Building a Basketball Player’s Resume – Wings
*Editor’s Note – We are fortunate to have Mark Bialkoski helping us out and providing a great outlook on recruiting. Bialkoski has been on a college staff for the last 8 year, doing everything from video, to dobo, to assistant. In this series he will go through what coaches look for, from players, in specific positions. Yesterday he talked Guards. Today he talks Wings Friday will be Posts. This is GREAT, must read, insight.
Playing in front of college coaches for a prospective student-athlete is about building your basketball resume. Within every action, every play, every communication on the court (verbal and non-verbal) coaches are forming their own personal opinion of your personal basketball resume. How does your resume read, what are your individual pros and cons, what makes you a college player' Knowing what coaches are looking for and what they hold valuable can be the key to transforming your personal basketball resume to read what you would like it to.
The two most important skills you can possess to promote your resume regardless of position or skill level are the ability play with a high motor and having positive body language. Yes, I said SKILLS. This is an important part of every basketball resume. How hard do they play, is he a competitor, what is his willingness to get on the floor, does he generate tips, deflections, energy. Your non-verbal communication is vital. Are they coachable, how do they handle the refs, handle winning, losing, what type of body language do they project to their coaches and teammates. These are all SKILLS any player can consistently display to college coaches that will enrich their resume.
Below is a breakdown of individual player attributes that coaches are steadily evaluating to form their opinion on your basketball resume. Use these as a guideline to enhance your resume and figure out what your strengths and weaknesses are.
WINGS
Transition
- Can they start a break after grabbing a rebound
- How do they run the court
- Can they make plays at the rim in transition
- Skilled enough to make catch and shoot 3s in transition
- Capable of making plays above the rim – Especially through contact
- Does he shy away from contact
Half – Court
- What are the different variety of ways can he score -off of long closeouts generated by drive and kicks, within the offense, does he go get seconds, back to the basket, in the mid-range, catch and shoot, footwork and release off of screens, and can he play above the rim
- Does his shot look natural, broken, or does it just need more reps
- Can they score with limited dribbles
- What kind of passer are they' Do they have vision' Do they make plays for others
Defense
- How laterally quick are they
- Can they defend the post
- Will they keep smaller quicker guards in front
- Do they contest shots
- How active are their hands – deflections, tips, steals
- Can they make plays off of the ball
- Do they go to the glass
- Will they sprint in transition and get ahead of the ball defensively
This is just a snapshot of what college coaches are evaluating when deciding whether or not a player has their type of “DNA” for their program. Take this as a guide to help your game and develop a basketball resume that is deserving off a college scholarship.