rules, Repairs, and Raucousness

No pro trophy tour compares to the NHL’s three-month global victory lap.
Nov 23, 2024; Tempe, Arizona, USA; Brigham Young Cougars quarterback Jake Retzlaff (12) against the Arizona State Sun Devils at Mountain America Stadium.

Rape Suit Against QB Retzlaff Dismissed, but He’s Still Leaving BYU

Retzlaff admitted to “consensual” sex, violating BYU’s strict honor code.
Joopiter, Michael Jordan card
June 27, 2025

Michael Jordan Rookie Card Sells for Record $2.5M in Eyebrow-Raising Auction

The auction, which received only one bid, sets a new record.
June 29, 2025

Malik Beasley Being Investigated in NBA Gambling Probe

If proven, the claims could lead to Beasley’s lifetime expulsion from the NBA.
Sponsored

Hottest Matchups Following NFL Schedule Release

The NFL released the 2025 regular-season schedule, and anticipation is already building in the ticket marketplace with four months to go.
June 27, 2025

As Wimbledon Approaches, Sinner and Alcaraz Solidify New Era

Sinner and Alcaraz have won the last six Grand Slams.
Jun 24, 2025; Arlington, Texas, USA; Dallas Wings guard Paige Bueckers (5) controls the ball as Atlanta Dream guard Maya Caldwell (33) defends during the first half at College Park Center.
June 27, 2025

Paige Bueckers Eyes Expanded Season, ‘Rightful Pay’ in New CBA

“The respect, attention, the accessibility—you see everything growing.”
Faith Kipyegon
June 26, 2025

Nike’s Sub-4:00 Stunt Falls Short With Fastest Women’s Mile Ever

Male pacers and cutting-edge tech helped Kipyegon shave off one second.