PDR Basketball

We have officially entered the used car-salesman season in the Travel Basketball world. Tryouts for HS Ages will start over the next 2-3 weeks for most teams & so will all the BS recruitment from teams/programs leading up to Travel season. Make sure you know proper facts before anything: Everyone in this game will bring HYPE, not everyone in this game brings Reality with it. Not all programs are on equal levels. Be Smart-Do Your Homework-Make a sound decision! Key Facts To Know: -Program's Reputation, Production, and Commitment -Program's ability to develop players -Remember: there are 5 live period events (1 May, 2 June w/HS teams, 2 July) -Bigger Tournaments mean more teams & more venues- will your program be at main facility & courts? (b/c that is where college coaches will be at). Just because your in the tournament doesn't mean you play in front of coaches. -Who does the program know: college coaches/scouting services/national camps, etc. (Recruitment for HS players is totally different than it was 5 years ago, let alone when a player's parents were going through it. Players now have to contest with the Portal, Non NBA bounce backs, Overseas Pros, etc.) -Do they have Alumni: Where at, what levels, etc. -Don't be fooled with "Free", see teams run out of funding every year, a lot of "Free Teams" have high turnover rate of players on the team, and use it to get players vs their reputation/production to get players. EYBL- Nike , 3SSB- Adidas, UAA- Under Armour - are the only 3 funded Shoe Circuits & Nike, Adidas, Under Armour control the circuits - Pro 16 is close to a circuit as Puma does put money into specific players / teams. But not all Pro 16 teams get funding. NXT PRO (Pro 16 & NXT) has brand partnership with Puma for Product Sales Purposes. P32 / E32 has a brand partnership with New Balance for Product Sales Purposes. Some teams receive different packages but funding usually comes from with in league not directly from New Balance. Nike EYCL - Adidas Gold - UA Rise - Adidas Proving Grounds - UA Grind: are all secondary level leagues for shoe companies. Product Sales & Money generation for company & TOP TEIR LEAGUES (EYBL, 3SSB, UAA). Majority of the time in different gyms or locations than the EYBL-3SSB-UAA. Tons of Independent Circuits that have tons of talent and our set up just like some of these circuits above. There is talent everywhere. Lets Start with Recruiting 101 (Don’t get ahead of yourself) 15U: Beginning of the Process 16U: Beginning of Recruitment 17U: Solidifying Your Recruitment (Enjoy The Ride & Trust The Process) 6’6 and above will always have more interest early because of height / looking the part Scholarship Players will separate themselves at some point due to their consistent production Just Some Fun Facts: Majority of 6'6 and below players at D1 & D2 level are guards. Majority of 6'7 players do not play Center at D1 & D2 levels. 6'8 is not big at the Center position at D1 & D2 levels. In HS players usually get bumped up a position (4 to 5, etc) -because of the lack of height on most teams- In College players usually get bumped down a position (5 to 4, etc) -because of the amount of height on most teams- Majority of the time you will play the position you can guard. -cant defend, you will have hard time seeing the floor- D1 or D2 level tend to be elite at a skill(s) or have elite attributes: -shooting, passing, rebounding, defending, height, length, athleticism, etc.- 4 major things College Coaches look for in players. And I would say probably in this order too! 1. GENETICS 2. POTENTIAL 3. SKILL 4. TOUGHNESS, EFFORT, & WILL TO WIN Scholarships (3 Types): (Realize that a college staff controls whether they accept your commitment or not. Just because you are offered doesn't mean they have to accept your commitment. #JustTheFacts) -Committable Offer: Scholarship offer that the staff has done their homework on a recruit, has established somewhat of relationship with the player, and is absolutely willing to take the player's commitment to that School at any time. -Futures Offer: Scholarship offer that the staff has done their homework on a recruit enough, likes the upside but not completely sold on everything right now. Staff dictates whether the player can commit or not. -Favor Offer: Scholarship offer based on a favor & built off of relationships between coaches and/or parents. Not committable 99.9% of the time. Mostly used as a way for Programs to show their "power" and or attempt to get recruitment started. More of these backfire than enhance anything in the long run. All levels of basketball beyond high school are incredibly tough. Size, Skill, Athleticism, and Talent at all levels. Let your recruitment happen, it will work itself out and players will end up right where they should 99% of the time. Timing of recruitment is different for everyone. Focus on development & it will produce recruitment (not the other way around). Biggest of all: DON'T COMPARE YOUR RECRUITMENT TO SOMEONE ELSE'S. -Enjoy your journey, its the only thing you control- #TRUTH #FACTS #RealEyesRealizeRealLies #ThatTimeOfYear #DoYourResearch #ChoiceIsYours #TravelBasketball