The recruiting trail can be overwhelming for high school athletes and their families. Over the years, I’ve sat in hundreds of living rooms evaluating talent. Here are the top 10 things I look for that have nothing to do with statistics.
1. How do you treat your parents?
We pay attention to how you speak to your mother or father when they disagree with you during a home visit. That translates directly to how you will speak to an assistant coach in a high-pressure situation.
2. How do you respond to your high school coach when you get subbed out?
Body language is everything. If you slump your shoulders and ignore your coach when you come out for a breather, we cross you off the board immediately. We don’t have time to fix bad attitudes at the Division 1 level.
3. Are you lifting up your teammates on the bench?
You are going to spend a lot of time on the bench as a freshman in college. We need to see that you are engaged with the game and supporting the five guys on the floor, even when things aren’t going your way.
4. Academics matter more than you think.
A 3.8 GPA versus a 2.5 GPA isn’t just about passing classes. It tells me how disciplined you are when you are forced to do something you don’t necessarily want to do (like studying for Chemistry). That discipline always translates to the court.
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