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Frequently Asked Questions - NJCAA
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General Eligibility Questions
Who can participate in the NJCAA?
The NJCAA's mission is to promote and foster two-year college athletics. Unlawful discrimination is incompatible with this mission and detracts from the organizations goal of promoting health and fair competition. The NJCAA prohibits unlawful discrimination based on sex, race, color, national origin, ancestry, disability, religion, creed, sexual orientation, age or any other characteristic protected by applicable law in the NJCAA's governance, programs, regulations and employment practices.
Does a student have to have graduated from a high school in the United States in order to participate in athletics at an NJCAA member college?
No, participation in the NJCAA is in no way reliant on or restricted in any manner based on where a recruit attended and graduated high school. Student-athletes in the NJCAA must be high school graduates or equivalent but where they received their credentials does not play a factor in their ability to participate on any of the NJCAA?s certified sports.![]()
What sports are sponsored by the NJCAA?
The NJCAA provides opportunities for participation, including National Championships, for student-athletes in the following sports:
Fall Baseball, Spring Baseball, Basketball, Bowling, Cross Country, Football, Fall Golf, Spring Golf, Half Marathon, Ice Hockey, Indoor Track and Field, Fall Lacrosse, Spring Lacrosse, Outdoor Track and Field, Fall Softball, Spring Softball, Fall Soccer, Spring Soccer, Swimming & Diving, Fall Tennis, Spring Tennis, Fall Volleyball, Spring Volleyball and Wrestling.
Whose rules do I abide by?
Students participating on an intercollegiate level in any one of the certified sports of the NJCAA shall conform to the requirements of the NJCAA Rules of Eligibility, the rules and regulations of the conference and region with which the college is affiliated, and also the rules of the college at which the students are attending and participating.
How do I determine my initial eligibility?
Due to the unique academic and athletic situation of each individual, and the complexity of the NJCAA eligibility rules, it is recommended that each potential student-athlete discuss their athletic eligibility with the athletic personnel at the NJCAA college where they have chosen to attend. Should the athletic staff have any questions in determining an individual's eligibility, the college may contact the NJCAA National Office for assistance.
Must I have graduated from high school?
Yes, a student-athlete must be a graduate of a high school with an academic diploma, general education diploma or a state department of education approved high school equivalency test.
Does the NJCAA have an "eligibility clock" or an age limit for participation?
The NJCAA does not have an "eligibility clock" as other intercollegiate organizations do nor does the NJCAA have an age limit.
An individual has eligibility in the NJCAA provided they have not previously competed in their first two or more years of intercollegiate competition in a sport and have maintained their amateur status.
How many seasons may I participate in a sport?
Students are allowed two (2) seasons of competition in any sport at a NJCAA college, if they have not participated at any intercollegiate level (including varsity, JV, and/or club) during two (2) seasons previously. Participation in any fraction of any regularly scheduled contest during the academic year shall constitute one (1) season of participation in that sport. Participation includes entree into an athletic contest and does not include dressing for such an event.
Warning: Students who falsify their academic records and /or information about previous athletic participation shall be barred from any further competition in any NJCAA member college at any time.
Do I qualify as an amateur?
Amateur players are those who engage in sports for the physical, mental, or social benefits they derive in participation and to whom athletics is a vocation and not a source of personal monetary gains.
Be sure of your amateur status by checking the NJCAA Rules of Eligibility or checking with a NJCAA athletic director.
While playing a sport I want to enter an open tournament or play with another team. May I?
While the season of any sport is in progress, as determined by the published schedule of the college, students are not allowed to participate in that same sport for any other team.
If a student wishes to enter any open competition as a representative of their college, the competition must be listed on the published schedule of the college and the student must meet all NJCAA eligibility requirements.
If a student is not representing a NJCAA college, they may enter open or "exhibition" competition without NJCAA approval. A college shall not, however, furnish the student with any assistance (equipment, transportation, lodging or meals) when participating in such events.
What about All-Star competitions?
Student participation in athletic events such as All-Star games must be approved by the NJCAA National Office.
The NJCAA does NOT restrict the number of All-Star games in which a HIGH SCHOOL student may participate prior to attendance at a NJCAA college.
Letter of Intent/Scholarship Agreement Questions
What is the NJCAA Letter of Intent?
The NJCAA Letter of Intent is used to commit an individual to a specific institution for a period of one academic year. The form is only valid for NJCAA member colleges and has no jurisdiction over NCAA or NAIA colleges.
What if I sign an NJCAA and an NCAA Letter of Intent?
A student is allowed to sign a Letter of Intent with both a NJCAA and a NCAA college without sanction. The student may not, however, sign a NJCAA Letter of Intent with two NJCAA colleges. If a student does sign with two NJCAA colleges, that student will become immediately ineligible to compete in NJCAA competition for the next academic year in any sport. Once a student-athlete signs an NJCAA Letter of Intent with an NJCAA member college they immediately become unrecruitable by any other NJCAA member college for the duration of the agreement.
If I am awarded an athletic scholarship and voluntarily do not participate, could I lose my scholarship?
Cancellation or modification of an athletic scholarship during the period of its effectiveness is allowed for the following reasons
only:
- If the athlete becomes ineligible for participation in athletics because of academic and/or disciplinary reasons.
- For misconduct (unrelated to athletic ability) found by the person or body in charge of general discipline at the institution.
- If the student-athlete voluntarily withdraws from a sport prior to the institution's first competition in that sport.
- Graduation
Colleges may also include attachments to the NJCAA Letter of Intent which stipulates conditions for the cancellation of an
athletic scholarship that are more stringent than those listed above.
One NJCAA school can offer me a full scholarship, and one school can't offer me anything. Why?
Each institution belonging to the NJCAA chooses to compete on the Division I, II or III level in designated sports. Division I colleges may offer full athletic scholarships a maximum of tuition, fees, room and board, course related books, up to $250 in course required supplies, and transportation costs one time per academic year to and from the college by direct route. Division II colleges are limited to awarding tuition, fees, course related books, and up to $250 in course required supplies. Division III institutions may provide no athletically related financial assistance. However, NJCAA colleges that do not offer athletic aid may choose to participate at the Division I or II level if they so desire.
Eligibility Rules Questions
Must I be a full-time student during the season?
Students must maintain full-time status during the season of the sport(s) in which they have chosen to participate (full-time status being 12 credit hours or more).
What determines my eligibility after my initial full-time enrollment?
Eligibility is determined at the institutional level and all previous college work is taken into consideration when determining NJCAA athletic eligibility. The basis for NJCAA academic eligibility is primarily based on the number of full-time terms a student has previously attempted.
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First Season Academic Requirement: A first season participant must satisfy the academic progress eligibility requirement by meeting ALL of the requirements of at least ONE of the following rules or exceptions which apply to the student?s situation: (Reference Appendix A)
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Zero (0) Previous Terms of Full-Time College Enrollment: A student-athlete who is in his/her first full-time college term is deemed to have satisfied the academic progress eligibility requirement for their initial term of full-time enrollment or participation, OR
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One Previous Term of Full-Time College Enrollment: On or before the 15th calendar day of the student-athletes second full-time college term must have accumulated 12 credit hours with a GPA of 1.
75 or higher, OR
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Two or More Previous Terms of Full-Time College Enrollment: On or before the 15th calendar day of the third full-time, and all subsequent terms of full-time enrollment, A student-athlete must have passed 12 credit hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher in the previous term of full-time enrollment, OR
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Best Hours Accumulation Rule: A student-athlete must have accumulated passing credit hours with an associated GPA of 2.00 or higher in a number equal or greater than the student-athlete?s terms of full-time enrollment multiplied by twelve, OR
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Total Hours Accumulation Rule: A student athlete-must have accumulated passing credit hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher in a number equal or greater than:
- 36 total semester hours for a fall season or 48 total semester hours for a spring season OR
- 54 quarter hours for a fall sport, 63 quarter hours for a winter sport, or 72 quarter hours for a spring sport.
- A student-athlete may only use this rule one time. Once this rule is exhausted, the student-athlete must meet the requirements of Two or More Previous Terms of Full-Time College Enrollment or Best Hours Accumulation Rule to maintain eligibility.
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First Participating Term Accumulation Exception for student athletes with prior enrollment in multiple full-time semesters: A student-athlete entering his/her first season of participation in a sport must have accumulated passing credit hours at a minimum of 24 semester hours or 36 quarter hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher.
- The First Participating Term Accumulation Exception may only be used once to establish a student-athlete?s eligibility in the initial term of participation. This exception may not be used to establish eligibility in subsequent terms
- Second Season Academic Requirements: Prior to a student-athlete's participation in a second season of a sport he/she must meet the appropriate Academic requirements of a first season participant AND.
- Have accumulated 24 earned/passing semester hours with a GPA of 2.00 or OR
- Have accumulated 36 quarter hours with a GPA of 2.00 or higher.
I played one year on a club team, how many years of intercollegiate eligibility do I have left?
Participation on a designated collegiate club team in a NJCAA certified sport will constitute one (1) season of participation.
I took a semester off to earn money for college, will I be immediately eligible to play once I enroll as a full-time student?
Students must be enrolled full-time (twelve or more credits) at the college where they have chosen to participate when the regular season schedule of a sport begins. Students not enrolled during the term when the season begins remain ineligible throughout the season schedule unless they enroll on the first possible enrollment date following:
- Their release from Active Armed Services of the United States with a discharge other than dishonorable.
- Their return from a religious mission.
- Their graduation from a high school or receipt of an equivalency diploma.
- Their transfer from an NJCAA member college which has dropped a sport after the school year begins.
Students that satisfy one of the four exceptions become eligible after the previous term has ended upon registration as a full-time student for the new term. (Students must be added to the eligibility form before participating.)
What if I start college and then withdraw?
The following withdrawal policy applies to students that are attending any college.
- Students are allowed fifteen (15) calendar days from the beginning date of classes to withdraw completely or to withdraw to less than twelve credits (part-time) and not have that term affect their future eligibility, provided they have not participated in any athletic competition.
- Students that have participated and withdraw within the first fifteen (15) calendar days of a particular term are not eligible for athletic participation and must re-establish their eligibility in accordance with the provisions of Academic Progress Eligibility. The term in which the student participates must be considered the same as a term of full-time attendance.
Upon returning to college following an extended absence, must I meet the current eligibility requirements?
Students who have not been enrolled in college in twelve (12) or more credit hours (full-time) for a period of eighteen calendar months or longer shall be exempt from previous term and/or accumulation requirements as set forth in First Season Academic Requirements of the NJCAA bylaws. Second season student-athletes are not exempt from the Second Season Academic Requirements of the NJCAA bylaws.
Students who have served eighteen calendar months in the Armed Forces of the United States, church mission or with a recognized foreign aid service shall be exempt from the First Season Academic Requirements and Second Season Academic Requirements.
This must be approved by the NJCAA National Office.
Note: This is a one time exemption, available only for the first full-time term after the period of non-attendance.
What are the requirements for transfer students?
All transfer students must adhere to the eligibility rules of the NJCAA to be eligible for participation at a member institution. Review the Transfers section of the NJCAA Handbook to make sure you meet all transfer requirements of the NJCAA.
What requirements will I have to meet to transfer from a two-year college to a four-year college?
Questions relative to a transfer from a NJCAA college to a four-year program must be addressed by the four-year college and/or their national governing body (i.e. NCAA or NAIA).
Are the rules uniform throughout the entire membership?
The various regions of the NJCAA may adopt rules which are more stringent than the national rules, but none that are less stringent.
It would be best for you to check the rules that exist within the region in which you are interested in attending. Any member college can assist you with any regional differences, which may exist.
I am a recent high school graduate and coaches have started to recruit me to play. What is allowed?
The following is permitted under NJCAA recruitment rules:
- No institution shall permit an athlete to be solicited to attend by the promise of a gift or inducement other than an athletic grant-in-aid.
- An institution may pay for one visit to its campus by direct route, for a stay not to exceed two days and two nights. The paid visit must be limited to the campus and local community where the college is located. A student-athlete must have completed his/her junior year in high school in order to receive an official recruiting visit by a member NJCAA college.
- While recruiting a potential athlete on campus, a college representative may purchase meals for the athlete.
The value of the meals may not exceed the amount provided to a college employee while traveling on college business.
- A college official must authorize all funds utilized for recruitment purposes.
For further clarification of the recruiting rules, see the Recruitment section of the NJCAA Handbook. If a student-athlete signs a NJCAA Letter of Intent, all NJCAA institutions are obligated to respect that signing and shall cease to recruit that student-athlete. The student-athlete is obligated to notify any recruiter who contacts him/her of the signing.
Have a question which isn't answered here? Download our comprehensive NJCAA Eligibility Rules Pamphlet for additional information about participating in athletics at an NJCAA member college.
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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.
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- 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.
- 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?).
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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.
- 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:
- Choose games against your best competition, such as varsity level, high-level AAU games or any nationwide tournaments.
- Focus the camera from mid-court while making sure the student-athlete is easily recognizable.
- 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 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.
- 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. - Cap your video with your best 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.
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:
- 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.
- 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. - 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
- 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.
Student basketball: how we play - Regional newspaper OGIRK.RU
What is the Student Basketball Association? This is an all-Russian project that brings together students who love basketball and want to play it. This is not for professionals, so it is interesting to play for everyone! ASB games are also held in Irkutsk.
The Student Basketball Association was founded in 2007, so this season has become its anniversary. It holds the official student basketball championship of Russia in which 800 men's and women's teams from 450 universities and colleges out of 69 take part.
subjects of Russia. The total number of players in the championship exceeds 10 thousand people. Can you imagine how many people in Russia can not only love basketball, but also play it themselves?
By the way, the ASB is the largest collegiate sports league in Europe and the second largest in the world, second only to the US League, with 1,700 teams playing in the NCAA. At the same time, the ASB championship is included in the unified calendar plan of mass sports events of the Ministry of Sports of the Russian Federation and the consolidated calendar plan of events of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation.
How do we play? It's very simple: at the first stage, the teams play in divisions formed according to the territorial and competitive principle. Games are held from mid-October to the end of February with breaks for the session and winter holidays. The ASB divisions are divided into two types - regional and higher.
Irkutsk teams still play in the regional division "Baikal".
The goal at this stage is to attract as many students as possible to the championship, to accustom them to regular sports. In order to allow as many teams as possible to participate, the ASB has kept all costs to a minimum: there is no application fee in the regional divisions, the travel and accommodation costs of teams have been reduced or reduced to zero due to geographic proximity. And the payment for refereeing, the work of secretaries and medical workers is also covered by the ASB.
- We have reached a certain agreement with the regional Ministry of Sports, - says Maxim Neverov, the official representative of the ASB in the Irkutsk region, - since the ASB is still a federal project that has the support of the President of the Russian Federation, the Ministry of Sports is ready to help us a little, at least with Secretariat fee.
Those universities that want to grow further, are ready to assemble strong teams and partially finance them, can apply for the top divisions.
But the Irkutsk people have not yet reached this level.
In the division "Baikal" most of the participants are those who just played basketball at physical education lessons or in the yard with friends. But there are also teams where players have been trained in sports schools. For example, this is the ISU women's team - coach Tatyana Neverova works there, who trains basketball players, she is also a children's coach. And some of her former students, entering the university, continue to study with their favorite coach, do not give up sports. When there is such a system, there is also a result. And the women's team of the State University is now confidently in the lead.
There are a lot of those who went through the basketball school in the IRNITU men's team. It is she who is now confidently claiming the first place, competing with the main team of BSU. By the way, there are two men's teams from Baikal University! In total, there are six teams of boys and five teams of girls in the Baikal division.
According to the regulations of the CRS, players involved in the championships and championships of Russia, including the teams of the Children's and Youth Basketball League, have no right to participate in it. Only lovers!
The game system is as follows: all teams must play each other in two rounds. Ideally, it seemed like this: there are matches every weekend, and students, free from study, play for themselves, and their friends and relatives come to watch. But in reality, everything is different: on weekends, the IRNITU gym is busy, it is given out for ASB games in the evenings during the hours when students are supposed to train here. Well, they play instead - everyone is happy. With spectators on weekdays it is sparse.
– There are always many who want to play! But the majority did not learn basketball, they just played in schools, in the yards, - says Maxim Neverov. - But, for example, in IRNITU, many went to the Youth Sports School, some even played in the Youth Junior League.
And the level is immediately visible.
By the way, this team is coached by former Irkut player Fedor Prikhodko. His brother Vasily Prikhodko also works at IRNITU, he trains the women's team. We also note the coach Fedor Fedorovich Alekseev - in Irkutsk basketball he is a well-known personality, a children's coach. In the ASB, he works with the team of the Irkutsk Olympic Reserve School. Another coach, Alexander Cherkashin, successfully coaches BSU teams, both male and female.
- We need a hall where competitions could be held. Then there will be more participants, - says Maxim Neverov, - according to the situation, teams of secondary educational institutions can also be involved in the games. And the hall must meet the standards in terms of size and equipment.
After the round robin, four teams will advance to the playoffs. And then the best will participate in the transitional tournament. It is necessary. The ASB regulations clearly state: if the team that won in its division does not participate in the transitional tournament, then the measures are tough - this division will not play next season!
It will be good if Irkutsk is entrusted with holding the transitional tournament.
They've been with us twice now. Once the ISU students were very close to advance to the next stage, but the home walls didn't help. So for the time being, not a single Irkutsk team has made it to a higher class. And what to do if it breaks through - will there be money to participate in a more serious tournament? It's called Liga Belov, and the top 64 best teams in Russia play in it. In this case, the financing of trips will fall on universities. But the Irkutsk teams are not against raising their level. There will be a transitional tournament in March. Let's see what our students can do.
"Basketball is a fun game" / Articles / Newslab.Ru
01/29/2010
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01/29/2010
World basketball legend Scotty Pippen is coming to Russia for the fourth time for the All-Star Game of student basketball, but this is the first time he has traveled so far inland — to Krasnoyarsk.
As it turned out, the six-time NBA champion and two-time Olympic champion prepared thoroughly for the next trip to the Siberian region and took warm clothes with him. He calls himself the ambassador of basketball and hopes that this sport in Russia will become one of the most popular in five years.
Basketball Ambassador
What brought you to Russia, or rather to Siberia?
I became a sort of basketball ambassador when I retired from professional sports. Came to promote basketball. Recently, my work has been the globalization of basketball and its promotion in all countries. Sergey Kushchenko (former president of PBC CSKA, now vice president of the Russian Biathlon Union. - "VK"), who in recent years invited me to the games of the Student League, and this time asked me to come. You can say that the NBA sent me here. And for me personally, it was nice to see that there are so many basketball fans in Russia, and especially so far away - in Siberia - where none of my friends have ever visited.
You often come to Russia for the Student League All-Star Game. Do you expect to see something new each time?
My trips are always unique. Every time I see new players, and most importantly, I note that the league is developing, young basketball players are progressing. I think over time they will come to understand how to play real basketball. I don't really know if this will come from watching NBA games, but the most important thing is that they understand the importance of physical fitness. After all, basketball requires not only skills, but also a powerful body.
So basketball is a cruel game?
No, it's more of a fun game. It can be as violent as you play it.
What is more important - beauty, show or result?
The result is important for me, because the one who scores the most points wins the game.
There is hope
College basketball is very developed in the USA.
How do you rate it in Russia?
Here the level is, of course, lower. Our student basketball (North American NCAA. - "VK") has a larger scale, this sport is booming in every corner of the country. Both in terms of the level of skills and the physical preparation of the players, the US Student League has gone far from Russia.
And how many years will it take us to catch up with America?
I know that a lot has been invested in student basketball here for the last four or five years. I think if things go on like this, this sport is still promoted, then in five years there will be much more young basketball players. And, of course, they will get better.
What do you need to do to become a super basketball player, like you, for example?
To be honest, I often talk about this with children and I recommend only one thing to them - to train a lot.
Is there some secret?
The main thing is to train better than the one who practices next to you.
How did you get into basketball?
Friends brought me. Basketball was the main game in our area, and I couldn't help but play it. I devoted my whole life to basketball and I can't even imagine myself in another role. I am often asked what I would be if not for basketball. I cannot give any definite answer. Who knows? Maybe he would be the President of the United States.
Anton Yastrzhembsky, Vecherniy Krasnoyarsk, No. 3 (244)
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