"This is the best place for me to develop as a player, while getting the right education to fall back on at the same time," Cunningham told ESPN. "Overtime built a relationship with my family and I, which was a big factor in trusting them with my future. I want to be the best basketball player I can, a NBA draft lottery pick and hopefully one of the best in the league. Overtime is going to put me in position to become the best player I can."
He earned second team
MaxPreps Sophomore All-America
honors last season averaging 13.8 points, 7.0 rebounds and 2.8
assists to lead Gill St. Bernard's (20-7) to the NJSIAA North Jersey-Non
Public B title game.
Although the 6-foot-7 wing will play alongside players making six-figure salaries, he's the first player to forgo a salary, which should preserve his eligibility to play college basketball after graduating. Cunningham, however, will be eligible to make money off his name, image and likeness in high school.
"Being able to keep my eligibility for college was important as that gives me more options when I'm done with high school and ready to decide my next move," Cunningham told ESPN. "At Overtime, you still get the same academics as a regular high school, but not every school has the same equipment and facilities they do, which are top of the line, as well as the best trainers, coaching staff and other elite players."
Cunningham continues a trend started two years ago with highly regarded Class of 2020 prospects Jalen Green, Jonathan Kuminga, Daishen Nix and Isaiah Todd opting for non-traditional routes while joining the NBA G League Ignite program directly out of high school.
The Garden State product is just the latest highly touted high school basketball player to leave high school early as five-star Class of 2023 prospects Matt Bewley, Ryan Bewley, Jalen Lewis, Tyler Smith and Bryson Warren among over 20 players left high school basketball early last summer for the opportunity to play for Overtime.
The league is slated to return 21 of 26 players from its inaugural run, as it plans for fill rosters to approximately 30 players dispersed among three teams next season.
Overtime hopes to play against junior colleges, European clubs, national teams and potentially the G League Ignite or NBA academy in addition to prep schools in its second season.
Top ranked Class of 2024 prospect Naasir Cunningham of Gill St. Bernard's is leaving high school to join the Overtime Elite league.
File photo by Pete Wright
