NBA G League guard Dink Pate commits to Providence

The NBA G League pipeline to NCAA basketball continues.Dink Pate, a guard with the G League’s Westchester Kicks, has committed to Providence, a major pickup for new coach Bryan Hodgson, who was previously the head coach for South Florida. ESPN first reported the news.Pate is in the same situation as Santa Clara forward Thierry Darlan, the first former G League player to be granted NCAA eligibility. Like Darlan, Pate opted to go straight from high school to the G League Ignite, skipping college altogether. Originally introduced as a G League development team, Ignite offered NBA hopefuls an alternate path to the pros, with the opportunity to make money along the way. But with the introduction of Name, Image and Likeness in the NCAA — and now, direct revenue-sharing with athletes — the Ignite’s advantage evaporated, and the team soon folded.Advertisement