Basketball Scholarship and Where to Find It: Tips on How to Play College Basketball
Getting into a good US college is an uphill battle. With competition from other kids who have won every science fair and volunteer of the year award in their lives, chances to get into the school of your dreams are pretty slim. And who wants to take a student loan? Well, you’d rather not, I believe.
But if you play basketball, you probably know there is a way to make this Herculean task a little easier – getting a basketball scholarship. Let’s find out how to boost your chances of getting one.
Types of scholarships
Okay, let’s start by figuring out different types of scholarships and who gives them because I, personally, was a little confused when I first read about them.
The main differences between scholarships are whether they are full or partial, whether you get them for athletic or academic purposes, and who issues them.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) scholarships
This is a scholarship everybody wants to get since it’s issued by a major college sports association everyone talks about. It’s split into three divisions:
National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) scholarship
Think of the NAIA as a smaller, less hyped version of the NCAA. Schools here are usually smaller, like Dordt University, Indiana Wesleyan University, or Oklahoma City University, but they still offer athletic scholarships. The competition level is a notch below NCAA Division I and II, but it’s still significant. Athletes here can still get full or partial scholarships, depending on the school.
Junior College (JUCO) or National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) scholarships
JUCO is where you go if you want to start at a two-year community college like South Plains College, South Lake Community College, or Vincennes University before transferring to a bigger school. It’s a great way to build your skills or boost your grades so that you can get recruited by NCAA or NAIA schools later. Depending on division, JUCO programs offer athletic scholarships like NCAA, but they’re usually smaller.
College-specific scholarships
These are funded directly by the school itself, and they don’t always follow the athletic rules of the NCAA or other organizations. Colleges can offer scholarships based on a mix of athletic ability, academic performance, leadership, or even specific community involvement. These can complement NCAA or NAIA scholarships or work as a standalone option, especially if you’ve maxed out athletic scholarships.
So, you actually have plenty of options. But don’t get too excited yet, as the requirements for these scholarships, especially NCAA ones, are pretty tight while thousands of candidates want to get in.
Do you want to evaluate your chances real quick?
How high are your odds
First of all, here is a table with scholarship limits for next year if the NCAA approves new limits.
And now here are some numbers.
There are 32,890 men’s college basketball players spread across 2,009 teams. For high school athletes, the chances of making a Division 1 men’s basketball team are 105 to 1. The odds of making any college basketball team are 18 to 1.
As for the ladies, there are 28,305 players in women’s basketball across 1,946 teams. A high school player has an 83 to 1 chance of landing on a Division 1 team and a 15 to 1 chance of making it to any college roster.
I’m not telling you this to scare you. On the contrary, knowing your chances can help you better prepare yourself. The best way to start is to check if you fit into the scholarship requirements.
Basketball scholarship requirements: sport and academic
Before digging deeper into the basketball scholarship topic, I thought that to get an athletic scholarship, you need to be good at, well… sports. But not with competition like this. To get a basketball scholarship, you need to cover academic and athletic requirements.
Academic requirements
The academic requirements for scholarships vary slightly by division and organization, so google them separately to learn all the nuances. Here, I want to show them in general so you understand that grades matter.
NCAA academic requirements
The primary line is to pass 16 approved NCAA Core Courses during high school and get at least a 2.2 GPA for Division II and a 2.3 GPA for Division I. Make sure this GPA is calculated based on approved NCAA courses since even the highest grades don’t count if they aren’t approved.
Good news! SAT/ACT are no longer required to be eligible for NCAA scholarships.
Division III schools are responsible for setting their own academic eligibility rules, so if you aim for them, check the rules with specific schools.
NAIA academic requirements
With NAIA scholarships, everything is a little more confusing, as there are different academic rules for US freshmen, international students, transfer students, and even homeschooled people.
Here are the requirements for US school graduates.
Source: https://www.ncsasports.org/naia-eligibility-center/requirements
The easiest way to understand what you need to do is to spend 10 minutes registering with the NAIA Eligibility Center and ask for details.
JUCO academic requierments
JUCOs are allowed to set their own standards, so you better check the requirements with the college you want to enter. But at the very least, you need to graduate from a high school with an academic diploma or general education diploma (GED).
That’s all about grades for now. Let’s move to what you’re good at for sure – athletic skills.
Athletic requirements
Once again, every organization has its own demands, but they are all based on one thing – your amateur athlete status.
To get a chance for a scholarship from the NCAA, you need to have the status of an amateur athlete from the NCAA Eligibility Center. This means you need to answer a bunch of questions that determine two things: 1) you actually play sports, and 2) you don’t do it professionally.
If the first requirement is pretty clear – you play basketball in the school team or local basketball club – the second requirement is a bit more complicated. Basically, it means that you:
- don’t get money from playing in the form of salary
- don’t get paid for appearances in media (yes, even if you have a big YouTube channel)
- are not an ambassador of any brand
- don’t get prize money beyond the necessary expenses
The same amateur status is required to get an NJCAA or JUDO scholarship. This organization should interview you separately, as the status from the NCAA doesn’t count here.
NAIA doesn’t say anything specific about amateur status, but it does have an eligibility center and expects you to provide your background information during registration.
There is no official eligibility requirement for your basketball skills and physical form from any of these organizations, but these are what recruiters choose you for. For instance, in NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball, the average player’s height is just under 6’5″, with the most common height being 6’7″.
There are also a few other things you can do to increase your chances of securing a basketball scholarship.
Tips to get a basketball scholarship
Coaches will never notice you if you play in your background, even if you do it like Jordan. So, do these few things to be noticed and get a basketball scholarship.
Play in big tournaments and leagues
To get on coaches’ radars, you need to be playing in the right places. That means competing in major events like AAU tournaments, regional showcases, and even state championships. AAU (Amateur Athletic Union) is huge for recruiting because it brings in top talent and college scouts. The more high-level competition you face, the more likely you are to stand out.
Take advantage of summer recruiting
Summer is prime time for college coaches to scout new talent. They’ve got more time to recruit, and summer tournaments or camps are often their main focus. So, take every summer opportunity that matches your level and where coaches are most likely to come and watch games to get on their radar.
Take the first step – contact coaches
Don’t sit around hoping to get discovered. Do your homework on schools, find the coach’s email or phone number, and reach out directly. Send them your stats, and info on where they can watch you play live. In basketball, you’re allowed to contact coaches first, so use this to your advantage.
Target schools that fit you
Don’t waste time chasing schools that aren’t a good match. Look at each team’s roster to see who’s playing your position and whether they’re graduating soon. Also, check out the level of competition – are they within your range, or a little too far out? Look at where coaches tend to recruit from, like certain regions or tournaments. Aim for schools where you have a realistic shot at getting recruited.
Create a killer highlight reel
Coaches don’t have time to watch full games right away, so a short, sharp highlight video is key. Pick your best moments: dunks, assists, blocks, or any stunning plays. Keep it under 3-5 minutes, and make sure to include your position, height, and jersey number at the start. Send also a full-game video, so once they’re hooked on your highlights, they can watch it and evaluate you more thoroughly.
Attend college recruiting camps
Recruiting camps hosted by colleges are a great way to showcase your skills in front of the exact coaches you’re aiming for. Many schools hold elite camps where you can compete against other top players and get firsthand exposure to their staff. Camps like Hoop Group Elite and Phenom America are great options. The more exposure you get, the better your chances.
Excel in the classroom
As you’ve already seen, grades are a big deal when getting scholarships for basketball, and most coaches are looking for student-athletes who can handle both academics and athletics. The better your GPA and test scores, the more opportunities you’ll have.
Getting basketball scholarship: A rocky road to the dream
That’s all I have to say about getting into college as a basketball player and earning your scholarship. I recommend you choose the top colleges and research every detail about the requirements, conditions, and process of applying for a scholarship since they differ, and it’s pretty easy to miss important detail.
Mind that getting a basketball scholarship isn’t much easier than working your way to college purely on academic achievements. But it pays off: you don’t have to pay student debt until retirement and college basketball opens you a way to professional leagues.
