How much do G League players make? Breaking down salaries, contracts for 2022-23 season

The 2022-23 NBA season is already underway, but a new G League campaign is just beginning.

G League teams will return to action beginning on Friday, Nov. 4. The NBA’s developmental league will feature 30 teams and several exciting players, including top prospect Scoot Henderson, who is expected to be the No. 2 pick in the 2023 draft behind Victor Wembanyama.

“I think the proof of concept is that players see the G League as a step towards continuing their journey to make it to the NBA, and just how important the G League has become to the overall ecosystem,” G League president Shareef Abdur-Rahim recently told The Sporting News’ Gilbert McGregor.

As the G League has grown, so too have the salaries of its players.

MORE: How to watch every G League Ignite game this season

G League contracts, explained

Players can sign a one-year contract with the G League itself rather than individual teams. Certain players can also sign a two-way contract with an NBA team.

Here are the rules for two-way contracts, per the G League website:

Beginning in the 2017 offseason, NBA rosters expanded from 15 to 17 players with the addition of two spots for players under “Two-Way Contracts.”

NBA teams may have up to two players under NBA Two-Way Contracts who will spend the bulk of the season in the NBA G League and not more than 45 days with their NBA team. Only players with four or fewer years of NBA service are able to sign Two-Way Contracts, which can be for either one or two seasons.

How much do G League players make?

G League salaries will increase to $40,500 this season, up from $37,000 in 2021-22, according to The Athletic’s Shams Charania. 

As Charania noted, G League salaries have grown by more than $5,000 since players formed a union in July 2020. Approximately 80 percent of G League players voted to unionize at that time, per a National Basketball Players Association press release.

How to watch the NBA G League games

• Streaming: NBA App, ESPN App, NBAGLeague.com
• TV: Select games on ESPN, ESPN+, NBA TV

Select G League games will air on ESPN, ESPN+ and NBA TV this season. Viewers can also stream games on the NBA App, ESPN App and NBAGLeague.com.

NBA G League 2022-23 opening weekend schedule

Each G League team will play a 50-game schedule, which is divided into two parts: the Showcase Cup (18 games) and traditional regular season (32 games). The top six teams in each conference will then participate in the G League Playoffs.

Friday, Nov. 4

Saturday, Nov. 5

Sunday, Nov. 6