Before really getting into this writing, the basic premise is that not all exposure is built the same. It’s the most common of buzz words that every event, tournament, and showcase uses, but what really does the word exposure mean' We are looking to take a multi-part series look into exposure, and how North Carolina has all the pieces to be second to none.
Webster’s defines exposure as a noun meaning, the publicizing of information or an event. Some synonyms are publicity, coverage, publicizing, and advertising.
When it comes to the Hoop State, it is one of the most basketball rich states in the country. The 2016 class has three (3) players that are ranked in the Top 10 nationally. The depth in that class is great too, with a legit twenty (20) players actively being recruited at the high major level and another sixty-five (65) being actively recruited at the division 1 level.
To add on, the 2018 class is following suit and the 2019 class may track to be an even higher level than 2016. To say that North Carolina is full of talent may be an understatement. In fact, many could easily argue that the state of North Carolina will have more talent at the high school level than ANY other state in the country.
However, when you look at the numbers and rosters, of the 18 Division 1 schools in North Carolina, only 33% of their rosters are comprised of North Carolina natives. In North Carolina’s 2015 class, seven (7) of the top fifteen (15) ranked players will leave the state of North Carolina to play. In North Carolina’s 2014 class seven (7) of the top ten (10) ranked players left the state of North Carolina to play.
As we sit back and take a look at the overall picture of why this is, we look at a lot of angles. Some say that because kids grow up thinking Duke and UNC are the only show in town, and if they don’t want the player then they will go elsewhere. We think there is more to it than that. So when looking through this question, we think you need to look at the opposite end of the spectrum, the many kids are falling through the recruiting cracks.
How can one state have such an abundance of kids that are rated so high, yet have such a high number of talented (albeit lower ranked Division 1) kids that fall through the cracks' The answer we came up with, is because many of the teams are looking out of the area for exposure. Why'!
Why are teams travelling out of area and region to go to tournaments and events' Sure the highest ranked kids will get offers by some of these out of region teams, but for the majority of the rosters, their recruitments lie with the local schools.
Of the eighteen (18) Division 1 programs in North Carolina, only five (5) (UNC, Duke, ECU, Wake, and NC State) are high major BCS level schools. These schools are afforded the branding and budgets to recruit from across the country. Of the scholarship kids on these five (5) rosters only 20 out of 58 kids (34%) are from North Carolina. This leaves the other thirteen (13) Division 1 schools, where the majority of Division 1 kids in North Carolina will (and should) be recruited.
North Carolina programs do a great job of getting the high level players seen. Look at any Top 100 list, look at Vimeo and Youtube channels, North Carolina players are littered all over these outlets. However, look at the amount of Division 1 kids that are still looking for offers, they fell through the cracks. So many North Carolina based programs are looking out of the area (where the majority programs can not recruit their players), instead of where their own geographic area, where their focus should be centered on.
There are eighteen (18) Division 1 schools in North Carolina. There are fourteen (14) Division 1 schools in Virginia. There are twelve (12) Division 1 schools in South Carolina. That is a total of forty-four (44) Division 1 schools in the region, with thirty-five (35) of them at the non-BCS level. That is the recruiting base, that is the bread basket of the majority of recruits in most area programs.
So, with nine (9) BCS Division 1 Schools and thirty-five (35) non-BCS Division 1 schools in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia why are programs leaving the area and not being seen by these schools as much as possible' This number does not even take into account the thirty-six Division 2 schools in the same area. So, even if NO other schools from any other area sees the players, this is a pool of eighty (80) possible scholarship opportunities, EIGHTY!!
The budget of the seventy-one (71) non-BCS Division 1 schools keeps them close to home. Greensboro, North Carolina is less than four (4) hours from every major location in North Carolina, South Carolina, and Virginia. It is no secret Mid Major schools recruit their specific regions, Low Major and D2 schools recruit their specific areas. Greensboro, NC is right in the middle of a hot bed of opportunity for the scholarship D2, Low Major, and Mid Major player. Why would a program not take advantage of this'
For our beliefs, when it comes to exposure, it isn’t about how many people see you it is ALL about the right people seeing you. While it is great to get out of region and be seen by different scouts and different schools. It is a necessity to stay close to home and get exposure in your own area. They are the ones that are looking at (and for) your players.
We will publish Part 2 tomorrow, and take a look at the reputation we have built and the enormous opportunities that Phenom Hoops brings to the table in terms of exposure.