The process of getting recruited for college basketball can be daunting and overwhelming. Many factors go into the recruiting process, and it is important to be prepared.

In this blog post, Redsarmy will show you how to get recruited for college basketball to increase your chances of getting into college.

How Does College Basketball Recruiting Work?

Successful basketball prospects put in the necessary work to advance in the recruiting process. They compile a list of realistic colleges, make an online profile and highlight video, get in touch with college coaches, and play in front of coaches at tournaments and camps. Here is a quick summary of the methods coaches use to find student-athletes:

Find candidates for recruitment. Coaches can send essential information, such as recruiting questionnaires, to student-athletes at any stage during high school. They typically do so to a sizable proportion of freshmen and sophomores to determine their interest in the program. React to these materials without delay.

Second, thorough assessments. Coaches are now concentrating on sorting and ranking their prospects. Most families believe that at this point, the recruiting process officially starts.

Athletes who have progressed this far have already demonstrated interest in the institution and passed an initial evaluation. The most frequent methods used by coaches to assess basketball potential include competitions, camps, and highlight reels.

Verbal visits and offers. Coaches make offers and secure verbal commitments after they receive their list of ranked candidates. During their junior and senior years, many prospects being seriously recruited will participate in unofficial and formal visits.

How To Get Recruited To Play Men’s College Basketball

Recruiting is not a straightforward, linear process. You can start a chat with one coach and end it with another simultaneously. However, knowing how to promote oneself and develop a communication strategy will help you get a scholarship offer.

Create a target list based on research. Students who participate in sports should check college rosters to examine players in their position (are they seniors who will graduate? ), athletic statistics (how do they compare? ), and other information. And backgrounds (does the coach seek players from a specific area or competition?).

Compete at the highest level possible: Coaches want to see recruits play against top-tier athletes to judge their capacity to compete in college appropriately.

Compete during live times in the summer: It might be challenging for college coaches to observe recruits play in person during the regular season due to scheduling conflicts. They consequently use living periods. Coaches and scouts for college basketball can travel and scout multiple players at once during these summer periods. Participate in exposure or elite camps as well.

Excel in your studies. The NCAA Eligibility Center determines all NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 athletes' academic standing and amateur status. Recognize the criteria to keep on course.

Produce a highlight reel. Sending coaches a highlight video and a complete game tape is the best approach to ensure an in-depth and in-person evaluation. It provides a short overview of the candidate's skill set.

Take the initiative. Send an introduction email with your web profile, highlight video, academic details, notable sports accomplishments, and a statement of personal interest in the program. Then make a call to follow up.

Men’s Basketball Recruiting Timeline Broken Down By Year In School

Here is a broad roadmap you may stick to year after year to make sure your family is moving forward.

Freshman year

• Answer online surveys and give feedback on coaching materials. College coaches are always free to offer recruits general information, including surveys, camp details, non-athletic school details, and documents produced by the NCAA.
• To keep your academic eligibility on track, schedule a meeting with your guidance counselor and set educational goals for the year.
• Study institutions from all divisions.
• Create an online profile and upload your highlight video from any varsity or highly competitive films you may have.
• Call the athletic staff or coaches in Divisions 1 and 2 and take the initiative to speak with them over the phone.

Sophomore year

• If you haven't already, upload your highlight video to your web profile.
• Recruits can start making unofficial visits to Division 1 institutions on August 1.
• Register for the NCAA Eligibility Center after ensuring your second-year classes match the requirements of NCAA academic eligibility.
• If you haven't previously, send introductory emails to college coaches at your chosen institutions. And make a call to follow up.
• Beginning on June 15, following their sophomore year, NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 student-athletes can start receiving direct communication and recruiting materials. Athletes can receive calls from coaches, texts, emails, direct messages, and spoken offers. Currently, college coaches are making offers to top Division 1 and Division 2 players. Before the start of junior year, the majority of Division 1 rosters are set.
• After the second year, off-campus contact is permitted in NCAA Division 3.

Junior year

• Scores from the ACT or SAT should be sent to the NCAA Eligibility Center. Likewise, upload a copy of your transcript to the eligibility center.
• Revisit your highlight reel.
• Off-campus contact is permitted starting on your first day of classes in NCAA Division 1.
• NCAA Division 1: From August 1 of your junior year to the end of your junior year, official visits are permitted (5 total visits).
• From January 1 of the junior year, official visits are permitted in NCAA Division 3.
• Prospects from Division 2 and athletes from Division 3 and NAIA continue to receive offers.
• Take another look at your college list and explore for fresh opportunities if the coaches at the colleges you've been contacting aren't showing any interest in you.

Senior year

• Revisit your highlight reel.
• NCAA Division 1: During their senior year, recruits are allowed to take a total of five extra official visits. They might return to school after an official holiday in their junior year.
• The early signing period for NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 colleges runs from November 13 to 20.
• NJCAA signing day is November 1.
• FAFSA applications are due on October 1.
• Contact the NAIA Eligibility Center to register.
• Beginning on April 1, request a final amateurism certification on your NCAA Eligibility Center account.
• The regular signing period for Division 1 and Division 2 is from April 15 to May 20.
• During the senior year, Division 3 and NAIA teams complete their lineups. Student-athlete recruitment is currently taking place at JUCO programs as well. If you don't now have a roster spot, take a look at these institutions.

What Qualities Do Recruits In College Basketball Possess?

When assessing an athlete's potential, college coaches consider several things.

• Physical traits: height, body type, strength, and athleticism. The average height of a collegiate basketball player in NCAA Division 1 men's basketball was just under 6'5", with 6'7 being the most frequent height mentioned.
• Technical expertise. Coaches like to sign student-athletes who have a solid foundation in their sport.
• IQ in basketball Can the student-athlete make the proper choices during a game while processing information in real-time?
• Academics. Coaches at colleges seek out candidates that perform well in the classroom. They know that student-athletes with solid GPAs and test scores are more likely to be accepted into their universities and transition smoothly into college. Additionally, a strong GPA lets coaches know that the recruit is responsible and disciplined, two qualities they enormously admire.

Naturally, what coaches look for also relies on the particular requirements of their program. The most excellent approach to learning what kind of recruit a college coach needs is to speak with them. A quick alternative is to review the roster on the team's website.

How Many Basketball Players From High Schools Attend College?

Male basketball players in high schools total 551,373. Less than 1% continue to the NAIA, while 18,540—or 3.4%—move on to compete in the NCAA. A little under 1% of students compete in NCAA Division 1, where there are 353 teams; 1% in NCAA Division 2, where there are 313 programs; and 1.4 % in NCAA Division 3, where there are 109 teams. There are 6,352 basketball players in 430 JUCO programs.

How Significant Is Club Basketball In The Selection Of Collegiate Players?

The Amateur Athletic Union, or AAU, can be useful for getting in front of college coaches. It gives coaches a deeper understanding of recruits' capabilities while allowing them to compete against top athletes. Basketball players destined for Division 1 are frequently identified in middle school thanks to their AAU involvement.

Although AAU offers several chances for competition, it is not a prerequisite to receiving a basketball scholarship for college. AAU competition and moved on to successful collegiate and professional careers instead for several hopefuls.

Guidelines For Joining An AAU Basketball Team. What Is The AAU Basketball Process?

Do you have to play AAU basketball to get recruited? The Amateur Athletic Union, or AAU, is a youth sports association. AAU competitions include athletes competing against other teams on autonomous teams. Geographical factors are used to assign groups. Visit the AAU website to determine which district you are a member of and which unit suits you.

The ability to compete against elite talent that you generally wouldn't find by playing locally is something that many athletes cherish in AAU. There are many levels of competition within AAU, and as players advance and get stronger, they'll move to a more competitive squad.

As a result, numerous AAU tournaments, particularly those accredited by the NCAA, frequently draw scouts, offering participants the opportunity to compete in front of college coaches. However, attending these events might be expensive. The annual AAU membership fee is $14, but depending on how many tournaments a family attends, they may spend $400 to $4,000 annually. However, many initiatives provide funding aid to lessen the high cost of AAU.

Do college coaches scout at high school or AAU competitions? The response is "both" However, enrolling in an AAU program and participating in off-season competition gives recruits the advantage of being seen by college scouts all year round. Due to their busy schedules, college coaches may find it challenging to watch many high school games during the regular season. College coaches get the chance to examine numerous recruits at once at AAU events.

You can go to the AAU website to join or form a club.

How To Walk Onto A College Basketball Team And What To Know About Walk-Ons In The Sport

First, you should know how uncommon it is to play walk-on basketball in college. Basketball teams in all divisions have 17 players on their rosters. If they don't have to, coaches won't open up spots for walk-ins.

However, some student-athletes are chosen as preferred walk-on candidates. These athletes go through the recruiting process and are given a roster place, but they are not provided with any athletic aid because the coach has no scholarship openings.

Compared to attending a tryout and joining the squad, student-athletes are more likely to be accepted as preferred walk-ons to a collegiate team.

Preferred walk-ons take all the necessary steps in the recruiting process to get a coach's attention: they proactively approach coaches, send their online resumes, attend camps and tournaments to gain exposure, get in touch with colleges that are the right academic and athletic fit for them, and conduct unofficial visits to the school.

Which Walk-On has Preferred In Collegiate Basketball?

College coaches may still recruit student-athletes after distributing all their scholarship possibilities. In this case, a student-athlete has been assured a seat on the team even though no athletic assistance is provided.

The term "preferred walk-ons" applies to these. Despite the coach's lack of an athletic scholarship, the recruit goes through the recruiting process and joins the squad.

Nevertheless, what it means to be a preferred walk-on varies based on the division and program. Walk-ons in NCAA Division 1 often don't get much playing time and have a lower chance of getting an athletic scholarship in the following years. However, some walk-ons at the NCAA Division 2 and JUCO divisions receive playing time and a scholarship heading into their second season. To comprehend playing and scholarship options, it is best to have open communication with the college coach.

Are There Tryouts For College Basketball Teams?

Basketball tryouts are permitted for NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 programs but not for Division 3. Only potential student-athletes in their senior year of high school, junior college transfers, or four-year transfers who have finished their basketball season are eligible to try out. Participants in the tryouts must also be on a campus tour, whether official or unauthorized.

Usually, college coaches only sign up one or two walk-on players. Walk-on athletes in Division 1 typically don't get any playing time and don't get any athletic support. The likelihood of walk-ons competing for a roster position is higher at Division 2 and JUCO institutions. Since these divisions offer partial scholarships, there is also a potential to receive athletic aid after the first year.

How To Get Ready For Basketball Tryouts And What To Expect From Coaches During Trials

College coaches consider a recruit's physical traits, such as height and body type, athleticism, ability to execute fundamentals, and basketball IQ, demonstrating the player's capacity to comprehend what is happening at game speed and make the best choice based on instinct and experience. These players play more automatically since they can predict what will come next.

It's incredibly uncommon for a tryout to result in a roster place. By getting to know the college coach in advance, student-athletes will increase their chances of being accepted onto a team. Send them an introductory email with a highlight video, a game video, academic details, and your contact details.

What Is The Average Height Of College Basketball Players?

Men's collegiate basketball players' height varies slightly from level to division. Men's basketball players often range in height from 5'9" to 6'9". Remember that this should only be a helpful guideline, not a rule.

Every year, college coaches seek players outside of these ranges for recruitment. Establishing a relationship with a coach early on and reviewing their present roster are the most significant ways to grasp their recruiting requirements.

View the positions' average heights for men's basketball players at each division level.

To catch the attention of college coaches, attend basketball recruiting camps.

When choosing the best camp, keep the following things in mind:

• The college's basketball program manages college basketball camps. Students participating in sports can experience campus life and compete in front of the coach.
• Basketball exposure camps are created with the purpose of ranking players and evaluating players. Many basketball exposure camps allow students to compete in front of college coaches, particularly NCAA DIII men's basketball coaches, even though they are not affiliated with any one university. The talent level is high at many of these camps because they are by invitation only, which is great for player development.
• Then there are "elite camps" on a certain level. The top prospects from each graduation class are gathered for these invitation-only competitions, which pit them against one another nationally. They are a fantastic way for athletes to interact with coaches because college coaches run them on the institution's campus.
• If you're hoping to get recruited at a college basketball camp, remember that most coaches only show up to events to watch athletes they already have some relationship with.

What Does The Term "Redshirt" Mean In Collegiate Basketball?

A student-athlete who misses an entire academic year of outside competition is said to have "redshirted." Although they are permitted to train and practice with the team, they are not given any playing time. By doing this, players extend their eligibility by one year, allowing them to play four seasons in five.

Some coaches provide redshirt scholarships to first-year students who don't fulfill the academic standards for eligibility right out of high school or as a chance to develop physically and get ready for collegiate athletic competition. Student-athletes occasionally redshirt for a year to heal from an injury.

Discover How To Create A Basketball College Recruitment Video

To engage coaches, a basketball highlight video must be produced. To create a video that genuinely stands out adheres to these simple pieces of advice:

1. Pick matches with the most acceptable opposition possible, such as varsity-level contests, AAU games of the highest caliber, or national competitions.
2. Focus the camera from the court's middle, ensuring the student-athlete can be quickly identified.
3. To avoid a shaken camera, use a tripod.
4. Avoid adjusting the zoom.
5. Check to see if the person recording the game is cheering. Mute the video entirely if the background noise is overwhelming and distracting. Likewise, don't add any music to the video.
6. Your name and the year you will graduate should be on the title card of your basketball highlight video, for example, "John Doe Basketball Recruiting Video Class of 2021."
7. Start by stacking your most excellent clips. Usually, you'll introduce your video by showcasing your shooting prowess.
8. Organize your clips to highlight your top three or four skills. For instance, if you're a great three-point shooter, emphasizing six straight threes is far more impactful than emphasizing one three-pointer, a pass, a free throw, possibly followed by another three, etc.
9. Understanding the qualities coaches are looking for in your position Post players should, in essence, display their shooting prowess, quickness, capacity for rim finishing, rebounding, shot-blocking, footwork, and general basketball awareness. Basketball awareness, court vision, athleticism, the ability to penetrate and finish at the rim, and scoring prowess should all be prioritized by perimeter players.
10. Keep your video under four minutes and just include the 20 to 30 finest clips.
11. Send one unedited full game video and your highlight reel to college coaches. After watching a recruit's highlight reel, coaches will want to assess the entire game if they have any interest.

Make A Target List Of Schools Based On Your Research

Research is usually the first stage in the hiring process that is mainly disregarded. The following are the most crucial things to remember:

• Academic: Visit their website to view the school's average grades and test results. Additionally, consider the available majors, and don't forget to question the coach about the most well-liked majors among the team's athletes.
• Athletics: Student-athletes can visit a team's roster and examine the athletes' key statistics, or they can use their high school or club coach to help them choose where they can make an effect.
• Cost: How much can your family afford to spend, and how much financial help is the student-athlete qualified for at each school? While Division 2, NAIA, and JUCO programs provide partial scholarships, NCAA Division 1 institutions give full-ride scholarships. Numerous coaches, even those in NCAA Division 3, collaborate with the admissions office to develop financial aid packages that include need-based assistance, grants, academic scholarships, work-study, and merit-based awards.
• Personal Preferences: Consider the availability of housing, the size of the school, the social environment, the travel time, and even the weather.

We advise families to divide them into three groups as they begin identifying programs they are interested in: goal schools, dream schools, and safety schools. Most universities on student-list athletes ought to be included in the target group.

Read also: How To Spin A Basketball On Your Finger?

Speak With The Coaches On Your List Of Targets

A recruit is prepared to contact coaches once they have researched and created a realistic target list of universities. Never wait for a coach to get in touch with you. Be proactive to catch their attention. Following are some actions to take:

1. Send a welcome email: A welcome email has two functions: it solicits a preliminary assessment and builds rapport with the coach. Include your highlight reel, academic background, contact information, and essential statistics in this email. Additionally, student-athletes should customize their email and mention why they are interested in that particular program. Never copy and paste; it will almost certainly be ignored.
2. Personalize the topic line: A school-specific topic line is preferable to generic ones like "Top basketball recruit." For solid academic colleges, a candidate would wish to mention their GPA and test score in the subject line while stressing vital statistics or honors for Division 1 schools.
3. Coaches, dial. Basketball coaches are permitted to phone athletes when the recruits make the call. In other words, if an NCAA Division 1 coach receives a call from a recruit, the coach may speak with the recruit. Usually, they'll want to email them in advance to let them know when they intend to call so the coach can be ready.
4. Following up, Email the college coach once more to stay in touch whenever there is a notable update, such as a new ACT or SAT score or sports accomplishment. Because sending a second email can assist keep you at the top of their mind if they missed the first one (and coaches are frequently rather busy).

How To Use Your High School Coach To Your Advantage During The Recruiting Process

Student-athletes can get assistance from their high school or club coaches as they navigate the recruitment process and connect with college coaches. Here are several examples:

• Discover your ideal college fit: Make a list of practical college programs using their knowledge and perspective. They may also be connected through the college network.
• Reach out to college coaches: The NCAA basketball recruiting regulations have a loophole that permits student-athletes and college coaches to speak on the phone. When student-athletes contact the college coach to make contact, the coach is allowed to pick up the phone and speak with the recruit. High school coaches can assist in facilitating this communication by serving as liaisons.
• Persona reference: Men's basketball coaches are interested in learning as much as possible about their top prospects' talents, leadership traits, and attitudes. They contact the recruit's high school or club coach to learn more about the athlete's work ethic, mental toughness, and conduct on and off the court.
• Video assistance: Don't hesitate to contact your coach if you need help making a highlight video. Additionally, they probably already have access to actual game footage.

The Role of Recruiting Agencies

Many athletic recruiting firms have been formed to help all parties involved in the basketball recruitment process because of the money at risk.

The effectiveness and worth of these firms are hotly contested. At the same time, they ease the recruiting process for the athlete and their family. They sacrifice the "personal touch" of direct communication between the player and the coach. Additionally, it is not universal for college coaches nationwide to use these services.

While some coaches claim to "trust [agencies'] judgments and will take a look at the players thrown our way," others claim to dismiss agency communications right away since they "are similar to spam."

Due to this, high school athletes should try to distinguish themselves from the competition and facilitate the recruiting process for college coaches. A high school basketball player can streamline the hiring process for a coach and differentiate themselves from other players by creating their independent internet profile with thorough academic and athletic information.

Every piece of fundamental athletic and educational data, academic records, and video clips should be included in a player's internet presence. According to a Division III study conducted by the NCAA, 80% of coaches examine videos forwarded to them.

What Makes a Profile Online Necessary?

The recruiting process is somewhat subjective if you participate in a team sport, such as basketball, volleyball, football, soccer, lacrosse, field hockey, etc., as opposed to individual sports like swimming or track, where coaches can compare athletes using objective metrics. Basketball, for instance, has a small number of these metrics.

What percentage of high school basketball players play in college? While MaxPreps reports statistics on points, free throw percentages, shot percentages, assists, and other metrics, most college coaches find that not all high school statistics are created equal.

Even if your D4 or D5 school was successful in your county, region, or state, college coaches might not take you seriously because they know that players from smaller schools tend to be smaller and less skilled than their D1 and D2 counterparts. A player in a D1 high school faces much stiffer competition than a player in a D5 school.

This is not a criticism towards D4 and D5 high schools; it is simply a fact that the teams are not as competitive because there are fewer athletes to select from. Of course, there are exceptions to this rule, but for the most part, this is the rationale behind the division of high school athletic teams by enrollment.

Therefore, athletes who are applying for scholarships and college admission based on participation in sports must create a web presence that shows recruiters and college coaches that they are fully committed to participating in sports in college and makes it simple for coaches to find all of their grades, test results, transcripts, film, and profiles in one convenient online location.

Put your best foot forward and make it simple for a college recruiter to say "yes" to you when creating an online profile.

Read more: How To Play Basketball? and How Long Are Basketball Games? NBA, WNBA, and NCAA Rules

Why Should My Grades and Test Results Be Included in My Profile?

The majority of colleges mandate that their athletic teams maintain a minimum GPA. Coaches, therefore, prefer athletes who can contribute to this requirement; given a choice, a coach will recruit a player with a high school GPA of 3.4 over one with a GPA of 2.8.

Select an online tool that allows you to attach and submit your GPA and SAT/ACT scores rather than merely stating them when building your profile. Additionally, your parents will undoubtedly request that confidential data be password-protected, much like AthleticsRecruiting does. Take advantage of your good grades if you have them.

Conclusion

The college basketball recruiting process can be long and difficult, but it is possible to get recruited for college basketball. There are a few things that prospective athletes can do to increase their chances of being recruited, such as attending camps and showcases, contacting coaches, and creating a highlight reel.

However, the most important thing is talent and a good work ethic. Athletes with these qualities will have a good chance of being recruited for college basketball.