Here we go again, it never seems to change. AAU basketball doing its best to prove its ugliness. But let me start with this for the millionth time. Do not trust or believe anybody when it comes to AAU basketball. It absolutely brings out the worst in people. Currently a number of teams are breaking up and many teams are adding new players and getting rid of players, nothing wrong with that, right? It happens every year, it’s part of sports. Well not if it’s not done the right way.
Recently a young lady was told she would no longer be part of her AAU team. The reason given was because her team was going to become an elite team and play elite competition. This same player was also told not to attend NBS “it won’t do anything for you”. Now first of all I take great offense to this, because anyone with a brain knows NBS is the most competitive basketball environment in New Jersey. Worst this person has never ever set foot in NBS. But they do and should know, nobody has more Division I players and scholarship athletes coming out of their program( and this year is no different). But what really upsets me is the very person who told this young lady this?…his AAU program produced exactly “ZERO” scholarship players at any level forget the D1 level, this past summer…does the term clueless come to mind. In fact the only scholarship player associated with his program last summer left to join another program and instantly received a Division I offer and signed at a D1 school. By the way where did that kid train….YOU GOT IT NBS! But worse than all of this this, the young lady who was told she no longer has a team, now is in search of a new AAU team at the end of October. Now how in the hell can anyone believe this is the right way to do business?…it’s not and my guess it’s not changing. Do you want to know why? It’s acceptable behavior in the AAU world.
Now USA basketball has taken over AAU basketball on the men’s side. There are going to be lawsuits, trust me. Soon they will be taking over the women’s side, my guess next year. The women are always a year behind the men. Now it would be nice if all the best players played on 2 or 3 AAU TEAMS like in the past. You would have great practices, better games and certainly more development. Then the kids who didn’t make the elite teams would go play with other AAU teams. Get more time, be featured better and most importantly be happy. Then each year try out for the elite teams. It could be goal for a kid to achieve, make them work harder, maybe make them even appreciate AAU a little more. But that’s not going to happen because of politics and AAU coaches controlling kids. Let me give you an example. Is it better for a kid to play for a quality high level AAU team or play up on a older less talented team. We all know the answer but you can bet your last dollar the coaches of that lower level older team is hanging on to that kid who SHOULD BE PLAYING BETTER COMPETITION with dear life…it’s called AAU, damm the kid. But they want to make sure that kid is loyal to the organization, they got that kids back. The problem is that kid don’t need your help….it’s the other ones that do.
Now we have kids splitting up teams. Here is the way it works, the 2 or 3 best kids leave a team. Then the 6 remains kids are left holding the empty bag. Now whose trying to help those kids…NOBODY. These kids and families are basically on there own. In most cases the families of those kids leaving never say anything until they move. This is the biggest problem of all, the lack of honesty. That’s right sneaking around, calling teams, going to tryouts without telling anyone…you know plotting there next move. Guess what? There incredibly smart, because nobody is going to be loyal to them. Everyone is scamming and sticking each other in the back, in an effort to find the best possible spot for there child. The AAU coaches spend their time calling players from other teams and misrepresenting there team. They lie about who will be on the team, their great training, coaching and of course there big time college coaches connections. They lie about what position a player will play or how they will feature them. They lie about playing time, but most importantly they never tell them, how they will try to control there every movement and decision of the player…it’s called AAU.
Now let’s talk about the ELITE teams, folks her are the facts. Now don’t let anyone tell you different, if they do, THERE LYING. There is only one Elite team in the Shore. The 2021 Shoreshots…THATS IT END OF STORY. Now Team Rio is in the process of trying to build an elite team. They most likely are too late to the party for this year. Most likely they will put together a team of players from multiple grades and areas across the state to form a team. But let me tell you what an elite team is and why. First of all if you don’t have 7 or 8 D1 players on you team you are not elite. I am not talking about players who may be D1 players ..do your players have multiple offers.. Example has your mother sat down with UConn? Did U Conn come to almost all your games? Has your father talked to Top 10 teams? has Louisville asked your coach to call everyday? has every local school offered some of your kids? Do tournaments offer to let you play for free? Do sneakers companies offer to pay your travel, hotels? Do you play on the main courts and most importantly are 100s of college coaches watching your games. Do the top players on the team mix well and do the parents really support each other? If the answer to these questions are NO….do me a favor STOP LYING to kids. Most AAU teams are solid programs there is NO need for all this nonsense. It’s all adult driven and ego related. The kids just want to play and preform in front of college coaches…and bravo to the Shoreshots for refusing to enter tournaments at no charge. NOW THAT IS A ELITE GANGSTER LIKE MOVE. The entire Elite team stuff is nonsense and means nothing…what matters is the competition you face.
The politics right now is the worse it’s ever been. We have friends of friends making teams not because there good enough but rather because there friends of coaches, players and families. You have organizations moving kids out of there age group and ruining other teams. They tell the remaining players your team is still good, but we just took your best players…NONSENSE. But guess what the parents accept this, because they believe they have no where else to go. Here is some advice you don’t have to be part of an organization to form a AAU TEAM. The Mary Beth Chambers CJ Hawks teams did not have players from all ages and steal younger players to boast their profile at the expense of others. They had kids play together for years. The current loaded Allen 2020 Shoreshots have played together for years, and guess what? like the Chambers teams almost all the players have or will will receive scholarships. They do not have to raid other younger teams or programs. Kick players off teams or behave shady. Former Seton Hall coach Mangina said it best. “The parents have all the power but don’t know it. They let one person control there kids. They tell them where to play, train and in some cases where to attend college…scary!” You want to join a AAU team? Make sure you understand nothing is as it seems. Everyone has a secret agenda.
I have never seen so many kids upset, parents stressed out and left out in the cold like this year, it’s flat out mind boggling . I beg for the OLD SCHOOL..String, CJ HAWKS and CARDINAL programs. Remember when being part of a organization meant something? Remember when try outs were real and free, not a scam? Remember when parents and coaches words would actually mean something to each other. Remember when making a AAU TEAM actually meant something. Now everyone plays AAU even 3rd and 4th graders. Now AAU has become ugly and not about the kids…but this year it has taken on a life of its own…a lot nice kids are getting hurt and it stinks! The real question is why? Why are we allowing this? Why are the very people being hurt not standing up…you know why? Because there to busy plotting their next move themselves and don’t care how others were treated by the exact same organization OR TEAM THEY HOPE TO JOIN SOON.
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