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How to make basketball highlights
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.
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.:format(webp)/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/68765667/usa_today_15507663.0.jpg)
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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How to learn how to spin a basketball on your finger
To skillfully spin a basketball on your finger, you need to learn a few simple techniques, find the ball and set aside 10 minutes of training per day. After a week of practicing your skills, you will master the technique of this trick and show it to your friends. In the step-by-step instructions below, we will show you how to learn how to spin a basketball on your finger.
Tossing the ball correctly
You can train on the sports ground, near the house or even in the apartment, but in any place you need to take into account the environment.
For example, when practicing a trick in a room, the ball can bounce and break fragile objects. When a place is found and inventory is prepared, you can begin training. Initially, you need to learn how to properly hold and throw the ball in the air:
- Hold the ball with the stripes vertical. Horizontal scrolling looks ineffective and it is very difficult to catch a projectile from this position.
- Select throw method:
- Two hands. You need to keep the ball not on the sides, but so that 1 hand “looks” at you, and the second from you. Having fixed the object, sharply spread your arms and slightly “throw” the ball up.
- With one hand. To throw with one hand, place your fingers along the lines of the ball. It is important that there is free space between the palm and the inventory. Lightly squeeze the ball. Turn the brush outward until it stops, and then gently turn it back. At the last moment, you need to give additional rotation to the ball with your fingertips.
But we do not recommend using a large one, because. this will upset the balance and the ball will fly away.
- Throw the ball parallel to the floor, do not allow the ball to wobble. It is important that when thrown, the projectile rises above eye level. When its bottom surface is visible, the ball is easier to catch.
These steps must be repeated until fully automated. Usually it takes two days. When the throws are confident, you can move on to the second level.
Learning to catch the ball
Once you have learned how to throw correctly, try catching the ball with your finger. To do this, remember the following nuances:
- You need to catch the projectile on the nail, not the finger itself. In this case, it is important that the brush is turned with the palm towards you.
- The finger must be placed strictly in the center, at the junction of the vertical lines, otherwise the ball will slide off.
- When your finger touches the ball, gently and smoothly lower your hand down.
So you will improve the cushioning, the inventory will not bounce, and you will not damage your finger.
This stage is one of the most difficult and requires patience on the part of the freestyler, athlete and just wanting to master the skill. When you learn how to catch the ball, at first it can control you: jump off and make you “run” after it to keep your balance. Be patient and keep practicing.
Once you are comfortable with a spinning ball, try to keep it spinning and spin it further. To do this, with light flapping movements, move your free hand along a tangent. But remember that strong twists can shift the center of gravity and the projectile will lose balance.
Tips
Here are some helpful tips from the pros:
- practice throwing a few times a day before moving on to other stages;
- workouts can be quite tiring, so take breaks between sets to give your hands a rest;
- use only a well-inflated ball;
- when accelerating the rotational movements, do not apply much force, otherwise the ball will slip off the finger;
- Trim your nails before practicing, this will increase rotation control;
- do not throw the ball very high: you can damage or break the phalanges;
- You can reduce the risk of wrist injury by warming up before practicing the exercise.
Knowing how to spin a basketball on your finger and approaching the matter responsibly, in a week you will be able to show a cool trick to friends or sports colleagues.
universal, indoor or outdoor
How to choose a good basketball and not be disappointed in your purchase.
How to choose a good basketball and not be disappointed in the purchase.
What types of basketballs are there.
First you need to decide where you will play: do you need a ball for the hall, for the street, or is a universal ball best for you? This is one of the most important selection criteria.
Indoor basketball differs markedly from outdoor basketball. It properly "sticks" to the athlete's hand and has good adhesion to the smooth surface of the parquet. Such balls are made of genuine leather or synthetic materials, additionally covered with composite compounds and microfiber inserts, which provides a comfortable grip. They are forbidden to play on the asphalt surface: on the street they quickly lose their qualities and become unusable.
How do you choose a good basketball for street play? For open areas, models made of synthetic materials or ordinary rubber are suitable. The first option is more expensive, but will last longer and will be better in the hand. Outdoor balls are much more durable, and additional surface treatment improves traction.
The third type is universal. Picking it up is the most difficult, since such a ball must combine the characteristics of both “parquet” and “street” - for hard surfaces like asphalt. In order to make the material wear-resistant, special synthetic additives are added to the composite leather, but only top manufacturers do this. Most of the universal models that you can buy at an average and low price are made from cheap PVC, which is called “synthetic leather” in the composition. Such balls quickly deteriorate, crack and lose their playing qualities.
When choosing, pay attention to the raw materials used in production. The most durable balls are made from artificial materials, while professional indoor balls with parquet, on the contrary, are made from genuine leather.
If it has the mark "Supreme Leather" on it, then premium leather was used in the production. Not a single serious basketball tournament can do without such balls.
How to check the quality of the ball.
Having decided on the type and material, you should pay attention to the properties and quality. The first indicator of evaluation is the rebound. A good and properly inflated ball bounces to a height of about 130 centimeters. There is a more practical way to test this characteristic: raise the ball to the level of the head, and then release it. He must bounce to the height of the belt.
Flexibility is another important quality indicator. A good ball retains its shape and does not become soft during a short game or practice.
An important point: the initial characteristics matter a lot, but no less important is how you use the ball. You can’t sit on it, you can’t kick it with your foot and the ball must be periodically pumped up, but this must be done using a special nozzle, and not a football needle.
Proper operation will help maintain its original playing qualities for as long as possible.
How to choose the right size for a basketball?
We have decided on the purpose, material and quality. It remains to choose the size: weight and circumference. Everything here, as in the previous paragraphs, depends on the players.
- #7. Diameter - 749-780 millimeters, weight - 567-650 grams. The largest size is suitable for adult men's competitions.
- #6. Diameter - 724-737 millimeters, weight - 510-567 grams. Balls of this size are used in women's basketball.
- #5. Diameter - 690-710 millimeters. Weight - 470-500 grams. These balls are used in mini basketball.
- #3. Diameter - 560-580 millimeters. Weight - 300-330 grams. Balls of this size and weight are intended for children's basketball.
As you can see, the main defining characteristics for different categories of balls are weight and size. They directly affect the dynamics of the game, the accuracy of the shots and the results.
Children's basketballs are lighter and smaller than adults so young athletes can grab the ball and hold it in their hand, and the reduced weight allows them to make accurate basket shots even from outside the 3-second zone. For children under 7 years old, balls at number 3 are suitable, and for children from 7 to 12, the best choice would be the option for minibasketball at number 5.
Why are all basketballs orange?
We are used to all basketballs being orange, although this is not a requirement. Until the middle of the 20th century, balls were made from natural leather without much post-processing, which is why they had a natural brown color. But the problem was that such balls merged with the parquet, and this created some inconvenience for the players. In the 50s of the last century, it was decided to play only with brighter orange balls, but today this rule is conditional. Top manufacturers try different shades and it is not uncommon to find basketballs in blue, purple, black and other colors in stores.
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