On Tuesday, it was announced that the players of the G League have teamed up to form their own union, temporarily named the Basketball Players Union (BPU).
In accordance with the terms of the National Labor Relations Act, approximately 80% of G League players authorized the BPU to act as the players collective bargaining agent in contract negotiations and other matters as it relates to the terms and conditions of employment.
The BPU was also recognized as the collective bargaining agent of the players by representatives of the G League.
The BPU will represent players in the G League as well as those on the NBA’s G League Select Team, a team designed for the development of the NBA’s top prospects (and some veterans) over the course of a 1-year program with salaries as high as $500,000.00 per player.
Representatives for the NBPA and G League first began to discuss the potential of unionization back in December, which we covered on Sports Agent Blog.
Said NBPA Executive Director Michele Roberts, “I could not be more excited or impressed with this decision by the G League Players….Like their brothers in the NBPA, these players work tirelessly to perfect their craft and will now have a voice in decisions relating to their working conditions, benefits and more.”
The NBPA is the exclusive bargaining agent for the players of the NBA and has been so since 1954.