Basketball Recruiting Tips
I get a lot of emails from people asking about recruiting and how they can get more colleges interested. It’s an interesting process that is enjoyed by some and not enjoyed by others. I’ll go over some ideas that I have about the topic but feel free to chime in with your own opinions.
#1- Are you in a position to be seen? No college coach is going to offer a player they haven’t seen play before. Are you playing at a big high school or in a rural area? It makes a difference. Coaches want a chance to see players and if they can go to a city and watch a few games in a week and interact with other coaches they are better off than going to a remote location to catch a game. You had better be worth their time if thats the case. I’m not saying to avoid small schools, but I am saying if they aren’t coming to watch you play in high school then you need some more options.
#2- Should I play AAU? Of course you should. Without a doubt, if you can, get on an AAU team and play all summer long. When I was in high school this was just getting to be a big thing and it was amazing. As a result I was able to play against Jason Kidd and a number of other future pro players. It was experience that you can’t get any other place. These forums are the best for coaches because they can watch a number of players at one time and it increases exposure.
#3 Know your Limitations- When you are being watched please don’t try to do things you’ve never done before. That includes pretending to be a point guard when you don’t have the skills or haven’t practiced there. If you aren’t a 3 point shooter then don’t start trying just because a coach is watching. Know what you do and do it well and most important thing to remember is to always work hard.
#4 Understand what coaches are looking for- Coaches look at all facets of the game but that also includes attitude, work ethic, teamwork and the little things. They pay attention to your team being a winner or not also. Coaches want kids who play on winning teams because it creates an attitude. If you are a point guard a coach wants to see how well you handle the ball, pass the ball, mental toughness on defense, ability to shoot the ball, finish in traffic, pressure defense. It’s amazing what they are looking for. It’s the details. When i talk about passing i mean crisp passes that aren’t lazy and ball handling that isn’t sloppy or flashy for no reason. Pressure defense is something that takes place the entire possession not just while your guy has the ball. It’s the details that coaches look for and it’s important to know.
#5-Proper Expectations: I hear all the time from players who view themselves as better than what they really are. It’s ok to be confident in your abilities. It is just that I get messages from people who might be a 6*1 post player who scores 25 a night for his high school team in a small conference in rural Alabama or wherever. You are a great high school player who could play college basketball but you aren’t going to play at Alabama or in a power conference because they aren’t looking for 6*1 point guards. If you want to play college ball understand this please and adapt. I knew that I would be 6*0 tall but I was a shooting guard growing up. I had to learn and change for the point guard position so that i could get recruited and it turned out great for me. Realize that if you are a 6*4 post player in high school that you need to develop skills away from the basket and it will only increase your options. You work on those traits on your own time to improve and don’t pick the AAU game to decide you are an outside threat. I hope that makes sense.
I have some other ideas but I’ll put those in another time because I have to go.
June 1st, 2008 at 4:54 am
You forgot the most important step for someone at a smaller school or rural area. Do your own recruiting. If there is anything I regret, besides not playing AAU… it is not doing more of my own recruiting. I wish I would have sent game film or at least emails to coaches all over. I think this will help anyone out a great deal, expecially if you contact JC’s, because in some areas, (I know California for sure) Coaches have only certain areas they can recruit from. So don’t wait for someone to come to you, get out there and make it happen.
June 2nd, 2008 at 10:12 am
True. High school coaches should really be on board with helping their players get on with schools and some are great at it. If you have a coach who is reserved in this way you will have to be the aggressive one in getting your name out there and be seen. Like Dal says, get tapes to coaches…emails….call them. Don’t be ashamed to play JUCO or Div II or D III or whatever. An education that is paid for is what is most important.