They have since changed the rules and Kobe’s father was a former professional Basketball player so he had ins that most wouldn’t. Kinda like Bronny.

Yes, for high schoolers it’s AAU or sports brand sponsored leagues such as Nike’s EYBL, and Puma has one too. There are also a few newer leagues like the Amen brothers came up through (I forget its name) but those are adult/college age. That being said, most pro teams want to see the player has come through some sort of program that has developed the player vs just showcasing them. And the D1 and even top tier D2 colleges these days, are more professional than developmental since NIL money is present