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re: Is it possible to be an elite high school basketball player.......
Posted on 3/12/10 at 11:11 pm to Keys Open Doors
Posted on 3/12/10 at 11:11 pm to Keys Open Doors
I think it's a matter of most good players choose to play AAU, not that they have to.
I think you can take all the elite players in the country, say the top 100, and they would all have most of their same offers without AAU. It's the marginal players that need the exposure.
The question here is not whether the best players DO play AAU, it's whether they HAVE to play AAU to become elite. I say no.
I think you can take all the elite players in the country, say the top 100, and they would all have most of their same offers without AAU. It's the marginal players that need the exposure.
The question here is not whether the best players DO play AAU, it's whether they HAVE to play AAU to become elite. I say no.
Posted on 3/13/10 at 12:30 am to Bubba Hotep
It seems like Scout and Rivals both put a lot of weight on summer camps and AAU games in their recruiting rankings. It's certainly debatable as to how much each school looks at these rankings, but they basically all subscribe to these services.
With the way college recruiting is going, I don't know if the top 100 guys would get the exposure for national coverage without AAU. Take a guy like Kyrie Irving. A blind man would recognize his talent, but until the start of his junior year, he wasn't considered a high major recruit. Then, he transferred from a small, academically oriented private school to a Catholic powerhouse in NJ and immediately became a five star prospect.
The majority of the top players either go to public schools that have produced dozens of good players (Dominguez, Dematha, Rainier Beach, etc), the large private schools (especially the Catholic schools in NY/NJ), or the private schools of dubious academic merit that are centered around basketball (Oak Hill, Findlay, and the much shadier schools with less than 40 students in the entire school )
Of course you have Harrison Barnes or Brandon Knight who don't need that, but they are becoming more of an exception.
The top 100 guys don't need AAU to become stars in college ball or the NBA. But I think they need AAU for exposure so the colleges know who they are.
Would you agree that high school ball is like your GPA, while AAU is like your SAT? It might not mimic your future, but it allows you to compete at a national level and gives you a chance to prove yourself among the best.
With the way college recruiting is going, I don't know if the top 100 guys would get the exposure for national coverage without AAU. Take a guy like Kyrie Irving. A blind man would recognize his talent, but until the start of his junior year, he wasn't considered a high major recruit. Then, he transferred from a small, academically oriented private school to a Catholic powerhouse in NJ and immediately became a five star prospect.
The majority of the top players either go to public schools that have produced dozens of good players (Dominguez, Dematha, Rainier Beach, etc), the large private schools (especially the Catholic schools in NY/NJ), or the private schools of dubious academic merit that are centered around basketball (Oak Hill, Findlay, and the much shadier schools with less than 40 students in the entire school )
Of course you have Harrison Barnes or Brandon Knight who don't need that, but they are becoming more of an exception.
The top 100 guys don't need AAU to become stars in college ball or the NBA. But I think they need AAU for exposure so the colleges know who they are.
Would you agree that high school ball is like your GPA, while AAU is like your SAT? It might not mimic your future, but it allows you to compete at a national level and gives you a chance to prove yourself among the best.
Posted on 3/13/10 at 8:35 am to Keys Open Doors
Well, we are getting away from the original question, which I think the answer is no.
However, I love the topic and I am happy to discuss.
I think AAU definitely helps players get discovered earlier. I don't think it has any affect on actually producing better players.
I think all of the top 100 players would get high level offers without AAU, but maybe not as many national offers. A player from a small town in Texas may not get offered by Syracuse, but would likely still be known by Texas, Baylor and A&M.
I guess it depends on your definition of elite.
However, I love the topic and I am happy to discuss.
I think AAU definitely helps players get discovered earlier. I don't think it has any affect on actually producing better players.
I think all of the top 100 players would get high level offers without AAU, but maybe not as many national offers. A player from a small town in Texas may not get offered by Syracuse, but would likely still be known by Texas, Baylor and A&M.
I guess it depends on your definition of elite.
Posted on 3/13/10 at 1:02 pm to Bubba Hotep
The original question was about being elite not a starter. Look at the roster of any of the major all-star games, watch the film provided by any of the major recruiting outlets, and read the player descriptions published by those outlets and the degree of separation between AAU/summer camp and a player's national perception is very small.
There are very few examples in the last ten years of elite (top 30 nationally) players who simply played and dominated for their high school teams.
There are very few examples in the last ten years of elite (top 30 nationally) players who simply played and dominated for their high school teams.
Posted on 3/13/10 at 4:52 pm to Bubba Hotep
quote:
I don't think it has any affect on actually producing better players.
I just came from watching AAU players from the age of 10-13 play and think that you're flat out wrong about that. AAU coaches teach fundamental skills that these players don't pick up in most middle schools/junior highs. Sure there are some players that AAU probably doesn't do anything for but there are a lot of players who are willing to work and improve their game and AAU serves that purpose.
Posted on 3/13/10 at 6:59 pm to ELLSSUU
There is a school of thought that believes year-round basketball is actually lowering the skill level in the US.
Many foreign players grow up playing soccer and other sports and don't even pick up a basketball until their early teens and they are some of the most skilled players.
Many of the young players you mention peak early and are eclipsed by better athletes that may be playing soccer or football at those ages.
Many foreign players grow up playing soccer and other sports and don't even pick up a basketball until their early teens and they are some of the most skilled players.
Many of the young players you mention peak early and are eclipsed by better athletes that may be playing soccer or football at those ages.
Posted on 3/13/10 at 8:58 pm to Bubba Hotep
Tons and I do mean tons of high school players make their teams and play well without playing AAU basketball.
College is a different story. To play in college you'd better be playing AAU ball today. A scout can go to an AAU Showcase event and see elite talent on every team. At a high school game they might be looking at 1-2 players.
My son is in his 6th year of AAU ball and this is the most implortant year for him by far. He's 16U (rising high school juniors) and they'll get serious exposure to college scouts and coaches this summer. His AAU season is much more important than his high school season. Not only is the competition leagues tougher but his improvement during the AAU season dwarfs his improvement during the high school season.
Edit: To be an elite level high school player you probably need to play AAU. You have to work on your skills and game year round now to play at an elite level.
College is a different story. To play in college you'd better be playing AAU ball today. A scout can go to an AAU Showcase event and see elite talent on every team. At a high school game they might be looking at 1-2 players.
My son is in his 6th year of AAU ball and this is the most implortant year for him by far. He's 16U (rising high school juniors) and they'll get serious exposure to college scouts and coaches this summer. His AAU season is much more important than his high school season. Not only is the competition leagues tougher but his improvement during the AAU season dwarfs his improvement during the high school season.
Edit: To be an elite level high school player you probably need to play AAU. You have to work on your skills and game year round now to play at an elite level.
This post was edited on 3/13/10 at 9:00 pm
Posted on 4/27/10 at 10:49 am to VABuckeye
AAU players in the McDonald's All-American game
I thought this was interesting and relevant to this old thread. Accoring to the link, 1/3 of the players in the McDonald's All-American game don't play AAU basketball.
I guess that answers the question.
I thought this was interesting and relevant to this old thread. Accoring to the link, 1/3 of the players in the McDonald's All-American game don't play AAU basketball.
I guess that answers the question.
Posted on 4/27/10 at 12:35 pm to Bubba Hotep
Kind of a strange way that AAU counts its former players because both Harrison Barnes and Kendall Marshall played lots of games on the circuit. However, maybe it's because they didn't stick to just one program
Posted on 4/27/10 at 1:01 pm to Keys Open Doors
A year ago, Cameron Clark was an unknown. Now he is a Top 30 player with a full ride to Oklahoma. All of the big schools got on him after he was discovered in an AAU tourney last spring.
Steve Kerr was discovered by Lute Olson in a pick up game. Shaq introduced himself to Dale Brown on an army base in Germany when he was 14. It wouldnt have mattered if Shaq had never gone on to play AAU ball because Brown already knew he wanted him. Of course, AAU ball wasnt as big then as it is now.
Kids are going to be found if they can play. The easiest route is by way of AAU ball though.
Steve Kerr was discovered by Lute Olson in a pick up game. Shaq introduced himself to Dale Brown on an army base in Germany when he was 14. It wouldnt have mattered if Shaq had never gone on to play AAU ball because Brown already knew he wanted him. Of course, AAU ball wasnt as big then as it is now.
Kids are going to be found if they can play. The easiest route is by way of AAU ball though.
This post was edited on 4/27/10 at 1:04 pm
Posted on 4/27/10 at 1:28 pm to BayouCatFan
I think the advantage of AAU is that it gets you exposed to a wide range of programs around the country. If there is a big-time player in Baton Rouge, it won't take AAU for them to be found by LSU. However, UConn may never take notice of them. If that player blows up in an AAU tournament, it would be a different story.
Posted on 4/27/10 at 3:37 pm to Bubba Hotep
Since it's come back up to the top.
The biggest advantage I see in AAU exposure is that the scouts get to see multiple high level players in one setting and they get to see how players perform against high level talent.
It was one thing for Jared Sullinger to get 20 and 10 every night in high school. It was another matter altogether for him to do the same in every AAU game and the McD's AA game, the Nike Summit game and the Jordan Classic. That says much more about a player than putting up big numbers against so-so competition.
The biggest advantage I see in AAU exposure is that the scouts get to see multiple high level players in one setting and they get to see how players perform against high level talent.
It was one thing for Jared Sullinger to get 20 and 10 every night in high school. It was another matter altogether for him to do the same in every AAU game and the McD's AA game, the Nike Summit game and the Jordan Classic. That says much more about a player than putting up big numbers against so-so competition.
Posted on 4/27/10 at 3:42 pm to floridatigah
the heyward(sp)kid from butler didnt play aau ball...he played tennis instead during the summer
Posted on 4/27/10 at 9:03 pm to sunnydaze
quote:
the heyward(sp)kid from butler didnt play aau ball...he played tennis instead during the summer
Incorrect. He skipped one season of AAU basketball after he'd already committed to Butler.
quote:
He would soon have profiles on recruiting websites in both tennis and basketball. Gordon III verbally committed to Butler for basketball during his junior year, but skipped AAU basketball during the following summer because he wanted to put in enough tennis practice to contend for a state high school title in his senior year. He had a 26–3 record in singles that year, but lost in the state tournament and has not played tennis, even recreationally, since then
Posted on 4/28/10 at 9:55 am to VABuckeye
Brian Williams at UT didn't start playing baketball until his Junior year in highschool.
So yes, if a player is athletically gifted enough or has enough size and raw talent then certainly
So yes, if a player is athletically gifted enough or has enough size and raw talent then certainly
Posted on 4/28/10 at 10:13 am to Bucky Goldstein
quote:Baseball and volleyball are worse than bb.
It seems ashame that if your not palying aau ball at 10 yo you have no shot at playing varsity in high school
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