I have experienced the live period as a player from the time I was 13/14 years old but
this past week was my first chance to be on the other side of things. It was a great week for a
lot of players and after speaking to coaches (both college and AAU) I wanted to give my take on
a couple of things going into the next 2 weeks.
Never Stop playing
There is a saying that I heard at a camp I was working a couple of year ago that went
“Nobody cares, work harder.” This first week brought me back to this saying for a couple of
reasons. I remember those times as a player when you have played 5 days in a row, 3 games a
day, you’re staying in a hotel, and eating fast food every meal. I know these things wear on your
body as players but there is a reason college coaches watch teams that they’ve seen all week on
Sunday in their 10 th and 11 th games. They want to see how hard you are willing to play when
you’re a little mentally and physically fatigued. These things tell them just as much about you as
player as your ability to handle, shoot, and pass the ball do. This month is very draining for a lot
of prospects bodies but the coaches who are looking for guys they want to play for them don’t
tend to feel sorry for somebody who’s legs are “too tired” for him to play hard.
Energy brings attention
Another saying I love is “If you do something with an infectious energy people will come from
miles around to watch you perform.” Whether you like it or not every player and every team
come into an event with a reputation. This reputation could be that you are a guy with 5
Division 1 offers and coaches need to watch you, or you could be a guy who is unheard of with
0 offers and no interest. It is up to you to either solidify that reputation or change it and you do
that with your play on the court. With over 150 coaches/ scouts in the building for 8-12 hours a
day and only 6 games to choose from at any given point. Most if not every player at Phenom
Summer Havoc this past week was seen by somebody. And a great way to make these coaches/
scouts want to come see you again is to play with an intensity that becomes unignorable to
anybody in the gym. I’ve never met a coach, scout, or player that said anything like “He talks
too much on defense” or “He plays too hard for us.” However, I often hear the opposite of
those things. So, if you are a prospect who is hoping to draw some coaches, scouts, or fans out
to a game play as hard as you can, lead your team, talk on both sides of the floor, and leave
everything you have on the court every game you play.
Don’t hunt offers: They will come
As I mentioned in my previous paragraph Phenom Summer Havoc had over 150
coaches/ scouts in the building at most points during the day. And every player on every team is
after 1 thing, a scholarship offer. Obviously, most players at any given event will not leave with
a scholarship offer. The biggest mistake you can make as a player in July is to go outside of
yourself and what you do well to impress coaches or scouts. This past weekend I was watching
a game with a coach and looked at a player and simply asked “could he play for you guys
coach'” This coach told me “without a doubt but we aren’t recruiting that position for that
class.” The purpose for telling you that is just because a coach watches you and doesn’t offer
doesn’t mean you need to change something because you’re not good enough. Every school in
the country is in a different situation with their current teams, scholarships, styles, and position
needs. So, if things don’t go your way initially stay with who you are and what you do well
because another school may take notice soon after. The biggest mistake you can make is trying
to be something that you’re not because you most likely won’t be able to fool a coach into
offering you if you’re doing things you are not used to doing at a high level.