Showcase?

[hoopmaster]

Is it me or are these "Showcases" a way for certain individuals to prey on unsuspecting parents who think that the best way for their kids to get to the next level is to attend? Don't get me wrong, there was some talent at Vanderbilt but there was plenty who just donated their money for a false hope. To establish a true Showcase (Exposure), shouldn't it be invitation only with a major sponsor? It appears to me that a certain circle of people are hosting these showcases, ranking kids on the internet (JOKE), and raking in the dollars month after month. Parents, please get it thru your heads, that if your child works hard on his character, his education, and athletics, they will be a success in whatever field they land in. Don't allow these people to continue to rip you off on false hopes. If you are not producing on the court for your school team and in the classroom, you can attend all the camps, play on all the AAU teams, and attend all the showcases you want, it will not help you. Education is and always will be the KEY.

Now, I could be wrong so respond anyone and lets start some dialog.

Hoopmaster

[mrob]

THE SHOWCASE THAT WAS AT VANDY IS A SHOWCASE FOR A PLAYER TO BREAKOUT ON A STATE LEVEL. I HAVE BEEN GOING FOR YEARS AND IF YOU KNOW WHAT IT'S FOR; IT'S GREAT. I HAVE ALWAYS VIEWED IT LIKE THIS.. THE SHOWCASE IS A PLACE FOR PLAYERS TO GO AND GET ON THE LOCAL MAP. SOME GUYS PICK UP A NEW AAU TEAM. OTHERS CAN JUDGE THEIR TALENT. SOME JUST GO TO HAVE FUN AND BE IN A BASKETBALL ENVIRONMENT. OF COURSE THERE ARE BIG SHOWCASES OUT THERE (PHENOM, PANGOS, ETC.) BUT TO ME THE DIFFERENCE IS PUB. THE SHOWCASE AT VANDY WILL WRITE A BULLET ABOUT EVERY PLAYER IN ATTENDANCE. AT A NATIONAL OR REGIONAL SHOWCASE YOU DON'T GET THAT. THE WORST THAT CAN HAPPEN IS YOUR KID WILL MEET SOME NEW BUDDIES AND MAYBE FIND AN AAU TEAM OR SOMEONE HE'D LIKE TO RUN WITH ON HIS TEAM. FALSE HOPE? I'VE NEVER SEEN ANYBODY SELL HOPE AT ANY SHOWCASE. THERE ARE KIDS WHO GET RANKED HIGH (AND SHOULDN'T BE); AS WELL, THERE ARE KIDS WHO PEAK AT THERE SCHOOLS OR AAU AND GET IT ON THERE OWN (MICHAEL BRADLEY).

BUT MOST OF THEM JUST LOVE THE GAME.

[IrishBBall]

I've been involved with coaching both high school and AAU basketball for the past 22 years. These showcases aren't designed to showcase the superstars. It gives players an opportunity to get in front of D2, D3, NAIA and Junior Colleges that don't have the overall recruiting budgets to recruit statewide. I have had several kids get offers at these showcases. These schools basically have to wait on the leftovers from the D1 fallout. The trickle down effect follows the pattern I listed the levels in. For example, you don't see very many early signees for the D3 schools. They have to wait and see what's left after the D2 and NAIA schools have come in with their scholarship offers. It's a money thing at that point.

 

I think you have a somewhat jaded viewpoint. Yes, there are probably some kids there that don't have a prayer of making it at any level. But I coached an ABA basketball team last year that had a player on it that only played about 1 semester of high school basketball. That goes along with your statement about taking care of your business in the classroom.

 

A showcase can give exposure to a kid that:

 

1. Maybe played on a bad team that would have gotten no looks

 

2. It could help that player that had to play out of position on his high school team (I've seen plenty of 6'1 and 6'2" posts that never left the paint for their h.s team)

 

3. It could be that 6th or 7th man on a really good team that saw limited minutes Think Matt Cassell in football...never started in college but got a great opportunity in the pros

 

4. Give a multi-sport athlete a chance to prove what they could do with a little more time to focus on one sport

 

5. Maybe has a first year coach that really has no college coaching connections or a clue about how the recruiting process works.

 

6. Plays in a system that doesn't really allow the player to utilize his individual skills. I've seen some players that averaged 8-10 points in h.s have excellent college careers. Think Bearden every year, they platoon and some players that will be playing in college this year played only half the game. Hard to put up stats that will attract much attention

 

I think the best point you made was the importance of education. The showcases I've attended make a big point of asking about test scores, GPA, etc. Some of the kids that have done a great job in the classroom will get a chance to continue their bball careers because some of the school levels listed above need players that they can get without committing a lot of their basketball $ to. Between the HOPE scholarship, academic $ they can access, etc they can build a team and fill roles.

[hoopmaster]

When I talk about false hope, I do not mean that the kids are receiving false hope at the camps. The parents are receiving false hopes by these kids being supposedly ranked. Maybe the camp Directors need to explain to these kids exactly what the ranking system is and how it works. I've seen too many pretty good kids boasting about how they are ranked such and such in the nation and the ranking only includes kids who were at the camps. I guess education is the key.

Hoopmaster

[MojoRisin]

Guys

 

Thanks for yoru posts - this is one of the better dialogues I have seen on a board. Good points by both. Thank you.

[IrishBBall]

When I talk about false hope, I do not mean that the kids are receiving false hope at the camps. The parents are receiving false hopes by these kids being supposedly ranked. Maybe the camp Directors need to explain to these kids exactly what the ranking system is and how it works. I've seen too many pretty good kids boasting about how they are ranked such and such in the nation and the ranking only includes kids who were at the camps. I guess education is the key.

Hoopmaster

The ranking system is questionable in all high school sports. It's pretty easy to identify the 5 star recruits in most sports. They really standout and are pretty special, game-changing athletes. I think the question marks come in the lower ranked athletes. The people that develop these rankings normally have not seen all these kids play. They require input from the high school coaches, AAU coaches, etc in addition to attending actual h.s games, AAU games, camps, showcases, watching film and so on. If you look at the past few years in the state, the top 25 are potentially D-1 players with the next 50 D-2, NAIA and D3 players that will be fairly successful. If you see players that are signing with junior colleges in the top 50 rankings, you can pretty much assume there are grade/eligibility issues. They may be just as talented as some of the other ranked with them but couldn't get into those schools. It certainly doesn't diminish their bb talent. I think alot of the rankings are based off of the AAU circuit. That allows you to see kids on a level playing field. Otherwise, how would you compare the upper ET kid that plays single A basketball to a AAA player in Memphis? Again these rankings are very subjective and really not based on rock solid criteria. Maybe the groups doing the rankings saw that player have the game of their life or the worst game of his career, maybe he was playing injured. These showcases that you are decrying give the players a chance to show where they really rank based on head-to-head play on the court. The star and numerical ranking systems don't show how competitive the kid is, what his work ethic is like, and how coachable he is. Give me a 3 star guy that is off the charts on these attributes and I will show you a kid that will be successful on the court, in the classroom and in life in general.

RANKINGS DO NOT GUARANTEE MUCH IN THE PROCESS!