Evaluating Prospects

As the July recruiting period concludes, let's take a look at all the things that go with evaluating high school prospects.  We've already taken a look at recruiting sites, this is not what will be talking about.  What we will talk about is how different schools evaluate talent throughout the year.

Casting a Large Net

Most schools function this way, especially early in the recruiting process.  You want to be able to find as many prospects as you can and hope that certain one stick.  Depending on the level some of this evaluation begins during the AAU  or high school season of their junior year.  If the school sees a intriguing prospect at a game, they'll add that prospect to their database and start the process.

You'll see D3 coaches at some of the bigger tournaments throughout the country and they are evaluating as many prospects as they can.  Seeing as many teams as they can that are from their recruiting area.

Let's say there is 100 prospects on the school's recruiting list.  The hope that you can get 25 (that might be high) to visit.  15 will probably apply and you might get three of those kids when school starts.  You may look at those numbers and think that I'm absolutely nuts. Ask most D3 coaches and their lists start with much more than 100, especially when they have to bring in high numbers every year.

There are also many high level schools that will offer a lot of prospects in order to get their name involved in the process.  There are times that those offers really don't mean anything especially when the coaches don't talk to the prospects (offers are through AAU coach).

Babysitting

You'll see this after legitimate scholarship offers are out.  Coaches from D2 and D1 levels will basically follow a prospect around the area or country in order to now that the prospect is a priority.  Some of the high level coaches have their own private plane, owned by school or booster(s), that they travel around in order to see prospects.  Here's a little article about Kentucky basketball and another one about Alabama football.

I've seen numerous articles and tweets regarding the NSIC schools traveling to Vegas (I'll have another article on this place soon) to see prospects.  For the most part, they are going there to "babysit" guys they have offered or have extremely high interest in.  Like I've said before, I've never coached at the D2 level, I am not exactly sure this is a great investment for these programs unless they are starting to recruit out of state prospects.  One thing is does do is it tells the prospects how important they are if they are spending half or more of their recruiting budget by heading to "City of Sin."

Conclusion

Every college program has a different idea on how to recruit.  There isn't a right or wrong way to do it.  The same as different offensive and defensive systems.  The hope is that each program finds the best way for them to compete in recruiting and on the floor for their school.