Calipari Rails Against Summer Recruiting

As NCAA presidents, athletic directors and coaches debate the future of summer basketball recruiting, one of the most famous recruiting superstars of all wants the whole process shut down.

“I don’t think we should have summer recruiting, ” said John Calipari, sitting at Blake Arena Sunday for the Spalding HoopHall Classic.

On Monday, the nation’s premier in-season high school showcase will feature two of Calipari’s signed Kentucky recruits, Anthony Davis and Michael Gilchrist. As for the undeclared kids, Calipari acknowledged that eliminating the summer sessions would not affect elite programs like his own.

When Calipari, a former University of Massachusetts coach, scouts a prep kid in person these days, he has already decided he wants the kid. Coaches of his stature need not chase kids all over America, but such coaches are few and far between.

But that, he said, is not the issue.

“Some people will say I’m just saying this because I’m at Kentucky, but I just think we should put (recruiting) back in a high school setting, ”’ he said.

“Our summers should be spent with our own players, and our own families.”

A simmering issue for years, summer recruiting is now under serious NCAA review. The argument for keeping the current process of glamorous AAU tournaments is that coaches can see the best players at centralized locations, competing against each other.

But the argument for reform has gained serious momentum. This is mostly because the current system has shifted recruiting control from high school coaches to what many consider a motley collection of AAU wheeler-dealers with questionable basketball knowledge, motivations or both.

Calipari said that’s not why he favors change.

“The AAU term is thrown around a lot, but AAU is pretty well covered. It’s not an AAU issue, it’s a summer issue.

“Having somebody’s uncle or their barber say what’s best for a kid, that’s always gone on, ” he said.

He does think the old-fashioned way of making the high school season paramount worked for a long time, and can work again.

“We’re not evaluating in the summer. We’re babysitting, ” he said.

He also said a good summer tournament can inflate a player’s reputation, causing a kid to get over-recruited and wind up at a school where he doesn’t belong.

Most coaches, probably a vast majority, favor the status quo on recruiting. Some want to see as many players as possible at one site; others don’t want to antagonize the AAU power brokers with whom they must deal.

But Calipari said colleges are spending a small, unnecessary fortune on summer recruiting.

“What’s wrong with taking $50, 000 and (instead) giving it to volleyball and track?” he said.

To consolidate offseason recruiting and bring the best players under one roof, Calipari suggested a couple of tournament weekends in April and September. The big summer tournaments could still go on, videotaped for coaches’ viewing.

If there is a personal motive to Calipari’s view, it can be found in his answer to whether he would have felt this way 20 years ago, when his energy for recruiting became legendary.

“Yes, because the one who got cheated was (his daughter) Erin. I was never home, ” he said.

College football coaches have off-limits recruiting periods, he said.

“They can take a month off. We can’t take a week off. The whole calendar is screwed up.”

For the NCAA to eliminate summer recruiting entirely would be a major statement that the current system is soiled. Calipari does not say that.

He just says it is unnecessary and expensive. Besides, he said, maybe even a college basketball coach should get some offseason time with his family.

“Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way, ” he said calmly, but firmly. “But I do.”

Calipari Rails Against Summer Recruiting

MassLive.com

As NCAA presidents, athletic directors and coaches debate the future of summer basketball recruiting, one of the most famous recruiting superstars of all wants the whole process shut down. “I don’t think we should have summer recruiting, ” said John Calipari, sitting at Blake Arena Sunday for the Spalding HoopHall Classic. On Monday, the nation’s premier in-season high school showcase will feature two of Calipari’s signed Kentucky recruits, Anthony Davis and Michael Gilchrist. As for the undeclared kids, Calipari acknowledged that eliminating the summer sessions would not affect elite programs like his own. When Calipari, a former University of Massachusetts coach, scouts a prep kid in person these days, he has already decided he wants the kid. Coaches of his stature need not chase kids all over America, but such coaches are few and far between. But that, he said, is not the issue. “Some people will say I’m just saying this because I’m at Kentucky, but I just think we should put (recruiting) back in a high school setting, ”’ he said. “Our summers should be spent with our own players, and our own families.” A simmering issue for years, summer recruiting is now under serious NCAA review . The argument for keeping the current process of glamorous AAU tournaments is that coaches can see the best players at centralized locations, competing against each other. But the argument for reform has gained serious momentum. This is mostly because the current system has shifted recruiting control from high school coaches to what many consider a motley collection of AAU wheeler-dealers with questionable basketball knowledge, motivations or both. Calipari said that’s not why he favors change. “The AAU term is thrown around a lot, but AAU is pretty well covered. It’s not an AAU issue, it’s a summer issue. “Having somebody’s uncle or their barber say what’s best for a kid, that’s always gone on, ” he said. He does think the old-fashioned way of making the high school season paramount worked for a long time, and can work again. “We’re not evaluating in the summer. We’re babysitting, ” he said. He also said a good summer tournament can inflate a player’s reputation, causing a kid to get over-recruited and wind up at a school where he doesn’t belong. Most coaches, probably a vast majority, favor the status quo on recruiting. Some want to see as many players as possible at one site; others don’t want to antagonize the AAU power brokers with whom they must deal. But Calipari said colleges are spending a small, unnecessary fortune on summer recruiting. “What’s wrong with taking $50, 000 and (instead) giving it to volleyball and track?” he said. To consolidate offseason recruiting and bring the best players under one roof, Calipari suggested a couple of tournament weekends in April and September. The big summer tournaments could still go on, videotaped for coaches’ viewing. If there is a personal motive to Calipari’s view, it can be found in his answer to whether he would have felt this way 20 years ago, when his energy for recruiting became legendary. “Yes, because the one who got cheated was (his daughter) Erin. I was never home, ” he said. College football coaches have off-limits recruiting periods, he said. “They can take a month off. We can’t take a week off. The whole calendar is screwed up.” For the NCAA to eliminate summer recruiting entirely would be a major statement that the current system is soiled. Calipari does not say that. He just says it is unnecessary and expensive. Besides, he said, maybe even a college basketball coach should get some offseason time with his family. “Maybe I’m the only one who feels this way, ” he said calmly, but firmly. “But I do.”