Transfer Portals, Motors & #DOTS

MORE DOTS… Class ’21 players will be impacted by @NCAA #Portal since Transfers will not be able to do campuses visits, & colleges prohibited any in-person contact or Evals until that ban is lifted. ALL recruiting is now by phone, video. Best VALUE?->Transfer or ’21 player? #DOTS

This was going to be another letter inside a tweet but I felt this needed more. The last one had over 25K views just by itself. Some of the other #DOTS collected almost 10K each. Why do #DOTS? Because the game, especially the women’s and girls youth side is starved for information on their status and future.

There are so many topics, I could write for days as noted by the post with Letters that got to N) and could’ve been Z). Over time I will try to address them but today I will move this discussion over to BlueStarMedia.org where I will post the rest of this about Value and Recruiting…

And, continue reading here if you already saw the post…

The biggest concern here is the ability of a college basketball staff is to understand their roster and needs, some do, most don’t. The number of players in the transfer portal is impacting the Class ’21 recruiting since a number of schools will either panic or find someone they didn’t get the first time around. The first question always is: why or what made them so unhappy to leave? Sometimes it’s coaching change, someone came in and took their spot, what the coach(s) said in recruiting didn’t happen when they got on campus to play or the player had drama/distraction.

If you know anyone who put themselves into the portal – they were crazy — unless they already knew where they were going. Why? Remember this, is you’re a Class ’20 or ’21 player and you even think of this later. Once you tell anyone, your teammate, your coaches, you now become a problem since you’re no longer loyal. And, for some, you might have either been told or “pushed” towards the door. Never go through it without your next school in hand. Once you go onto the NCAA Transfer Portal your present school can cut your scholarship, housing, workouts, training, meals, etc. if they can and most do as you’re not a part of the team – and they are moving on without you.

Some top players who do opt for it either want to get “recruited” all over again or are trying to find a fit – and sometimes that’s some school they said no to. Most players end up moving down in playing level and competition, some go sideways, the few go up.

Many colleges who watched these Transfer babies in the past will need to view film or remember them from the first time around in recruiting. This is a gamble depending on the ability of the HC or staff to eval talent. But then again, why didn’t you get them the first time around?

All tough questions but the Class of ’21 is now being pushed, yes pushed, to figure out what’s “my best offer”.

These are critical decisions now because the prospect of “waiting for a bigger offer” sometimes based on want, some on ego, some on hope may not happen as the College most probably won’t be out this summer in July due to College not having students on Campus (nor their own team) and If some open, it will be Conference driven and also driven around Football getting back on campus. If the college coaches get on campus – rest assured, they’d rather have YOU come to campus to see them rather than go watch you play (if they’ve already evaluated you last summer or during the HS season). You’re lucky if you get the “come to campus” call, most won’t until that player turns them down. Trust on this one – the top coaches – Let’s call them the “Baker’s Dozen” (the top women’s coaches from the top programs who dictate down what happens in the sport) don’t want to recruit, don’t want summer basketball and just want to get you – and mostly the top players – done and signed. Why is that being done? Because if they eat first, then everyone trying to win and beat them gets the leftovers. That’s why we have massive issues in youth basketball from the men’s side (and the pro-agent money) over to the women’s side.

The above sets in motion now college coaches calling their “top players” and telling them – take this “offer” now or lose it – by a selected date or time frame. Why? Because the coaches are all older and hate the “attention games” or indecision by many players today and will push and force the issue. If you’re a BD (Baker’s Dozen) school & famous HC you get this luxury your peers (mostly all mid-D1s or lower P5 programs) don’t have. If you’re that big a recruit (30s) then the BD will want you to get you list down and push you to commit. Some will get the school they want, others will look for more offers which is what the coaches contacting you the most don’t want.

For the regular player, they are at the mercy of who is recruiting them. Those having 2-3 or 4-5 offers are now being asked – before the lost spring and possible summer competition – to sign now. For those without offers you will need to play and collect as much full game footage as possible to show your game to those who are lower than the BD and have a bigger list of possible players to get through. This makes were you play and who you play for now becoming more critical as everyone prepares for competition probably in June, most likely in July and into August, all without colleges present.

Lastly, if you’re a player of merit, you will want to play regardless of college watching or if you committed since you are a competitor. A college would be suspect if you “verbaled” and then didn’t want to play or compete. Yes, injuries happen all the time and that’s why everyone honors their verbals. The biggest reason to play and why everyone needs to play and get video if a college is not in person to view “your motor.”

Many players, especially the younger ones, are showing all their video highlights or skill work during this virus down time. Yes, it does get your attention, especially if you’ve heard or seen the player before. Does it get you offers? Only if you’ve already been ID’d as a top young player such as a BlueStar30 candidate, etc. Rankings are nice but considered like a Hotel loyalty card. In the end, you have to compete and they come to watch in person to check your motor – your focus and concentration. The big question for EVERYONE watching you – do you take off plays, do you run the floor all the time (or walk when you can), do you have game IQ, are you a good teammate, what’s your body language, do you listen, can you focus?  All of these are why people come in person to watch you play. If, by most probability, colleges don’t come out this July then you better show this on film too. Be smart and use this time frame not just to look good on a 30-second vid but in a real, full game.

As for being able to be viewed this July? There is a movement amongst the top Event Operators to “review” why we have a NCAA Calendar as the harm to the game is by far greater than the benefits to the Baker’s Dozen. They are now making you choose, why can’t this game let them choose. More to come on this topic soon along with Name, Image & Likeness (NIL). Don’t sleep on this either….