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Kevin Ollie has been hired as head coach and director of player development for the Overtime Elite, a new professional basketball league for top prospects between the ages of 16 and 18.

"I'm ready to get back to what I was born to do: empowering and encouraging and supporting young people, and helping them grow," Ollie said in a statement. "There's no better place for me to do that than OTE, an extraordinary league for extraordinary young men. I consider it my mission to help these elite athletes realize their dreams."

Ollie played in the NBA and won a National Championship as head coach of UConn.

The OTE's plan is to offer six-figure financial packages and an academic tutoring component for high school players to compete against prep school and international teams in a year-round training program.

These players would lose college eligibility but be able to advance toward the G League and NBA draft in a more basketball-intensive environment.

Via Adrian Wojnarowski/ESPN

I've met Ollie several times when he would go speak at the 76ers basketball camp back when I was a kid and he was still player. He's a great guy and he truly does have a passion for teaching and helping kids grow. I think this is a great hire for all involved.

Everytime I think of Ollie, I think how he should've struck when the iron was hot and taken an NBA job after winning that National Title.

A couple subpar seasons later, that was it for his NBA HC prospects.

This is the league that is needed for young players to develop and make the NBA. Forget college that is a waste of time for them.