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How to make basketball highlight videos
How to Make a Basketball Highlight Video for Men’s Basketball
In a perfect world, basketball coaches would be able to evaluate all their top recruits in person. But unfortunately, they just don’t have the time or budget to see every prospect this way. Cue: basketball highlight videos. A well-crafted highlight video can put a recruit on a coach’s radar and secure them a second in-person evaluation. Follow these guidelines to create a video that stands out.
Quick Links
The importance of video in college basketball recruiting
How to make a basketball skills video
College basketball recruiting video tips
What do coaches look for in a basketball highlight video?
What are some good basketball highlight video songs?
How long should a basketball highlight video be?
Center highlight video
Point guard highlight video
Power forward highlight video
Shooting guard highlight video
Small forward highlight video
How to make a basketball highlight video on hudl
Basketball recruiting video services
The importance of a college basketball recruiting video
Here’s the hard hitting truth—most coaches don’t simply “discover” recruits.![]()
They don’t have the budget or time to see every prospect play in-person. And with high school and college basketball games being more staggered throughout the week compared to other sports, traveling is nearly impossible when coaches are in season. That’s why highlight videos have become essential in the basketball recruiting process. In a matter of minutes, they can garner coach interest and help student-athletes get an in-depth, second evaluation. Think of it as the first step toward getting on a coach’s radar and securing an opportunity to be evaluated in person later.
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How to make a basketball skills video
One of the best parts of shooting a men’s basketball skills video is that you don’t need all the bells and whistles of a traditional highlight video.
Whether you miss a shot or don’t have the best angle, your basketball skills video doesn’t have to be perfect—it’s more important to go game speed at all times and showcase your athleticism and technical abilities.
In the video below, former D1 and pro basketball player Eric Vierneisel explains that coaches want to see multiple reps of drills that showcase your skills, including:
- Ball handling and shooting drills
- Change of speed and direction
- Jumping and leaping
- Strength training and conditioning workouts, like box jumps and speed ladder work
- Shooting range and consistency
College basketball recruiting video tips
For some student-athletes, a basketball highlight video might be the reason they secure an in-person evaluation. Creating a highlight film is not as complicated as it sounds. Follow these straight-forward tips to create a video that truly stands out:
- Before you set out to film, ask your high school coach if they have footage already available.
Online video services for high school coaches, like Hudl, are popular resources. - Choose games against your best competition, such as varsity level, high-level AAU games or any nationwide tournaments. College coaches want to see how you stack up against top talent. Typically clips from two or three games is enough, but you can use more if needed.
- Focus the camera from mid-court while making sure the student-athlete is easily recognizable. The camera view shouldn’t be obstructed by the crowd, other players on the court or people walking by.
- Use a tripod to avoid a shaky camera.
- Don’t zoom in and out.
- 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.
- 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.
” - Stack your best clips first. Typically, you’ll start your video by highlighting your shooting ability.
- Focus on your three or four strongest strengths and organize your clips to highlight them. For example, if you’re an excellent three-point shooter, showcasing six straight threes is much more effective than one three-pointer, a pass, then a free throw, and then maybe another three, etc.
- Cap your video at 20 to 30 clips and keep it under four minutes.
- 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.
What do college coaches look for in a basketball highlight video?
A well-edited highlight video gives student-athletes a chance to show college coaches their strongest skills, athleticism, versatility and basketball IQ—all in just a few minutes. Coaches look for recruits who have the right technique and can execute on the fundamentals.
They want to see footage against high-level competition where the recruit was truly tested—think varsity high school games, national tournaments, showcases and elite camps. If the highlight video does its job and captures the coach’s attention, then the coach will also want to evaluate performance from an unedited full game, which provides further insight into the recruit’s basketball IQ and game awareness. That’s why we always recommend sending a brief and impactful highlight film, as well as one full game.
What are some good basketball highlight video songs?
Music can set an energetic tone, but it shouldn’t take away from an athlete’s performance. For that reason, we typically don’t recommend including music in a basketball highlight video. And to be honest, coaches don’t care too much about the frills; they just want to evaluate the recruit. In fact, if there’s excessive background noise, like yelling, it’s best to mute the sound completely.
How long should a basketball highlight video be?
Student-athletes need to quickly capture a coach’s attention—with an emphasis on quickly.
Basketball highlight videos should be under four minutes with 20-30 great plays that demonstrate the athlete’s strongest skills. In addition to a brief highlight film, student-athletes should separately provide full game film. If the coach is interested after watching the highlight reel, they’ll want to evaluate the recruit in one unedited game.
Center highlight video
College coaches want to evaluate the strongest parts of a center’s game. They look for technique and the ability to overpower players. Height and wingspan are key physical tools that will stand out, as well.
- Shooting ability (range) and ability to finish around the rim
- Ability to score against traditional post defense
- Rebounding
- Shot blocking and defensive ability to disrupt flow and passes (even when not blocking shots)
- Successfully guard multiple positions
- Quickness and footwork
- Properly executed pick and roll plays and defensive stops
- Game awareness—ability to process in game time and make the right decisions
In the video below, Team Edition Coordinator John Pugliese—a former NCAA Division 1, 2 and 3 college coach who’s watched hundreds of highlight/skills videos—breaks down what college coaches want to see from potential men’s basketball recruits competing for a center roster spot.
Point guard highlight video
Scoring and shooting ability is the most important aspect for perimeter players. Point guards who can take control, possess leadership skills and have a take-charge attitude will stand out.
- Shooting ability (range) and scoring
- Ability to penetrate and finish at the rim
- Ball handling and passing (making the right pass, knowing when to pass—and when not to)
- Court vision and controlling pace of the game
- Good decisions in transition
- Quickness
- Defense rotations and ability to guard bigger players and multiple positions
- Game awareness—ability to process in game time and make the right decisions
There are a few key skills student-athletes should include in their point guard highlight videos. In the video below, former NCAA D1, D2 and D3 college coach John Pugliese says potential recruits should make sure their video shows that they’re a great leader, highlights how they respond to and perform under pressure and showcases their ability to process and make decisions during games.
Power forward highlight video
Power forwards need to have a dynamic skill set and be able to demonstrate their ability to shoot, especially at mid-range.
- Shooting ability (range) and ability to finish around the rim
- Rebounding
- Shot blocking and defensive ability to disrupt flow of the game (even when not blocking shots)
- Successfully guard multiple positions
- Quickness and footwork
- Game awareness—ability to process in game time and make the right decisions
College coaches expect a lot from power forwards, and potential recruits interested in landing a men’s basketball roster spot should be prepared to showcase that they’re a jack-of-all-trades. Coaches want student-athletes to display their strength on the court, from rebounding, running, and transitioning the ball to their ability to guard, block jump shots and adapt to the opposing team.
Shooting guard highlight video
Coaches obviously want to evaluate a shooting guard’s ability to score, and they’re also looking at their technique and whether they can execute the fundamentals.
- Shooting ability and range
- Ability to make shots when moving off the dribble (catch and shoot movement)
- Defensive ability to stop penetration
- Active hands and touches on the ball
- Ball handling—this is a must for shooting guards
- Court vision
- Quickness
- Defense rotations and ability to guard bigger players and multiple positions, as well as help defense when opponent is driving by
- Game awareness—ability to process in game time and make the right decisions
In the video below, former men’s basketball coach John Pugliese breaks down what shooting guards should include in their highlight videos. Recruits interested in competing at the next level need to display more than their shooting and scoring abilities to land a roster spot—they also need to show college coaches what separates them from their competition.
Small forward highlight video
Versatility is important among small forwards. Similar to shooting guards, small forwards need to be exceptional shooters, especially at the short-to mid-range scoring area.
- Shooting ability and range
- Ability to make shots when moving off the dribble (catch and shoot movement)
- Defensive ability to stop penetration
- Active hands and touches on the ball
- Ball handling
- Court vision
- Quickness
- Defense rotations and ability to guard bigger players and multiple positions, as well as help defense when opponent is driving by
- Game awareness—ability to process in game time and make the right decisions
Student-athletes interested in landing a small forward roster spot should highlight that they have a variety of skills on the basketball court. College coaches look for recruits who can use their size and strength to guard and defend multiple positions, are multi-level scorers and can play defense, finish and transition.
How to make a basketball highlight video on hudl
Online video services for high school coaches, like Hudl, are becoming more popular in basketball. Student-athletes should follow the standard guidelines when creating a highlight video using Hudl:
- Choose games against your best competition, such as varsity level, high-level AAU games or any nationwide tournaments.
College coaches want to see how you stack up against top talent. Typically clips from two or three games is enough, but you can use more if needed. - Make sure the student-athlete is easily recognizable and the camera view isn’t obstructed by the crowd, other players on the court or people walking by.
- Don’t zoom in and out.
- 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.
- 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.”
- Stack your best clips first. Typically you’ll start your video by highlighting your shooting ability. Post players should include: shooting ability, ability to finish around the rim, rebounding, shot blocking, footwork, and defensive abilities (guarding multiple positions). Perimeter players should include: scoring ability, ability to penetrate and finish at the rim, ball handling, court vision, and defensive abilities (guard bigger players and multiple positions).
- Focus on your three or four strongest strengths and organize your clips to highlight them. For example, if you’re an excellent three-point shooter, showcasing six straight threes is much more effective than one three-pointer, a pass, then a free throw, and then maybe another three, etc.
- Cap your video at 20 to 30 clips and keep it under four minutes.
- 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.
Basketball recruiting video services
While coaches generally prefer simple, no-frills editing, a professional videographer can quickly turn disorganized raw footage into a cohesive sequence of highlights. Plus, they know exactly which plays to showcase first. That’s why many families choose to call in help when creating their highlight video.
As part of NCSA’s recruiting service for student-athletes, our full-service video editing team offers professionally edited video.
In fact, they edit more than 40,000 highlight videos each year. And, depending on the membership level, they’ll produce multiple highlight videos for the athlete and help them identify the best schools to send it to. If you’re interested in learning more about NCSA’s video offerings, call our Video Team at 866-495-5172.
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10 videos that will make you want to play basketball
March 6, 2017 21:46
10 videos that will make you want to play basketball
The best in Russian basketball in seven days.
10
Last week CSKA became a co-author of the record. Never before in the 21st century has the great Barcelona scored just 4 points in a quarter. And Milos Teodosic in one attack scored as much as the entire opposing team in 10 minutes.
3-point hit and premium free kick - 29:4 at the end of the first quarter, and Barcelona fans see the team off for a break with a whistle. And soon they also get white scarves.
Open video
9
"Zenith" flew out of the European Cup, but did it beautifully. Sergei Karasev shows the ball to Trevor Mbakwa and says, "Catch it if you can." The Nigerian center takes the challenge and scores from above. Next comes Lokomotiv, but we will miss Zenit.
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8
Again Barcelona, and again Milos Teodosic. The game is already done, but the Serbian artist continues to create beauty. Deliver the ball across the court to Nando de Colo - one second. And CSKA is one victory away from reaching the playoffs of the Euroleague.
View video
7
The tiki-taka style was made famous by the Barcelona football team. CSKA basketball players, having found themselves in the building next to the Camp Nou, also imbued themselves and showed the whole of Catalonia how to play the pass.
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6
Anton Ponkrashov missed three months due to a knee injury, but returned to the All-Star Game and added brightness to the UNICS game. And the main Kazan "flier" Latavius Williams loves partners who know how to give such passes.
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5
CSKA flew from Barcelona to Nizhny Novgorod, where they got their second big win in a week. But in terms of the beauty of basketball, Nizhny on Sunday was not inferior to the strongest club in Europe. A bright game in the match against CSKA is a direct road to highlights for Petr Gubanov. And a moment that Nikita Kurbanov wants to quickly forget.
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4
If extra points were given for entertainment in basketball, UNICS would qualify for the Euroleague playoffs. Instead, the team of Evgeny Pashutin, after the defeat from Efes, lost even the theoretical chances of getting into the top eight clubs in Europe.
But before losing, Latavius Williams hit the charts of the week for the second time and gave Kazan hope for overtime. A mighty one-handed dunk after Joaquim Colom's alley-up is the best way to cheer up when almost everything is lost.
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3
What to do when the opponent comes forward 2.7 seconds before the siren? If you have Keith Langford on your team, you'll be fine. The Euroleague's most productive player is 33 years old, and he is not in a hurry to retire yet. And he suggests that the fans, who have already run to take a turn in the cloakroom, take their time. UNICS still lost in overtime, but Langford's shot extended hope by five minutes.
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2
Two of the brightest episodes of the week took place with the participation of the brightest Russian basketball player. The match between Khimki and Tsmoki-Minsk could have become ordinary, but already in the first quarter it was painted with a pass from the center line by Alexei Shved.
The Russian defender receives the February MVP award in the VTB United League and continues the show in March. Markel Brown - with the perfect finish to the perfect combination.
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1
Khimki met spring earlier than other Russian teams: on February 28 they played in Valencia. They lost, but returned home in Spanish hot and in the second match of the quarterfinal of the European Cup equalized the score in the series. Earl Rowland and Aleksey Shved say goodbye to winter and warn: it will only get hotter!
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Photo: BC Khimki
No connection
90,000 top 10 basketball players in the world right now. And a lot of cool videos
Anton Solomin
August 14, 2018 12:34
Photo: © Jason Miller / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.
ru
Two months before the start of the new NBA season. The best time to argue about who will ignite the 2018/19 championship.
Two months before the start of the new NBA season. The best time to argue about who will ignite the 2018/19 championship.
10. Carl-Anthony Towns
Center, 22, Minnesota Timberwolves
Photo: © globallookpress.com
The Minnesota are the most unexpected team in the 2018 playoffs. And in general, in the NBA playoffs, where the Wolves have not appeared for 14 years, since Kevin Garnett. A big factor in the Timberwolves' rise was the signing of Chicago star Jimmy Butler last summer, but without Towns it wouldn't have been possible. At 22, he is already an established star and proves to Timofey Mozgov that the role of center in the NBA has not died. At the end of last season, Towns entered the league's top 5 in rebounding, and on March 28, he scored 56 points in a match against Atlanta. Nobody scored more in one match for Minnesota - not even Garnett.
Watch on YouTube
9. Russell Westbrook
Point guard, 29, Oklahoma City Thunder
Photo: © globallookpress.com
The most controversial position in this ranking. Some of you will wonder why the MVP of the 2016/17 season is so low, others will be outraged that in his place could be the conditional DeMarcus Cousins, who recently strengthened Golden State, or Joel Embiid from Philadelphia.
Westbrook is Mr. Controversy. Twice in a row he made a seasonal triple-double (at least 10 points, 10 rebounds and 10 assists per game in the regular season), but both times in the playoffs, the Thunder were eliminated in the first round. You can blame Kevin Durant's departure to Golden State in the summer of 2016 for this as much as you want, only after that Russ became even more selfish. No one throws him more often in the league (21.1 tries per game on average), but no one misses that much (11.6). Westbrook is both a super sniper and an egoist.
Both the main hope and the main problem of Oklahoma at the same time.
Well, at least he dresses brightly. At the end of last season, he even won the "Best Style in the League" award. Although this is also debatable.
Watch on YouTube
8. Draymond Green
Draymond Green / Photo: © Ezra Shaw / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru
No, this is not the video. But look anyway. That's what invisible protection is, not what they show you in advertising.
Watch on YouTube
7. Kyrie Irving
Guard, 26, Boston Celtics
Kyrie Irving / Photo: © Elsa / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru
The most crystalline of NBA superstars. In none of his seven seasons did Irving play all 82 matches. The Clevelands with and without him were two different teams. In the 2015 final, the team of David Blatt and Timofey Mozgov lost Kyrie already in the first match, nevertheless continued to cling to the Golden State, but still did not leave on LeBron alone.
In the 2016 final, it’s a completely different matter: Irving first helped the King to snatch the fifth match (with a critical score of 1-3 in the series), and then scored a decisive three-pointer in the seventh.
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There are many theories as to why Kyrie asked the Cavaliers to trade him a year ago. Most likely, he is tired of being number two in a team where the main star is also trying to be the head coach. At the same time, LeBron himself, they say, was against the departure of Irving. Kyrie ended up in Boston, and the league waited all season for them to meet in the semi-finals. But Irving didn’t play until the main games of the season again, his Celtics lost to Cleveland, and after that LeBron and his team got 0-4 from Golden State.
6. Giannis Antetokounmpo
Forward, 23, Milwaukee Bucks
Photo: © Maddie Meyer/Staff/Getty Images Sport/Gettyimages.ru
The Greek Freak is what the NBA calls him.
He is incredibly gifted athletically, but at the same time, even at 2.11, he knows how to handle the ball and is not inferior to shorter defenders in speed. And how it flies! It is impossible to believe it, so watch with repetitions.
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Already this season, many were waiting for Antetokounmpo to be included in the season MVP nomination. But the competition there is too high, and Giannis has his whole career ahead of him. Will definitely wait. Perhaps next season is his. If at 23 he's being compared to LeBron, what will happen when Giannis peaks?
5. Anthony Davis
Forward, 25, New Orleans Pelicans
Anthony Davis / Photo: © Ezra Shaw / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru
Another basketball player who knows everything on the court. And he is also still in line for the title of the most valuable player of the season - so far, Davis became the MVP only in the All-Star Game. For a big guy with a height of 208 and a weight of 115, he has excellent shots (sometimes he even scores three-pointers), a free throw, and the ability to handle the ball.
Look at those dunks, passes and dribbles.
But what is the main feature of Davis? Someone will take this question literally and answer: "His unibrow." In fact, it's about his defense: Davis has already led the league in blocks three times (last season he covered opponents' shots 2.6 times on average per game!). Or maybe it's somehow connected and the opponents themselves just throw not into the basket, but into Anthony's hands at the sight of his unibrow.
4. James Harden
Guard, 28, Houston Rockets
James Harden / Photo: © Ronald Cortes / Stringer / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru
But if you have a phobia about facial hair, then you definitely shouldn't date the Houston defender. James Harden finally won the MVP title this season, which he had been close to for several years in a row. But all the time someone interfered: then Westbrook would make the first triple-double in 45 years on average per season, then Stephen Curry would score a cosmic 402 three-pointers for the regular season, then LeBron James .
.. Yes, just LeBron James. This time, Harden jumped above his own beard and for the first time in his career scored over 30 points per game (30.4) in a season! Yes, and statistics are in hell. Look! How he does it?
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In addition, another superstar has joined the Rockets in Chris Paul, and this pair of defensemen deserves to be considered the best in the NBA. Even cooler than Steph Curry and Klay Thompson from Golden State.
As a result, Houston even won the regular season, which never happened to him at all. But still, as usual, the Warriors reached the NBA Finals from the Western Conference. Therefore, Harden - although, of course, a very tough player - remains outside the top three.
3. Stephen Curry
Guard, 30, Golden State Warriors
Photo: © globallookpress.com
It's pretty simple. Steph is a three-time NBA champion and simply the best shooter in history. Not the one who scored the most points (although this is possible over time), but simply the best sniper.![]()
Who doesn’t care where to score from – even from the center line, even from the tunnel under the stands.
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How does he do it?
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2. Kevin Durant
Forward, 29, Golden State Warriors
Photo: © Gregory Shamus / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru
Seven years ago, he and Harden played together in the NBA Finals against LeBron. Then Miami destroyed Oklahoma, and the King became the champion for the first time. But it was then that Kevin and James had championship ambitions.
By the way, all three have something in common in their biography: an unpleasant departure from their native team in search of a champion title. All three were criticized. Someone's T-shirts were even burned. Durant was the last to go through all this - two years ago. And now he is a two-time NBA champion and two Finals MVP. Such people are not judged.
Curry is said to have won the finals MVP title this year. Just to be fair, based on the sum of three playoff victories, Steph certainly won at least one MVP. But it was Durant who covered his partner's back when his main weapon stopped working. Curry without three-pointers is as if Igor Akinfeev stopped hitting penalty shoot-outs.
In the third match of the final, Curry was denied a “gun”. At all. Of the first 9 shots, 0 came from behind the arc. And Golden State without Steph's three-pointers is like Stanislav Cherchesov without a mustache. LeBron and Cleveland could break the series here and get 1-2 instead of a dead 0-3. It was then that Durant scored the most important three-pointer of the third game and the entire final. From 10 meters.
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Imagine Aleksey Shved with his technique, dribbling and jumping ability, with the ability to create an attack from nothing and with a killer shot. Now imagine the same player, only 15 cm taller and about the same wider at the shoulders.
It's impossible to stop him at all!
1. LeBron James
Forward, 33, Los Angeles Lakers
Photo: © Maddie Meyer / Staff / Getty Images Sport / Gettyimages.ru
You can either admire him or hate him. Cheer for his next team or wish her defeat. The only thing you can't do is argue that LeBron is the best basketball player in the world.
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Donald Trump heard somewhere that many people hate LeBron for moving to the Lakers, and decided to hype on this. But he missed the moment - and tweeted just when James opened a super-cool school for poor children with his own money and his public rating flew into space. If LeBron ran for president of the United States right now, then Trump would have to move from the White House back to the hotel.
LeBron opened a $8 million school. Does anyone else hate him?
"Defending against LeBron is the hardest job in basketball," says Golden State head coach Steve Kerr.
