I often get asked by young players what they need to do to get noticed by college basketball coaches. My answer typically shocks them. Let’s discuss why…
The world of recruiting is a meat market. The bad news is that there are so many players not just in your area, but in the country and throughout the world that are vying for a few very highly coveted spots on a college basketball roster. The good news is that there are more eyes out there than ever before (in part due to the shrinking of our world with social media). In the ocean of high school basketball players, there are a few absolutes if you want to stand out. When I ask this question to young basketball players in the Sparta or New Jersey area, the one thing that always comes first is some variation of…. stats. And while this is true, it’s far from the entire story…
-Talent! Either you can play or you can’t. Let’s be real about this first and get it out of the way. If you can’t play, be honest with yourself and move on with dreams of college and just enjoy the game while the high school career lasts. If you can play but you aren’t as good as you should be, well it’s time to look in the mirror and decide on whether you not you have what it takes to put in the proper work. First and foremost, if you can’t play, nobody will ever come to see you or even hear about you. If you can play great, you’re on your way.
-Ok you can shoot. Or finish at the rim. Or create open opportunities for your teammates. Or rebound. These are all a must. But, what kind of player are you really? Keep in mind, these coaches have seen 1000000000’s of players come and go. They know EXACTLY what they are looking for. And it’s not just scoring because there are tons that can do that. Unless you are a world class talent, of which there are few, there are other things you need. Coaches are looking for how can you best fit the needs of their team. They are not thinking how can we best fit your needs. That’s a mental switch that you are going to have to make. Your attitude should be, how can I help your program to WIN. As opposed to, how can your program help me to score more.
-The easiest thing for a coach to become aware of is your attitude. There is no hiding it. Ask yourself these questions. How to you interact with your teammates after a good play. How do you interact with your teammates after a bad play. How do you react when your coach gives you criticism. How do you react when the coach takes you out. How do you react when your teammate helps you to score. How do you react when the ref makes a bad call. How do you react when you turn the ball over and believe it’s someone else’s fault. Do you run back on defense. Do you dive for loose balls. These are all attitude issues and a coach is like a hawk on every one of these. They have a trained eye. It’s not just your jumpshot that matters because sometimes it won’t go in. They want to know that when you are NOT on your game that you can still help the team win basketball games.
-Do you love playing defense? Do you even play defense? There is a saying in the college ranks that you will play as much as you defend. Most college players come in and they were the best player on their HS team. What that means is that most college players can score in some capacity. What that also means is that if you can’t play defense, you will be exposed. Quickly. Heart, and not talent, is what allows you to become a great defender. Tenacity, aggression, passion, and ferocity are all words that describe great defenders. Oh, and maybe a little bit of crazy as well. I used to LOVE defending. My college coach used to put me on 6’6 wing players and there was nothing more fun than driving the opposing team’s best player up the wall. As much fun as it is to rain down 3’s, there is something about getting stops that is on a whole different level. Don’t trust me, try it.
-Most people don’t like to set screens because of one of two reasons. First, they are afraid of contact. Second, they are selfish basketball players. Coaches notice screen setting (or lack thereof) because it marks your attention to detail (or lack thereof). College basketball coaches put an emphasis on the little things. This is a HUGE little thing. If you are supposed to set a screen, set it well and free up your teammate! If you are not interested in that, how can you expect teammates to do the same for you. You might as well just tell them that the only reason you’re out there is to score yourself. It always goes deeper than just the surface and coaches already have all the reasons figured out. You wont fool them! Set bada$$ screens!
-This next one has always been a big one to me. When a teammate sets you up for the score, thank them. Tell them nice pass or at the very least, give them a point. Common courtesy on and off the court. At it’s most basic, when someone does something nice for you, thank them! Don’t have an entitled attitude, have a grateful one. Coaches appreciate that. As does your teammate that just helped you to score.
-When you come off the court, for ANY reason, give everyone a high five. You are not above any one of your teammates or coaches, so don’t act like it. It’s sometimes very difficult in the heat of battle, believe me I get it. But work on being respectful to those that you are in the fight with. It helps to build chemistry and will go a LONG way to impressing coaches.
-Take responsibility for your mistakes. If you turn it over, accept it and move on. Don’t whine and cry and point fingers. NOBODY likes that. If the ref makes a bad call, don’t let it ruin your next three trips down the court. Take responsibility for your attitude and get your butt back down to play defense. Taking possessions off leads to 2 point losses!
It’s NOT just about how many points your score. Sure that’s part of it. But the rest of these intangibles go an extremely long way to getting yourself noticed by college coaches. Personally, I’ll take the kid that has all over these and a slightly above average jump shot over the kid that has none of these but is lights out. Why? Because eventually that kid will be the destruction of my team. He will wear on his teammates, nobody will like him, and team morale will drop. Sure, he will give you great flashes, but in the long run, it’s an exhausting and ultimately destructive ride for all involved.
Don’t be that player. Be the one who gets it and gives him or herself every opportunity to achieve the dream of playing college basketball. Now go out and impress those college coaches.
Do you find value in this? I would be honored if you could share it over social media and tell a few friends, teammates, fellow coaches, or players.
Now get after it!
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