2021 Top Three Recruit and Number One Combo Guard Jaden Hardy (Michael Reaves – Getty Images)
Jaden Hardy was one of the few five-star recruits left in the class of 2021, but he has decided to sign with the NBA G-League Ignite Team. This relatively new NBA initiative is a path for high school students to directly make money and an alternative to college basketball. Hardy will be making a six-figure salary over the next year in preparation for the 2022 NBA Draft. There are currently four high-profile Ignite players in the 2021 NBA Draft. This will continue to be an interesting project and the early players involved could set the standard.