While kids are getting ready for the states. College Coaches are winding down their season. They too are getting ready for their league tournament and hopefully the NCAA. This is also a very important time for both high school and colleges. High school kids must have a plan of attack to make themselves relevant. College coaches must make hard decisions about kids in the portal and that is not just D1, see NYU for those thinking high level D3. Once both have done this, college and high school will come together and start the real recruiting process.
There is a reality check getting ready to happen for all involved in the recruiting process on both sides; players and coaches. First a lot of kids in the 2025 class that don’t commit before the transfer portal opens in a few weeks are in for a big surprise. They’re about to find that many of those offers they were posting on social media were not real. They’re going learn the harsh realities of the recruiting process. Then again College coaches like every year are going to find out the Transfer Portal is not the answer to all their problems. It’s why after the portal closes that players and coaches, need to have a game plan in place long before real recruiting starts.
This time of year, that kids need name recognition, to be relevant and then they must show remarkable improvement in their game. Kids must understand, once coaches form an opinion of their game, it’s hard to change their minds with subtle improvements. It must be dynamic like in the case of Mackenzie Teevan. Then a player must somehow get that information in the hands of the decision makers. This sounds easy but is not. Players like Haley Poser of Ranney for example have picked up D1 offers before the portal has become the apple of college coaches eyes. She now has name recognition and is relevant. Now she must like all kids make the decision of what is next? Because she like a lot of kids, she doesn’t truly know if those offers will be sucked up by the portal. It’s the new reality of recruiting and a serious game of cat and mouse. One day you’re on top of the world and the next day your scrambling for an offer… it’s the new reality.
Many kids in January did very little to improve there recruiting name recognition. They simply played and let the chips fall where they may. That was a massive mistake. That 5 week window was beyond big to put into words. Now as the portal opens those kids will go into a massive pool of kids from the across the country, first trying to gain name recognition and 2nd trying to relevant enough to make coaches make them a priority to watch play. Coaches during the spring recruiting period are not trying to find players. It’s the hardest thing to get those who don’t understand the process to recognize and absorb. College recruiters are trying to close there “A” high school recruits this time of year. There are always outliers. But do you really want to take that chance, if don’t have too?. July is now reserved for coaches trying to find a player that is talented. That window has become beyond small and unless you’re on team loaded with D1 talent, it’s hard to get looks, if you haven’t done you homework long before the live period starts. That kid who has made a major jump as a player has a major advantage. Coaches want players they feel can help them as a freshman in practice or games. July is also when coaches start giving underclassmen that real hard honest look. But make no mistake. Unless a player has real size. Nobody is recruiting potential… that now is a recipe to get someone’s ass fired and coaches are not dumb.
Players would be wise to understand you can no longer do things as they have done in the past. They need to know many AAU coaches have not adjusted to the new recruiting process. And giving advice they could affect the recruiting status and profile of a player. Players first must focus on their development this time of year . Nothing is more important. The days of practicing and training with just your AAU team year round are over. You better have a window to get out of your AAU environment at times during the week. AAU should be about your games and nothing more. Letting AAU coaches control your movements and doing things out of fear are a price too high to pay these days. Players need to make sure they find a reliable competitive training program outside their AAU team. Players better know building there name recognition WAY BEFORE THE PORTAL CLOSES IS EVERYTHING
Now some kids are going to panic over the next few weeks. Some are going to get stressed out. Now all I can tell you, is don’t. Because coaches are not even thinking about high school players, right now even before the portal opens. In fact they have saved scholarships just to get into the portal. The first thing they ask these days is “do you know anyone going into the portal” there attitude is we can deal with high school players later. They have there “A”. must kids if the portal fails them. You conversations with college coaches these days are just that conversations. Not real talk. That comes down the road and your game better be ready when the talk gets real.
I want to strongly suggest kids focus on their development this time of year. I strongly suggest you do not go on vacations. I strongly suggest you get your social media cleaned up. Delete as many tweets as possible. Have recent training and highlight videos up ONLY! Make your page easy to navigate by having only basketball recruiting information part of your page… I strongly suggest you get your summer schedule ready to go and in coaches hands. I strongly suggest your advocate be real and makes you a priority the next few weeks. Every AAU team has a pet player, never forget that. REMEMBER many advocates don’t grind for you. It’s time consuming and they must be willing to drop all at a drop of a dime for you. Gaining the attention of college coaches right now is very hard. So if if your looking for easy you’re about to get real disappointed. So good luck and get better. Clicks don’t sign scholarship papers they just make you seem good… even if your not during the process.