How Many Basketball Scholarships For Division 1.
Basketball is a headcount sport meaning that in NCAA Division 1, college coaches can give a maximum of 15 full ride scholarships to 15 athletes and aren’t able to distribute that scholarship money any other way. Where as in other divisions, coaches are able to spread that money amongst as many players as they want.
NCAA Division 2, NAIA and JUCO offers are equivalency scholarships, meaning that some athletes will be awarded partials as opposed to full scholarhips.
What are the chances of getting a D1 basketball scholarship.
The harsh reality is, the numbers aren’t very flattering, with the chances of landing a scholarship being extremely slim at less than 1 percent of athletes actually securing a D1 basketball scholarship. This doesn’t mean its impossible though! Outside of division one there are plenty of scholarship opportunities available at the NCAA Division 2, NAIA and JUCO levels were scholarships are handed out on an equivalency basis, meaning whether you receive a full scholarship or not, the chances of reducing your cost of education and increasing your chances of playing at the college level are much higher. With NCAA Division 1 being a head count level, were programs give the same money to every athlete, competition for those 15 spots are extremely high. The other levels also offer you the chance to reduce costs in other ways such as financial aid, academic scholarship money etc.
How many D1 athletes get full scholarships.
Because scholarships are being handed out on a headcount basis, teams award those 15 scholarships to the 15 players they are recruiting and interested in bringing into their program. Before, you say “but some rosters have more than 15 players” we’re going to stop you right there! You would be correct in saying this, however those additional spots are given out to players on a walk on or preferred walk on basis. Walk on players typically join the program once admitted to the school through an open practice day where coaches can assess talent in person. Where as preferred walk on spots are giving in more of a typical recruiting scenario. Perhaps a player provides value to a program and would like to attend but isn’t quite good enough yet for a full scholarship, they would be offered a preferred walk on role. Both of these situations often give athletes the chance to earn a full scholarship.
Five tips on how to secure a D1 basketball scholarship.
Although the chances of securing a D1 basketball scholarship are quite slim, there are still plenty of opportunities out there to be had, so if you truly believe you are a D1 level basketball player, it can be worth fighting for, however we highly recommend exploring all options of college sport, to ensure you aren’t left with nothing at the end of your recruitment process!
- Make sure you are competing at the highest level possible: This is different for everyone. In the United States this would mean playing for the best AAU or club team program available against high level competition, trying to stay in front of college coaches whilst continuing to develop. Where as at the international level this can very. As an international you should be thriving to play at the highest level for you age group, whilst also playing up if the opportunity is there. The often helps those athletes who aren’t able to play on national teams etc during the Summer.
- Play in recruiting events/live periods: With college coaches being extremely busy, live periods offer coaches the chance to hit the recruiting trail and watch players play in person. Playing on live periods, if available to you, are an extremely important part of the recruitment process. If you are from outside of the US, this isn’t something that would be possible to you for the most part. In this scenario, we recommend attending recruitment showcases in your country where you can play in front of coaches on live streams, providing you with some of the benefits you would experience if you played at a live period event.
- Focus on your academics. Grades are an extremely big part of the recruitment process and allow coaches to recruit players easier as the player is often seen as a less riskier investment. Good academics, are important for a few key reasons. One, getting admitted to the school is obviously very important… If you can’t get admitted, you can’t play. Staying eligible to actually get on the court is crucial. But outside of this, being able to secure academic scholarships can make your recruitment process a lot less stressful! Athletic scholarships are obviously very limited and competitive, however, if you’re someone who can receive large academic scholarship money, you’ve just increased your chances of being recruited, drastically.
- Create a highlight video. A highlight video is often a coaches first time seeing you play, so making a good impression is very important. Highlight videos are usually around 3 minutes long and consist of your best moments. Make the video as easy to watch as possible, that means no crazy transitions or slow motion effects, coaches don’t want to see that! Put your best and most eye catching plays right at the beginning as coaches usually make a decision on whether or not to move on about the first 25-30 seconds!
- Be proactive. Regardless of what your coaches or friends are telling you, college coaches will not find you. If you believe this and wait to be found, you’re going to have a very disappointing recruitment process. If you want to get recruited, tis your job to get in front of college coaches as much as possible. Play in recruitment events/showcases, email college coaches directly, call them, network with other players at the programs you’re interested in. Do everything in your power to get in front of college coaches and stand out. Do not just wait around to be found.
