"Scoot Henderson broke G-League" - Fans roast Trail Blazers' guard after NBA shuts down Ignite team after short 4-year run

Reports emerged this week indicating that the NBA was shutting down the G League Ignite team after a four-year run. The news came as somewhat of a shock given that the G League Ignite has produced some notable names in recent years. From Jalen Green and Jonathan Kuminga to No. 3 pick Scoot Henderson in the most recent draft, the team has planted its roots as a hotbed for young players.

Despite that, as Adam Silver recently explained during All-Star Weekend, he and the NBA were taking a good hard look at the future of the team. Now, according to Shams Charania, the league is in fact pulling the plug on the team.

With the rise of NIL (Name, Image and Likeness) deals for collegiate athletes, potential young stars now have other avenues to reach the NBA. At the same time, they're also now able to make money along the way, making it so that the G League Ignite doesn't fill a need in the sports community any more.

In a statement provided to The Athletic, G League president and former NBA vet Shareef Abdur-Rahim spoke about the decision.

"Four years ago, we started Ignite to fill a void in the basketball landscape, and I’m proud of the contributions we were able to make to that ecosystem. With the changing environment across youth and collegiate basketball, now is the right time to take this step."

Once the word got out, fans were quick to weigh in.

Looking back at NBA Commisioner Adam Silver's comments regarding the G League Ignite at All-Star weekend

While the decision to pull the plug on the G League Ignite came as somewhat of a shock given the team's track-record, they have struggled this season. As many fans were quick to point out in the replies to Shams Charania's tweet, the team has gone just 2-28 this season.

Given that, the other avenues players have to earn money, and Adam Silver's previous comments, the situation seems to have been in the works for some time. As previously mentioned, Adam Silver spoke at the NBA's All-Star weekend in Indianapolis where he weighed in on the situation.

"I'm not sure what the future of Team Ignite will be, because before there was a hole in the marketplace that we thought we were filling before doing that, and now my focus is turning to earlier development of those players."

These comments make it clear that although the team is no more, the league could have something else in the works. With Silver focused on fostering the development of young players, it will be interesting to see where the NBA shifts it's focus.

Considering how many international players have made an impact on the league in recent years, there could be a need for a more international presence. This would make it so that players like Joel Embiid, who didn't pick up basketball until he was older, have the chance to pursue the game sooner.