Five-star PG Scoota Henderson chooses G League over college

Make that another high-profile recruit spurning college basketball to take their talents to the professional ranks earlier than originally expected.

Five-star point guard Scoota Henderson reclassified into the class of 2021 and signed with the G League on Friday, making him the youngest player to sign an American basketball contract. According to The Athletic’s Shams Charania, Henderson signed a $1 million contract with G League Ignite.

Henderson was the No. 12 recruit in the class of 2022 prior to his reclassification into the class of 2021 to sign with G League Ignite. The Kell (Ga.) High School product was seriously considering Auburn and Georgia prior to his decision to sign a professional contract.

“Henderson is a dynamic and explosive point guard with positional size, long arms and a strongly built frame,” 247Sports’ Travis Branham said in his scouting report of Henderson. “Henderson is an elite athlete with a lethal first step who is very difficult to contain when he’s looking to get downhill. In the paint, Henderson not only can finish with both hands but also finishes well above the rim and will do so in traffic.

“As a shooter, Henderson is more than capable of making shots off the catch and pull from mid-range out to three but the next step in his development will be to become a more consistent threat. At this stage, he does have a score-first mindset but is a good passer and with his tremendous ability to get by defenders, he has high upside as a playmaker.

“Defensively, given his size, length, athleticism and strong frame, Henderson has all of the tools to be elite on this end and has shown that he is more than capable of being one of the best defenders in the class.”