Hitting the Recruiting Trail

Today marks the start of the NCAA spring live period, and thus some of the biggest AAU events in the country will unfold over the next three weeks. While we actively recruit throughout the spring and summer because we do not have "live" and "dead" period restrictions, the July and new (old) April periods are crucial for evaluating players and establishing a target recruiting list heading into next year. I wanted to take a minute to talk about some of the things that I personally am looking for during AAU play as I assess players throughout the evaluation period.

• Talent.
• This is the most obvious thing coaches look for. If it's not there, all the rest of moot. But what exactly are the desirable traits?
• Shooting, vision, passing, rebounding, on-ball defense, help-side defense, blocking shots, ball handling.
• Toughness
• Jay Bilas laid out a beautiful definition of toughness in an article a few years ago. It's not chest thumping. It's not trash talking. It's not being overly physical. So what is it?
• Setting solid screens, blocking out on EVERY shot, diving on the floor for loose balls, taking a charge (not flopping), getting through screens, contesting shots, SPRINTING the floor.
• Toughness is lacking in a lot of AAU games. Guys want to make pretty plays, pretty passes, pretty finishes. Find a court where guys are doing tough things, and you'll find a lot of coaches watching.
• Execution
• There are not a lot of long, drawn out offensive sets and possessions in AAU - but there are still plays to be executed. If a player struggles with a minimal set play, will they be able to comprehend a complex offense?
• There is also execution at the defensive end of the floor, and a lot of people miss that. Are you rotating correctly and on time? Are you defending screens correctly? Do you know your assignment?
• Attitude
• This is where "fake toughness" is revealed. Do you feel the need to show up opponents constantly? Do you argue with officials on every call? Do you pay attention to your coaches during time-outs and other instructional times?
• Communication
• On both ends of the floor, and along with speed of play, communication is one of the areas that I've found athletes struggle with the most when adjusting from high school/AAU to the college level. It is an extremely underrated skill to possess.
• Communication and talking are completely different things. Communication has a purpose. Communication is a two-way exchange of information - you communicate when you listen and execute too!
• Team-mentality
• There will be a lot of shots taken in most AAU games. There will be a lot of AAU games where one guy take most of the shots. Are you willing to pass up on your own numbers and get teammates involved? Are you encouraging teammates when they make a good play and lifting them up when they struggle?
• Effort
• How hard are you willing to work on every play of the game? It's easy to give effort when you have the ball. What are you doing without it?
• Setting screens, cutting hard and finishing cuts, setting up screens, SPRINTING the floor, constantly adjusting defensive position, rotating early, getting through screens.

This list is not all-inclusive by any means. I'm sure I'm overlooking things and I know there are places where these categories overlap. My hope is that it gives you an idea of what coaches are looking for beyond being able to put the ball in the basket.