Here is a link to a great article regarding to travel basketball (mostly known as AAU). Has some great quotes from some prominent people in the travel basketball circuit.
Sunday Special: AAU basketball a necessary step
They mention one particular player in the article and the amount of gear he has gotten from participating in a few of these events. Naturally, I took a look and here are some photos. He played at a few Nike events and one adidas event.
Before taking a look at the photos, people will ask how is all this free gear not a NCAA violation. The kids all get the gear, wear it, and then buy it. How much does "used" gear cost? The shoe companies determine that they probably cost anywhere from $25 to $50. The kids wear them, "give the gear back," and then "pay" for it. My guess is their AAU team probably "pays" for the gear and nothing actually comes out of the kid and his family's pocket.
The reason I know this because a few years ago a friend of mine coached at a high school tournament sponsored by one of the shoe companies. When the kids got to their hotel room there was a huge duffel bag full of stuff for each kid. The package included sneakers, socks, a backpack, and a jacket. One of the players posted on social media what they got. The news spread the state association. The state association said the kids had to "give the items back." The kids then "gave" the items back then paid $25 for the "used" items.
Without further waiting, here are links to the photos:
Nike Global Games
Nike Skills Academy
Adidas Gauntlet
