How do you get scouted for basketball

Basketball Scholarships | How to Get a Basketball Scholarship

Most college basketball players currently on scholarship got started with the recruiting process very early. Basketball players should begin the recruiting process by the time they are in the 9th grade and should be continually checking-in with coaches throughout high school so that coaches can watch their development. Learn more about the steps to take to get a basketball scholarship.

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How to Get a Basketball Scholarship

Here are some quick tips on how to get a basketball scholarship:

1. Start the process early
2. Practice talking with college coaches
3. Have a great video to share
4. Visit as many schools as you can
5. Research the schools you want to attend
6. Improve your grades
7. Provide multiple references
8. Don’t miss deadlines

There are over 1 million men’s and women’s high school basketball players in the USA and thousands more internationally.

Can You Get a Basketball Scholarship from AAU?

AAU basketball teams should be treated as a required ‘step’ toward that direction (much like taking advantage of the benefits a recruiting service can provide). It’s no secret, college scouts do follow high school athletes playing AAU basketball showcases so being a part of this process can assist you in getting noticed.

There are different levels of AAU teams to consider. Those basketball teams which focus on traveling nationwide for several summer tournaments will require you pay more than those teams which focus on a more local or regional AAU tournament schedule. In addition to you paying a fee to cover the cost of team uniforms, warm-ups and practice court costs, you and your parents should also budget for the cost of gasoline, meals and lodging related to any out-of-town games/tournaments.

Can You Play Basketball Without a Scholarship?

If you are thinking of playing college basketball for a powerhouse team in NCAA Division 1 without being offered an athletic scholarship by college recruiters the chances are very slim. From time to time big schools such as these will have a tradition of having ‘tryouts’ for 1-2 walk-ons, but you must understand if you would become such a walk-on there is a chance you would never see any actual playing time.

NCAA Division 2 and NAIA colleges and universities offer partial scholarships and are more readily acceptable to bringing in walk-ons to compete for roster spots. Also, as a walk-on you could work your way into gaining partial scholarships (partial tuition payment, books or meals, e.g.) the next year as these scholarship awards are reviewed by the college coaches and recruiters on a yearly basis. You may also decide to play at a NCAA Division 3 school, which under NCAA guidelines are not permitted to offer athletic scholarships.

How Many Basketball Scholarships Are Given Each Year?

If you have a desire to have a college basketball recruiter offer you a scholarship to play NCAA Division 1 basketball, you’re not alone. Nearly 4,500 players are on scholarship at the Division 1 men’s level while there are over 5,000 women basketball players with full rides to play college hoops.

NCAA Basketball Scholarships Limits

The NCAA requires universities and colleges at the D1 level to offer only ‘full’ scholarships in men’s and women’s basketball. Men’s programs are restricted to 13 scholarships while women’s program rosters have 15 full scholarship players. An interesting point for you to know about full scholarship awards at the NJCAA (Junior College) D1 level is the total offering includes transportation costs one time per year to and from the college by direct route. NCAA D2 and NAIA may offer full or partial scholarship monies to college basketball recruits. While NCAA Division 3 schools are not permitted to offer athletic scholarships you can also benefit from earning academic and merit scholarships available to all students registering to attend those institutions.

The table above shows college basketball scholarships offered at the NCAA Division 1, NCAA Division 2, NJCAA, and NAIA levels.

Basketball Scouting: What do college basketball scouts look for in a player?

You must be aware there are several factors which college basketball recruiters consider before thinking of offering a student-athlete a basketball scholarship. Believe it or not, it all starts on the ability to find you. There are many ways to locate a potential basketball scholarship player:

• Getting players listed and profiled by recruiting services.
• Receiving recommendations from high school or club coaches.
• Searching Twitter for players of interest to competing colleges.
• Attending AAU Showcases & University-run camps.

Do YOU Fit the College Basketball Recruiter’s Player Traits?

Basketball scholarship monies are carefully handed out by college recruiters so each will carefully weigh numerous aspects involving you play. Are you tall your position at the college level? Are you finished growing? Is your body frame able to add more weight through college basketball conditioning programs? These are all ‘physically-related’ questions basketball recruiters are thinking about when they come to see you play or start watching the video your recruiting service has provided them.

To answer on-court questions, basketball recruiters and coaches will create a checklist regarding your skills. For each part of the checklist, college coaches/recruiters will score you as being Strong, Fair, or Weak. You will be rated for: Boxing Out, Offensive Rebounder, Ball Handling, 1-on-1 Offense, Penetrator, Passing Skills, Quickness, Defense (on the ball), Defense (Away from ball), Spot Shooter, Free Throw Shooter, Aggressiveness, Leadership and Attitude.

Don’t forget your grades – including Overall Grade Point Average and ACT/SAT scores. Be sure you take the college entrance tests, and re-take them if you score poorly. The NCAA Eligibility Center guidelines are for prospective D1 and D2 student-athletes to follow. Strong grades are also important for D3 schools as academic scholarships are available for incoming athletes meeting the award criteria.

When Does Recruiting Begin?

Top collegiate programs will start sending basketball recruiters to watch you as early as when you are in middle school – IF YOU ARE A TOP-TIER TALENT.

How Many College Basketball Teams Are There?

Here is the total number of basketball programs at each division level.

Men’s Basketball Programs

There are approximately 1,844 men’s basketball teams in total.

• There are 344 NCAA division 1 teams in men’s basketball.
• There are 282 NCAA division 2 teams in men’s basketball.
• There are 403 NCAA division 3 teams in men’s basketball.
• There are 255 NAIA teams in men’s basketball.
• There are 560 NJCAA teams in men’s basketball.

Women’s Basketball Programs

There are approximately 1,834 women’s basketball teams in total.

• There are 335 NCAA division 1 teams in women’s basketball.
• There are 298 NCAA division 2 teams in women’s basketball.
• There are 426 NCAA division 3 teams in women’s basketball.
• There are 256 NAIA teams in women’s basketball.
• There are 519 NJCAA teams in women’s basketball.

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The Average Height of College Basketball Players

These are the general guidelines for size requirements coaches look for in a basketball player. If you fall outside of these marks it doesn’t mean you can’t play at that level only that it might be more difficult.

Men’s Basketball

The average height of a men’s basketball player is 6’3”.

Women’s Basketball

The average height of a women’s basketball player is 5’6’”.

College Basketball Camps and Showcases

Do you know the difference between a basketball camp and a basketball showcase?

Basketball camps are summer camps run by colleges at all levels which have a basketball program. If you are serious about playing for a specific team, it is a great idea to attend one or more of these summer camps. Here’s why:

• You will be learning the game of basketball from established college coaches. These coaches may teach you something you haven’t learned from your high school or AAU coaches.
• Exposure – You get the opportunity to show you basketball skills to coaches who may not have heard of you. This exposure is not just to the coaches from the college where the camp is being held. Many times, especially with larger universities, outside coaches (from NCAA D2, D3 or NAIA, e.g.) will be hired to assist as camp coaches due to the sheer number of campers in attendance.
• Athlete interaction – You will get to talk with athletes from other high schools or AAU teams. It could result in moving onto a better summer league team or gaining insight about recruiting experiences.

Showcases are events held, mostly during the summer, where you can play with other prospective college basketball recruits and display your court talents to college recruiters in attendance. While pricey this may be considered an investment for your desire to play basketball at the collegiate level. Most of these events will offer video of your games to assist in your recruiting process. Aside from possibly playing in front of college basketball recruiters, you will also get a better handle on your overall skills as you may be facing better competition than you do during your high school season.

Get more information about College Basketball Camps.

Choosing a college basketball camp can be a little difficult for you at first, but here are some tips to think about before making a final decision. You have to ask yourself the reason you want to attend a basketball camp.

When is National Signing Day for Basketball?

National Letter of Intent, or National Signing Day as it’s more commonly called, is the specific time when you as student-athlete will decide which scholarship offer you will accept from a college basketball recruiter. For NCAA D1 schools, the next signing day is April 17, 2019 through May 15, 2019. The next period is November 13-20. If you are offered a ‘letter of intent’ you will have seven days to sign and return it to the university’s basketball department. The signed agreement means you will commit to playing for that college for at least one year. The college must also let you know each year if the scholarship has been extended. Even if you sign the letter of intent, you must also be able to meet all of the admissions requirements of the school before actually attending classes. Before signing, you need to be certain this is the school you want to attend. If you request a release from the agreement it may or may not be approved by the university.

Athnet is here to help you in your desire to play basketball at the collegiate level.

Through our many resources – including our website, free online profiles and various partnerships – we will provide you, the college recruit, as well as your family, easy-to-understand advice and subsequent resources to catch the attention from college recruiters. Recruiting and scholarship advice comes to you from our knowledgeable company representatives as each of them carries the experience of a former college coach or player. Your online presence is really a great way to start your recruiting experience. Did you know the vast majority (90%) of college recruiters start the process with an online search of student-athletes?

Build your free recruiting profile today!

420 thousand coaches are in our network of college recruiters and they will be looking at your latest video and statistics included in your profile. Don’t miss out on your chance to get the ‘early’ looks from college recruiters.

How women’s basketball started

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How to Get Recruited for College Basketball

Playing college basketball is the dream for thousands of student-athletes across the country. But many families are often unsure of how to go about getting recruited by coaches. To be successful, recruits need to research their best college fit and actively market themselves to these coaches by creating an online profile and highlight video that showcases their athletic ability and leadership qualities. This section will answer the most common questions families have on how to get recruited for college basketball.

Quick Links

How does college basketball recruiting work?

How to get recruited to play college basketball

Men’s basketball recruiting timeline

What do college basketball scouts look for in recruits?

What percentage of high school basketball players play in college?

How important is club basketball?

How to join a AAU basketball team: how does AAU basketball work?

What to know about college basketball walk ons

What is a preferred walk on in college basketball?

Do college basketball teams have tryouts?

How to prepare for basketball tryouts: What coaches look for in basketball tryouts

How tall are men’s college basketball players?

Attend basketball recruiting camps

What does redshirt mean in college basketball?

Learn how to make a college recruiting video for basketball

Research schools and create your target list

Contact coaches on your target list

How your high school coach can help you in your recruiting process

How does college basketball recruiting work? 

Basketball recruits who are successful in their recruiting journey do the leg work: they build a list of realistic schools, create an online profile and highlight film, contact college coaches and compete in front of coaches at tournaments and camps.  From a coach’s perspective, here’s a quick overview of how they find student-athletes:

• Identify potential recruits. At any point in high school, coaches can send general materials, such as recruiting questionnaires, to student-athletes, and they usually send them out to a large number of freshmen and sophomores to gauge their interest in the program. Respond promptly to these materials.
• Second, in-depth evaluations. At this point, coaches focus on ranking their prospects and narrowing down their list. This is the stage where most families think the recruiting process begins. However, athletes who’ve made it this far have already passed an initial evaluation and shown some interest in the school. Tournaments, camps and highlight film are the most common ways coaches evaluate basketball prospects.
• Verbal offers and visits. After coaches have their list of ranked prospects, they extend offers and lock down verbal commitments. Many recruits who are being seriously recruited will partake in unofficial and official visits during their junior and senior years. 

Related Articles

• What are my chances of being part of Illinois basketball recruiting?
• Basketball College: Offering Scholarships and On-Court Glory
• How are NCAA basketball teams organized?

How to get recruited to play men’s college basketball

Recruiting isn’t a linear, clear-cut process. You could be nearing the end of your conversations with one coach, while simultaneously just beginning with another. But knowing what steps you can take to create a communication strategy and market yourself will help you secure a scholarship offer.

1. Research and build a target list. Student-athletes should visit college rosters and look at the players in their position (are they seniors who are graduating?), athletic stats (how do they measure up?) and backgrounds (does the coach recruit from a particular region or tournament?).
2. Compete at the highest level possible: To accurately assess a recruit’s ability to compete in college, coaches want to see them play against high-ranked athletes.
3. Compete in the summer during live periods: Scheduling conflicts make it difficult for college coaches to watch recruits play in-person during the regular season. So, they turn to live periods. These stretches in the offseason allow college basketball scouts and coaches to hit the road and scout several players at once. Attend elite or exposure camps as well.
4. Excel academically. The NCAA Eligibility Center determines the academic eligibility and amateur status for all NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 athletes. Understand the requirements to stay on track.
5. Create a highlight film. The best way to secure an in-depth and in-person evaluation is by sending coaches a highlight video and a full game film. It’s a quick way to show a snapshot of the recruit’s skill set.
6. Be proactive. Start by sending an introductory email that includes your online profile, highlight video, academic information, outstanding athletic achievements and personal interest in the program. Then follow up with a phone call. 

Men’s basketball recruiting timeline broken down by year in school

Here is a general guideline you can follow year-by-year to ensure your family is on track.

Freshman year

• Fill out questionnaires online and respond to coach materials. College coaches can send recruits general materials, such as questionnaires, camp information, non-athletic information about the school and materials published by the NCAA at any time.
• Meet with your guidance counselor and set academic goals for the year to keep your academic eligibility on track.
• Research colleges from all division levels.
• Create an online profile and if you have varsity or high-level competitive film, post your highlight video.
• Be proactive and call Division 1 and Division 2 coaches or athletics staff and talk to them on the phone.

Sophomore year

• Post your highlight video to your online profile, if you haven’t already.
• Aug. 1—Recruits can begin taking unofficial visits to Division 1 schools.
• Check that your sophomore year classes meet NCAA academic eligibility standards and register for the NCAA Eligibility Center.
• Send introductory emails to college coaches at your target colleges, if you haven’t already. And follow up with a phone call.
• NCAA Division 1 and Division 2— Student-athletes can receive personal contact and recruiting materials starting June 15 after their sophomore year. Coaches can call athletes, send text messages, direct messages and emails, as well as make verbal offers. Top Division 1 and Division 2 athletes are getting offers from college coaches at this time. Most Division 1 rosters are finalized before the start of junior year.
• NCAA Division 3—Off-campus contact is allowed after sophomore year. 

Junior year

• Take the ACT or SAT and submit your scores to the NCAA Eligibility Center. Upload your transcript to the Eligibility Center as well.
• Update your highlight video.
• NCAA Division 1—Off-campus contact is allowed beginning your opening day of classes.
• NCAA Division 1—Official Visits are allowed Aug. 1 of your junior year through completion of junior year (5 total visits).
• NCAA Division 3—Official visits allowed starting Jan. 1 of junior year.
• Offers continue to roll in for Division 2 prospects, as well as Division 3 and NAIA athletes.
• If you’re not getting interest from coaches at the schools you’ve been contacting, take a new look at your college list and find new opportunities.

Senior year

• Update your highlight video.
• NCAA Division 1—Recruits can take an additional five official visits during their senior year. They may re-visit a school from a junior year official visit.
• Nov. 13-20—Early signing period for NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 schools begins.
• Nov. 1—NJCAA Signing Date.
• Apply for the FAFSA on Oct. 1.
• Register with the NAIA Eligibility Center.
• Request final amateurism certification beginning April 1 in NCAA Eligibility Center account.
• April 15-May 20—Regular signing period occurs for Division 1 and Division 2.
• Division 3 and NAIA teams are finalizing their rosters during senior year. JUCO programs are also recruiting student-athletes at this time. Consider these schools if you haven’t secured a roster spot yet. 

What do college basketball scouts look for in recruits?

College coaches consider a few factors when determining an athlete’s ability. 

• Physical characteristics—height and body frame, athleticism and strength. In NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball, the average height of a college basketball player was just under 6’5” and the most common height listed was 6’7”.
• Technical skills. Coaches want to recruit student-athletes who have mastered the fundamentals.
• Basketball IQ. Can the student-athlete process information in real time during a game and make the right decisions?
• Academics. College coaches look for recruits who excel in the classroom. They know that student-athletes with a solid GPA and test scores will more likely be admitted into their university and have an easier college transition. Plus, a good GPA also tells coaches that the recruit is responsible and disciplined—traits they highly value. 

Of course, what coaches look for also depends on their program’s specific needs. Connecting with a college coach is the best way to understand what kind of recruit they need. Another quick way is to visit the team’s website and analyze their roster.

What percentage of high school basketball players play in college?

There are 551,373 high school men’s basketball players. Of that number, 18,540 —or 3.4 percent—go on to compete in the NCAA and less than one percent move on to the NAIA. Just less than one percent compete in NCAA Division 1 where there are 353 teams; one percent compete at the NCAA Division 2 level, which has 313 programs; and 1.4 percent compete at NCAA Division 3 with 109 teams. There are 430 JUCO programs rostering 6,352 basketball players. 

How important is club basketball in the college basketball recruiting process? 

AAU, which stands for the Amateur Athletic Union, can be a valuable tool in gaining exposure to college coaches. It allows recruits to compete against top tier athletes and offers coaches an extended look into their abilities. Elite Division 1 basketball players are often recognized in middle school through their AAU experience. But even though AAU provides several competitive opportunities, it isn’t a requirement to obtain a college basketball scholarship. Several prospects have foregone the AAU circuit and moved on to successful college and professional careers.

How to join a AAU basketball team. How does AAU basketball work? 

AAU is a youth sports organization and stands for the Amateur Athletic Union. Athletes form independent teams and compete in AAU tournaments against other teams. Teams are assigned based on geography. To find out which district you belong to and which team is best for you, you can visit the AAU website.

Many athletes value AAU as it provides an opportunity to compete against top-level talent that you typically wouldn’t find by solely playing locally. There are various levels of competition within AAU and as players develop and get better, they’ll switch to a higher competitive team. As a result, many AAU tournaments, especially NCAA-certified tournaments, often attract scouts, giving athletes a chance to play in front of college coaches. However, participating in these events can be costly. The AAU membership fee is $14 per year, but families can end up paying $400 to $4,000 dollars per year depending on how many tournaments they travel to. Many programs, however, offer financial assistance to help cut the high price tag associated with AAU.

Do college coaches recruit at AAU or high school games? The answer is, both. But joining an AAU program and competing during the off-season gives recruits the advantage to be seen by college scouts year round. It can be difficult for college coaches to attend many high school games during the regular season because of their competing schedules. AAU tournaments provide college coaches the opportunity to evaluate many recruits at one time. 

To get a membership or start a club, you can visit AAU’s website.

What to know about college basketball walk ons and how to walk onto a college basketball team

The first thing you should know about becoming a college basketball walk-on is that it is rare. Basketball rosters are not that big—there’s an average of 17 players per team across the divisions. Coaches aren’t going to give up spots to walk-ons if they don’t have to. Some student-athletes, though, are recruited as a preferred walk-on. These athletes go through the recruiting process and are offered a roster spot, but they don’t receive any athletic aid as the coach doesn’t have any scholarship opportunities available. 

Student-athletes have a better chance of walking on to a college team as a preferred walk-on compared to going to a tryout and making the team. Preferred walk-ons take all the necessary steps in the recruiting process to capture a coach’s attention: they proactively contact coaches and send their online resume; they attend camps and tournaments to gain exposure; they reach out to schools that are the right academic and athletic fit for them; and they take unofficial visits to the college.

Learn more about becoming a walk-on versus getting a scholarship offer. 

What is a preferred walk on in college basketball? 

After college coaches have handed out all of their scholarship opportunities, they may still continue to recruit student-athletes. In this scenario, a student-athlete is guaranteed a roster spot without receiving any athletic aid. These are known as preferred walk-ons. The recruit still goes through the recruiting process and joins the team—the coach just doesn’t have an athletic scholarship available for them.

Being a preferred walk-on means something different depending on the division and program, though. In NCAA Division 1, walk-ons typically don’t see much playing time and are less likely to receive an athletic scholarship in subsequent years. At the NCAA Division 2 and JUCO levels, however, some walk-ons earn playing time and a scholarship going into their second season. It is best to have clear communication with the college coach to understand playing and scholarship opportunities.

Do college basketball teams have tryouts? 

While NCAA Division 1 and Division 2 programs are allowed to conduct basketball tryouts, Division 3 cannot do so. Tryouts are limited to prospective student-athletes who are seniors in high school, junior college transfers or four-year transfers who have completed their basketball season. Tryout participants also must be on an official or unofficial visit to the campus. 

Typically college coaches only recruit one to two players as walk-ons. In Division 1, walk-on athletes don’t receive athletic aid and usually don’t get any playing time. Division 2 and JUCO programs more commonly give walk-ons a chance at competing for a roster spot and because these divisions offer partial scholarships, there’s also a chance to earn athletic aid after the first year.

How to prepare for basketball tryouts and what coaches look for in basketball tryouts 

When making roster decisions, college coaches consider a recruit’s physical characteristics, like height and body frame, athleticism, ability to execute the fundamentals and basketball IQ, which showcases the athlete’s ability to interpret what is happening at game speed, as well as their ability to make the right decision based on instinct and experience. These players can anticipate what will happen next, making their game more automatic.  

Securing a roster spot at a tryout is extremely rare. Student-athletes will improve their chances of walking on to a college team by establishing a relationship with the college coach ahead of time. Send them an introductory email with highlight film, game film, academic information, and contact information.

How tall are men’s college basketball players? 

The height of men’s college basketball players vary slightly from division to division. Generally, men’s basketball players are between 5’9” and 6’9”. Keep in mind that this should be used as a helpful guideline and not something set in stone. Players who don’t fall within these ranges are recruited every year by college coaches. The best way to understand a coach’s recruiting needs is to establish a relationship with them early on and analyze their current team roster.

View the average height of men’s basketball players by position across each division level.

Attend basketball recruiting camps to get noticed by college coaches 

Here are a few factors to consider when choosing the right camp: 

• College basketball camps are run by the college’s basketball program. Student-athletes have an opportunity to sample campus life and compete in front of the coach.
• Basketball exposure camps are designed to evaluate players and obtain a player ranking. Although they are not tied to a specific university, many basketball exposure camps offer players an opportunity to play in front of college coaches, especially at NCAA DIII men’s basketball coaches. Many of these camps are invitation-only, so the talent level is high – and excellent for player development.
• Lastly, there is a level of “elite camps.” These are typically invitation-only events that bring together the top recruits from each graduate class to compete against each other at a national level. They’re run by college coaches on the school’s campus, so they’re a great way for athletes to get exposure to coaches. 

If you want to get recruited at a college basketball camp, remember that most coaches attend events only to see players with whom they’ve already made some kind of connection.

Learn more about basketball camps and search for the best camps.

What does redshirt mean in college basketball?

The term “redshirt” is used to describe a student-athlete who does not participate in outside competition for an academic year. They’re allowed to practice and train with the team, but they don’t see any playing time. By doing this, they gain an additional year of eligibility, so technically they play four seasons in five years. Some coaches offer redshirt scholarships to freshmen who don’t meet the academic eligibility requirements coming out of high school, or as a chance to physically grow and prepare to compete as a collegiate athlete. In some cases, student-athletes redshirt for a year as they recover from an injury.

Learn how to make a college recruiting video for basketball

Creating a basketball highlight video is essential to garnering coach interest. Follow these straight-forward tips to put together a video that truly stands out: 

1. Choose games against your best competition, such as varsity level, high-level AAU games or any nationwide tournaments.
2. Focus the camera from mid-court while making sure the student-athlete is easily recognizable.
3. Use a tripod to avoid a shaky camera.
4. Don’t zoom in and out.
5. Make sure the person filming the match isn’t cheering. If there is excessive and distracting background noise, mute the video completely. Don’t add music to the video either.
6. Put a title card at the front of your basketball highlight video that includes your name and graduation year, such as “John Doe Basketball Recruiting Video Class of 2021.”
7. Stack your best clips first. Typically you’ll start your video by highlighting your shooting ability.
8. Focus on three or four strengths and organize your clips to highlight them. For example, if you’re an excellent three-point shooter, highlighting six straight threes is much more effective than showcasing one three-pointer, a pass, then a free throw, and then maybe another three, etc. 
9. Know what coaches are looking for in your position. In short, post players should showcase their shooting ability, quickness, ability to finish at the rim, rebounding, shot blocking, footwork and overall basketball awareness. Perimeter players should focus on scoring ability, quickness, ability to penetrate and finish at the rim, athleticism, basketball awareness and court vision. 
10. Cap your video with your best 20 to 30 clips and keep it under four minutes.
11. Send college coaches your highlight video, as well as one unedited full game video. If they’re interested in a recruit after watching their highlight film, they will want to evaluate the full game next. 

See the full list of tips for creating a basketball highlight video.

Research schools and create your target list 

The very first step in the recruiting journey is often the one most overlooked—research. Here are the most important factors to keep in mind:

• Academics: Visit the school’s website to see the average grades and test scores. Plus, consider which majors are offered and remember to ask the coach which majors are popular among athletes on the team.
• Athletics: Student-athletes can use their high school or club coach to help them assess where they can make an impact, or they can visit a team’s roster and analyze the athletes’ key stats.
• Cost: How much can your family afford and how much aid is the student-athlete eligible to receive at each school? NCAA Division 1 schools offer full ride scholarships, while Division 2, NAIA and JUCO programs offer partial scholarships. Many coaches, including NCAA Division 3, work with the admissions department to create financial packages that include need-based aid, grants, academic scholarships, work study and merit-based scholarships.
• Personal Preferences: Think about housing options, school size, social aspects, distance from home and even the weather.

As families start to find programs they’re interested in, we recommend sorting them into three categories: target schools, dream schools and safety schools. Most of the schools on a student-athlete’s list should fall into the target category.

Get a head start on your list by viewing NCSA’s list of Best Colleges for Student-Athletes.

Contact coaches on your target list

Once a recruit has done the research and built a realistic target list of colleges, they’re ready to contact coaches. Remember—never wait for a coach to reach out. Be proactive to get on their radar. Here are a few steps to take:   

1. Send an introductory email: An introductory email serves two purposes—to get an initial evaluation and establish a relationship with the coach. Make sure this email includes highlight film, academic information, contact information and key stats. Student-athletes should also personalize their email and explain their interest in that specific program. Never copy and paste—it’s almost guaranteed to get skipped over.
2. Tailor the subject line: Avoid generic subject lines, such as “Top basketball recruit,” and tailor the subject line to the school instead. For example, a recruit might want to include their GPA and test score in the subject line for high academic colleges, while highlighting key stats or awards to Division 1 schools.
3. Call coaches. Basketball coaches are allowed to talk to athletes on the phone when the recruits are the ones initiating contact. In other words, if a recruit calls an NCAA Division 1 coach, the coach is allowed to talk to them. Typically, they’ll want to email them letting them know what time they plan on calling so the coach can be prepared
4. Follow up. Whenever there is a noteworthy update to share, like a new ACT or SAT score or athletic achievement, email the college coach again to touch base. Because if they missed the first email (and coaches tend to be pretty busy), following up can help keep you top of mind.

See the full list of tips on contacting coaches.

How your high school coach can help you in your recruiting process

High school or club coaches are there to support student-athletes along their recruiting journey—and help them connect with college coaches. Here are a few ways: 

• Find the right college fit: Use their expertise and insight to create a college list of realistic programs. Plus, they probably have connections in the college network.
• Connect with college coaches: There’s a loophole in the NCAA basketball recruiting rules that allows student-athletes and college coaches to talk on the phone. If a student-athlete initiates the contact and calls the college coach, the coach is allowed to answer the phone and talk to the recruit. High school coaches can help facilitate this contact by acting as a liaison.
• Character reference: Men’s basketball coaches want to learn as much as they can about their top recruits, including their leadership qualities, attitude and talent. So, they call the recruit’s high school or club coach to get a better understanding of the athlete’s mental toughness, work ethic and behavior both on and off the court. 
• Video help: Don’t hesitate to ask your coach for help when creating a highlight film. Plus, they probably have full game footage already available.

Insider tip: Despite the impact that coronavirus had on college sports, as of June 1, 2021, the NCAA resumed its regular recruiting rules and activity! Coaches are actively working to fill their rosters, so student-athletes should be proactive in reaching out to coaches. Read up on how the extra year of eligibility granted to athletes who were most affected by the pandemic in 2020 will impact future recruiting classes.

“I don’t regret at all that I missed the children’s “club” basketball.” Start your career at the age of 20 and play in the Superleague - Basketball. 63rd region - Blogs

Samara forward Nikita Ivanov explains why he played only at the amateur level until he was 20, and recalls how he started his professional career. And at the same time invites everyone to play hockey with him.

Nikita Ivanov. Center/forward. Genus. October 31, 1991 Height 205 cm. Played for: the youth team of Krasnye Krylia (Samara, 2012-2013), CSK VVS-Krasnye Krylya (Samara, 2013/2014), the team of BC Khimki (2014-2016 ). Since the summer of 2016 - in the sports club "Samara". Participant of the World Summer Universiade 2011 as part of the student team of Russia. Winner of the Eurocup 2014/2015 with Khimki.

- You are playing for the Samara team for the second time. How has the city changed during this time?

- My first "arrival" in Samara was more youthful. Now I play in a team that faces serious challenges, and the championship, compared to recent years, has become stronger. During the two years that I spent in Khimki, Samara has noticeably changed: roads have started to be built for the 2018 World Cup, which is very nice. I myself am from Siberia, from Krasnoyarsk, and every spring I thought that we had the worst roads. But when I first came to Samara in 2012, I saw that there are regions that even lag behind Krasnoyarsk in this regard. But in general, Samara is a beautiful city, there is a beautiful embankment here, which is especially beautiful in summer. In my free time, the guys and I went there to play beach volleyball, swim - in Siberia, for this you need to get far out of the city, but here everything is nearby, so many cities can envy Samara.

- It was in Samara that you started your professional career...

- It so happened that I didn't go through the traditional "school" of basketball. Youth championships of Russia, CYBL - I missed all this. And I came to the professional team from student basketball: I played for the SibFU team in the ASB championship, and after my fourth year I decided to try my hand at professional sports. First, I went to see Nizhny Novgorod, took part with the team in the pre-season tournament, where the Krasnye Krylia coaches noticed me - so I moved to Tolyatti, where their youth team was then based. I was considered a promising guy, with good physical data - and I was “pulled up” to the main team. Moreover, there the players had injuries, so they took me to practice, to get a taste of professional basketball.

Basketball has always been interesting to me, I have always liked to practice and give myself to the cause. And with the university team we played at a high level: the All-Russian Universiade, the finals of the ASB ... And the guys in the team were experienced, who played at a professional level, in the same Yenisei. Children's basketball in Krasnoyarsk is under the auspices of Yenisei, but somehow it turns out that there is not a single pupil of my own in the main team ... And I decided that I would study and play, and I would take a step towards professional sports at the end of my studies in university.

In general, I started studying at an ordinary regional school. There was a good company, together we played basketball on the street, and ran crosses for the school, and participated in regional volleyball and hockey competitions - our sports development was versatile. Gradually, I fell in love with basketball more, especially since I was genetically tall, and began to pay more attention and time to it. And now I do not regret at all that I missed the children's "club" basketball. In adolescence, such loads, and suddenly an injury - and that’s it, you can no longer “get to” professionals.

Although for the first time I felt the "taste" of professional sports in 2011. Before the World Universiade, I, along with a group of players from the ASB and American universities, were taken to the training camp of the Russian student team. There were also players from professional clubs: Dmitry Golovin, Petr Gubanov, Vyacheslav Zaitsev, Anatoly Kashirov, and Evgeny Pashutin was the coach. As a result, I and another guy from Siberia, Alexander Kalenov (now playing in the Superleague for Temp-SUMZ-UMMC - ed.) passed the training camp and got into the team. Of course, we did not play a special role, but in training, in terms of energy and emotions, we gave all the best. Then I "live" saw the world of professional basketball - this predetermined my desire to try myself at this level after university.

- Are you interested or doing anything other than basketball now?

- Recently, the volleyball "Nova" moved to the "MTL Arena", and I, Dmitry Golovin and Evgeny Minchenko live very close by. Sometimes we go to their matches to support the guys. There are, of course, a lot of people there, there are various nuances, such as there is nowhere to even sit down. I also love to skate. We bought a hockey stick with Dima Golovin, we go to one of the city “boxes”, we skate, we work out some elements - this is quite interesting and at the same time difficult: unusual ligaments and joints work, there is a good load. If someone has a desire, come to the site on Lenin Avenue, we will see you not only at basketball. It happened that with the guys who work there, we set up the goal and play, we try to “depict” something at speed, similar to hockey. But everything is neat, after all, our main occupation is basketball.

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- What is the most difficult thing when you start your professional career at the age of 20?

- In terms of "physics" it was much easier. But in understanding game situations, in responsibility for the result, everything is completely different. For example, “for young men” you have a big credit of trust, you run and do whatever you want. And here everything is already stricter. Each player has his own strengths and weaknesses, in the attack you need to bring the ball to the “snipers”, look for profitable situations for partners, despite the fact that the time for making decisions is minimized: you need to do everything faster so that the defense does not have time to react and you scored easy points. This is the main difference.

Although I would not say that the level of college basketball is very weak. When I studied and played, we had about 70 matches during the season - the city championship, the ASB championship, the semi-professional First League, where we traveled, probably, half of Siberia ... We trained, maybe at a minimum, but game practice we have always been good: you are always in rhythm, always “run”. That was amazing. I think that such a system should be practiced. I think it can give an even better result than when you play 22 matches in a season, like we do in the Super League. It turns out that every game is responsible, you can’t relax a bit - it’s very emotionally fettering, and the level of “game” development also suffers from this. Although this is just my personal opinion.

- At the same time, Sergei Bazarevich almost immediately began to involve you in training with the Krasnye Krylia main team. What are your impressions of working with this coach?

– I can say to myself that at that time I was a bit unprepared for a new level. First of all, it is psychological. In terms of decision-making, some skills, I noticeably lagged behind my partners. Nevertheless, I was connected to training with the base. I am a physically strong guy, I always fought to the end, did not give up - and achieved my goal through perseverance. And Sergey Bazarevich is a very competent and good coach, he develops young players, for whom he has a credit of trust. He always has energetic workouts, his favorite phrase is: “The main thing is a good mood and give energy!”

- Then you found yourself in a similar situation in Khimki: you get playing practice in the second team in the Superleague, but you regularly train with the first team... including me. It's one structure, one club. And Khimki-Podmoskovye is a stepping stone between the youth team and the main one, so that their personnel are not lost, so that young guys do not go somewhere, but stay and gain experience in their club, having the opportunity to hang out with the “muzhiks”. And if you show yourself well, you will definitely be noticed and given a chance to try yourself at a higher level.