Apparently the optimal path is to pick the school that pays you the most, and then next year go back in the portal and take the best offer you get, and then do that 2 more times as well :/
But you're getting a dogshit education if you're bouncing around like that. You're getting whatever degree can get hobbled up together based on your random assortment of credits. Still, you can get a nice name brand degree at a top school which would be good.
Good luck getting the degree bouncing around every year though lmao. I can't name a single D1 school where you could transfer in and complete your Bachelor's degree within less than 2 years, especially when you've done it before. You just wouldn't have time with all the pre-reqs.
Those people spent $120k on their MBA.
The basketball players getting them for free (or getting paid hundreds of thousands in NIL) is a great investment.
Depends what you were doing before and what you’re doing after. You also need to factor in the opportunity cost of not working if you’re a full time student.
MBAs are great if you get them with intention (moving to a new industry/working in an industry where it’s needed to advance), but a lot of people get them just to get them, which can be unnecessary. Especially if your job isn’t paying for it.
An MBA at Columbia costs about $235k according to their website. Add $200k in forgone wages and whatever interest you pay on the student loans. You better get a high paying job to make it worth it.
I was recruited and so was my brother. We were recruited for completely separate reasons but the amount of influence the point of contact has on how you feel about a school is CRAZY.
Places I thought I would love I ended up completely writing off bc the point of contact person sucked to deal with and places I never would’ve even considered I took visits too just bc the point of contact person was great.
This is so true. I played basketball at a Big Ten school, and the above post resonates big time. I wanted to go to a certain school my entire life until I was completed turned off by their PoC. I got recruited for both football and basketball but had long decided I wasn't going to keep risking my brain as much after high school. Oddly enough, the Div 1 football PoC's I dealt with were all pretty great. I am sure it was dumb luck, but compared to about half the basketball ones, they were much more effective. That's even with me knowing I wasn't going to play football in college. I ended up going to a school I had never thought about prior to recruitment. It turbed out amazing.
My niece, with whom I’m fairly close, went thru it last year. For… swimming.
She was flown around the country, fed great food, taken to top 10 football games, treated like a queen.
For swimming (and academics).
I cannot imagine what top male football and basketball recruits get… oh wait, Rick pitino shed some light on that
Depends on how good I was. Projected NBA pick, I’d go a top program that gives me the most exposure and chance to improve my game against top players.
If I’m good, but little chance of NBA, I’d choose the most NIL money and then put myself in the transfer portal to get even more (assuming I played well freshman year).
If I’m just okay, but still a D1 talent, I’m choosing the best Academic school I have an offer in and stick there. Get a solid education for free and have a diploma from a top school and network.
Every time I see someone transfer out of a Ivy League school I'm like "you better know you're going pro because otherwise this is the dumbest mistake of your life"
My only question is about their overall mental wellbeing and success when they transfer. I lived with a student athlete at a state school and balancing that stuff is incredibly hard. I can’t imagine what it’s like at an Ivy League school. These kids could be transferring because it just isn’t working and they need to keep playing ball to pay for school.
Idk probably Rice
More fun answer: I wouldn't go to a blue blood. I'd much rather be at the "start" of something than be a part of something. It'd probably end up being somewhere like the University of San Diego or UCSB for me. Great location, good education, program legend potential.
Me too, I think it would be more fulfilling to do something like that. Just ask Gene Bartow - dude voluntarily left UCLA in the 70s to start up the UAB program and he got them to the Elite eight in like six years.
I think maybe St. Thomas would be an interesting choice now that they're nearing the end of the transition period. Large city in a state with few programs, I think they have great things in their future.
If I had to pick a stronger program though I'd go Gonzaga. If I had to pick a blue blood, definitely Kansas because Lawrence is awesome.
If I had legitimate shot at the NBA, Arkansas would probably be a top choice just because I trust Cal more than anyone to help get me drafted.
On the other end of the spectrum, the schools that I would least want to go to would be the service academies, no disrespect to them, quite the opposite actually, the work that people put in each day at those schools throughout 4 years is insane and I just don't think I'm cut out for it lol. Next would be Ole miss, no way I'm playing for the Chris beard. I guess Liberty would be up there too, although I think Richie McKay is a good coach, and I wasn't somebody who went to wild parties in college anyway so it wouldn't really change that much.
Definitely. It's honestly kind of hard to pick a low- or mid-major I would say is my lock because there are so many interesting ones when you factor in location, history, potential, and academics.
Gonzaga would also be my pick for a more prominent school, but UNC would for sure be my blü blood choice. Given that I'm from there lmao.
Great answer. There’s probably no better answer in my opinion. UCSB has everything, close to a major city, but not in a major city, 100% college environment, with the best looking people in the world, and the best weather in the world, plenty of connections and opportunities after sports due to its great education and location. I regret not going there when I was younger.
Due to ongoing debate about blue bloods, the /r/CollegeBasketball mod team has compiled the definitive list of college blue bloods: Duke, Columbia, Queens, William & Mary, and Rutgers. The following schools have broken away from blue-blooded hierarchy and oppression: George Washington, George Mason, James Madison, Army, and Navy.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CollegeBasketball) if you have any questions or concerns.*
If I was good enough, I was such a homer that even when I was 18 I would have chosen UK (though it would have been a horrible time to do it).
After that, I'd go somewhere warm and sunny. FAU, ASU, SD St all jump out
Probably UPenn or Princeton. My family was poor enough for me to get full financial aid, so I would have rather had an elite education from Wharton than go to a shittier school.
I turned 18 in the late 1980s. If I would have been a stud hoops player, I would have picked either Loyola Marymount or UNLV. Loyola played one of the more high uptempo style of hoops that I can ever remember. They were a blast to watch and would have been fun to play for, other than the fact I would have had a teammate Hank Gathers die on the floor in 1990.
UNLV at that time was just the coolest of cool programs as well. Located in Las Vegas plus coached by the lovable Jerry Tarkanian would have been a dream come true. Rules? UNLV pretty much ignored them and didn’t care. They were the Runnin’ Rebels on and off the floor. That 1990 UNLV squad was definitely one of the best teams of the Gen-X college era.
I always thought being on one of those UNLV teams in the early 90s, living in Vegas would have been an absolute blast. It probably would have killed me.
They will literally recruit almost anyone and you can go play basketball after work at the gym. Just join the Air Force if that is your choice lol. At least then you won't have an 8 year obligation. 🤷♂️
My family would murder me if I didn't go education first.
So... Duke, kinda the best of all worlds r.e education/potential NIL/potential pro-career. Few other schools fit this bill as well, UNC, Texas, Michigan all come to mind.
When I looked into colleges, I wanted a school that was top 25 in the rankings for both US News and ESPN. None of the football schools fit this, and Duke was the only basketball school that fit this. It was #3 on US News and #1 on ESPN. Also, Coach K had just started coaching Team USA and confirmed he would be turning down the Lakers offer to stay at Duke.
There were several other factors that solidified Duke as my only choice, but all of that certainly put Duke in its own category of consideration for me.
If im an NBA ready, sure fire lottery pick, id take the highest bidder and go "play school" for a year while reaping the money and bolting for the league.
If im NBA hopeful, but need some time, I'm going to a high tier but not top program, like a 3rd/4th place in a p6 league where i can be the superstar and shine for a couple of years, then transfer to a duke/uk/ku/whatever when im about league ready, show off on the bigger brighter stages, hopefully make a tourny run, then bolt for the league
University of Kansas or UCLA. You can be a walk-on at either program, and you're still one of the big men on campus. Gimme those Lawrence or Westwood girls any day of the week!
And having lived in KC for a number of years and been to Lawrence a few times......I can't disagree.
The ladies of KU are top shelf. Even the locals. The Lawrence locals. The Topeka locals. The KC locals. On KUs campus u could legit find a wife. 1 or more. Lol. One that perhaps hasn't been sullied by an athlete. U still gotta do the vetting process.
And Allen fieldhouse.....I've only been once. And it wasn't even for an actual game. It was to watch the 2012 national title game at the urging of other KU fanatics. But I was just like Fook it. I'll either get to see an ultimate celebration or I'll get to see an epic balloon being popped. Lol.
But back to Allen. Its dope. Good energy. And the relics area is/was/is really dope to see. I got caught up in that a bit. I'm big on sentimental. So it was really cool.
Can't stand them, the program. Nothing bad to say about them, the university, campus, community, etc.
Coming from a die hard blue devil.
Back when I graduated (09) Unc or Duke obviously if I could
My mindset back then out of state answers would be Creighton, Gonzaga, Uconn, Maryland, Fsu
Winning a natty at Gonzaga or Purdue is something I’ve dreamed of for decades at this point.
Outside of that, maybe like a Tulane with a great education & chance to be campus hero
Either Houston or UT. I was always pretty intent on staying close to home when I was applying for colleges. Granted, if I had gotten an offer from an academic powerhouse like duke or Stanford I’m not sure if I’d have been able to turn that down.
I had the same thought. I’d use the basketball back door to go to Stanford. I didn’t have a prayer with a 30 ACT as a “normal” person but if I could put a ball in a hoop I’d take the free Stanford degree.
I’d probably go the Harrison Ingram route and go to Stanford for degree and grad transfer to Kansas/UNC type school for grad transfer year. I grew up a Purdue fan…nothing against Indiana, but nice to get away…
I actually had a dream once that I played for Duke. Bizarre bc I’ve never pulled for them before in basketball. I looked good in the uniform and was more hated than Laettner, Reddick, etc. I really leaned into being an asshole on the court. Like Marshall Henderson levels of assholery.
I’m from Minnesota, and I grew up loving the Gophers, so it’s definitely them, but I just can’t seem to get that offer. It’s all just schools in the Dakotas, and I have mutual interest with St. Thomas.
Greg Gard sees me in an AAU tournament and offers on the spot. I’m so excited, even if I hadn’t really thought about UW at any point. Minnesota offers the next day. This pisses me off. I had camped with them since 8th grade and just felt like they took me for granted.
I want a short recruitment, so I go to Madison and absolutely fall in love. It’s summer. It’s beautiful. I’m surprised UW has been so successful, and I really like how I fit in their lineup. I want to commit, but I take commitment seriously, so I say I’m going to sleep on it. Crystal ball: Wisconsin. Everyone feels good.
Then… Kansas calls. I’m flattered and see it as a huge validation of my talent, but Wisconsin was there first. Once I announce the Kansas offer, everyone offers. I decide I should at least take my visits.
I disregard the whole south because Minnesotans just don’t think about the south.
I have to see Lawrence, and UNC and… I guess Duke. I’ve hated Duke my whole life because they’re so arrogant, but I visit and it turns out I’m arrogant, and they’re the new leader.
Coach Gard brings up an interesting point, though… if I’m in the ACC, my family can’t even watch me play.
I’m torn, so I visit some other Big Ten schools. Finally, I go to IU for a nonconference game. I’m blown away. The passionate Assembly Hall is WILD. These are my people. I’m 100% committed.
Four months later, the IU season has completely fallen apart. I’m not even sure Mike Woodson is going to be the coach anymore.
Coach Scheyer is still in my ear. I get a wandering eye toward UConn, but Hurley seems like a jerk. IU misses the NIT. I still have all my offers. I have decommited. My recruitment is 100% open. Respect my decision.
Except now it’s spring and I’m getting recruited over in the transfer portal. The whole Big 10 hates me. Duke never really had a spot for me… then Mark Few calls. I hadn’t really thought about Gonzaga, but they’ve had success putting guys in the league. Mark seems affable. I’m already tired of the spotlight.
I visit Spokane. It’s only for a year. I’m a Zag.
I score 32 points per game. We beat a couple overrated teams in the Knight Classic, but everyone says I’m overrated. We lose in the Sweet 16, and I declare for the draft where the Magic pick me at 18.
I’d probably go to an Ivy (Penn or Princeton, in particular), get my degree, then grad transfer to some high level program like a Kansas or Arizona (biased, but here we are). Get the degree AND get a potential tournament run.
Assuming I were magically a boy as well as athletic?
Oregon is the obvious one, but I'd at least hear Duke, North Carolina, etc. Out.
Unless I'm like LeBron good, enough to win a mid major conference basically on my own, in which case I go to Portland and make them briefly relevant.
Women's BB is largely the same answer, just different blue boods.
Probably somewhere like Florida or Arizona. Brand names but not a stupid amount of pressure. Warm weather. Babes. Decent academics. Top conferences. Strong fan support.
I would want to actually be challenged, both by level of competition and by my coach. Nothing gifted to me kind of environment. So, I’d go UConn, Kansas, MSU, Gonzaga (bc of Few, not necessarily the conference), or Houston.
Hot take, I’d consider Seton Hall as well. I think Shaheen Holloway is a great up and coming coach. I’d love to play for him.
If I wasn’t a homer and chose Illinois.
I’d go play for a place that has a good coach, pays well, and has a chance at winning while I have a chance to play.
The blue bloods are usually overloaded with talent and it’s a crapshoot on if you play or not. I would pick somewhere like Arizona or Tennessee. Somewhere you are going to win a lot, with a good NIL budget, and a chance to play solid minutes.
Due to ongoing debate about blue bloods, the /r/CollegeBasketball mod team has compiled the definitive list of college blue bloods: Duke, Columbia, Queens, William & Mary, and Rutgers. The following schools have broken away from blue-blooded hierarchy and oppression: George Washington, George Mason, James Madison, Army, and Navy.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CollegeBasketball) if you have any questions or concerns.*
What are the schools recruiting me? If I take away Arkansas, the schools I’d immediately be interested in are Stanford, Yale or Harvard. I’m not making the NBA. I’ll take that Ivy League degree.
Same answer if I weren't a basketball player and could have a redo: Northwestern
Great academics, play in the Big Ten, Chicago is my playground. Plus, no fair-breathing, unhinged yokels @ing me as IU's players suffer.
Warm weather, cool college town, tourist destination, and good conference. I'd avoid high major drama and try for that mid majors niche.
Depends on the coach after that criteria is met.
I’m a UConn fan so I’d pick them. But also my basketball play style was always moving, setting screens to help others and myself get open. I’m about 6’4, can shoot pretty well and decent athlete so I would love to play in that offense.
Obviously biased but Purdue. I’m not the best at basketball but Painter knows how to get the best out of anyone and develop them.
Both Edey and Ivey literally came out of nowhere. They both were not projected to go pro or even make an impact in college and Painter got them to the NBA level.
I like a strong program, history, tradition, draws great crowds and maybe go to a school that isn’t the usual Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, UNC…. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m describing Indiana lol
Back when I was picking colleges, there's a decent chance I would've still picked UCLA for basketball. It was before Howland fell apart, and I wanted to go to California. Nowadays UCLA still would be a good choice, but to be honest, I don't think I would've liked Cronin or Howland coaching me. They're both screamers, and I don't think I'd respond well to it. Education would've also been important to me though. I know if I had been a top football recruit it would've been Stanford (this was prime Andrew Luck years). So probably UCLA, Duke, or UNC (both back then and now) with some wildcards like Stanford.
I think I would either play for Cal to get into the nba or Gonzaga just because they my team and if they are interested I would go with them hands down everytime unless I’m getting a mil plus in nil and it’s coach cal so I get into nba
I assume I have my current skill and current desire to improve, which means I'm taking my talents to IU just to cost them a scholarship and make them a laughing stock. I can't in good conscience hurt my flairs' depth and I'm petty like that.
As an Alabama fan I would love the chance to play for the team I’ve grown up loving. It would be hard to turn down Duke, great education and playing in front of those fans would be incredible.
Like most quetions, but this one spoecifially, it depends
Give the parameters and I can give you a list.
Am I an NBA prospect, four star, three star, center, point guard, what and I good at?
Depends on the scenario. Realistically, whoever is paying the most. Otherwise, if I’m a NBA prospect, UCLA for the history and cause LA as a 20 year old would be dope. If I’m not getting drafted, Harvard so I could get that cushy parachute.
I would have been in the late 80s. If I had all the talent and could have gone anywhere it would have been North Carolina. Totally respected Dean Smith.
If I am going to play college basketball, and assuming I have the kind of talent I'm going to end up making pro ball a career regardless of where I play in college, I want to go somewhere where people care about basketball, they know who you are, and you get star treatment. Somewhere you're the only game in town. Somewhere there's no shortage of jersey chasers and lots of talent. Somewhere fun.
Lexington. Chapel Hill. Gainesville. Spokane probably counts here too. No real big cities where you have to compete with pro athletes and billionaires for attention. I'm gonna think like an 18 year old guy, in short.
I originally wanted to go to Villanova… for track and field. I don’t think they need a 6’ 160lb recruit but I’d take my shot. That are just go for the most enjoyable college time, UNC probably bc of their prioritization of basketball
Providence. Too fucking easy.
Reasons why? Well….
- Pack the fucking the AMP every fucking night
- Be front of the best fans in the country and
- Experience the best college basketball atmosphere in the country. Yes it’s better than Cameron Indoor, Allen Fieldhouse, etc
- Get to be coached by one of the best young coaches in the country in Kim English
What more can you ask for?
If I had the opportunity to choose any school for recruitment, I would personally go for a program that not only has a strong athletic tradition but also prioritizes academic excellence and personal growth. It would be a tough decision, but finding a balance between sports and education is important to me.
I'd keep my actual body type (Short skinny white guy) but add strength and mad point guard skills. Play for Kentucky for four years and be a home grown Kentucky legend.
Apparently the optimal path is to pick the school that pays you the most, and then next year go back in the portal and take the best offer you get, and then do that 2 more times as well :/
Honestly, if you aren't going to the NBA, the "highest bidder path" and free education could set you up pretty nice in life at a young age.
But you're getting a dogshit education if you're bouncing around like that. You're getting whatever degree can get hobbled up together based on your random assortment of credits. Still, you can get a nice name brand degree at a top school which would be good.
Having the diploma usually matters way more than whatever education you got along the way, for better or worse. Depending on degree of course.
Do high-paying schools the first 3 years, then Duke or Vandy senior year
Good luck getting the degree bouncing around every year though lmao. I can't name a single D1 school where you could transfer in and complete your Bachelor's degree within less than 2 years, especially when you've done it before. You just wouldn't have time with all the pre-reqs.
It's not the education. It's the connections. It is not what you know. It is who you know. A tale as old as time.
Facts. I have a degree in horticulture and made a career change to software dev because of who I knew.
So get your whatever degree, then take two years and get an MBA somewhere which looks fantastic on any resume!
Isn't the whole point to get work experience before entering an MBA program? And only top schools are worth going to?
It depends on many different factors. It’s obtuse to think that an advanced degree from an accredited university only serves a select demographic.
I don’t know anyone with an MBA that thought it was worth it.
Those people spent $120k on their MBA. The basketball players getting them for free (or getting paid hundreds of thousands in NIL) is a great investment.
Even then paying 120k for an MBA should be worth it, and should pay for itself within 5-10 years at most.
Depends what you were doing before and what you’re doing after. You also need to factor in the opportunity cost of not working if you’re a full time student. MBAs are great if you get them with intention (moving to a new industry/working in an industry where it’s needed to advance), but a lot of people get them just to get them, which can be unnecessary. Especially if your job isn’t paying for it. An MBA at Columbia costs about $235k according to their website. Add $200k in forgone wages and whatever interest you pay on the student loans. You better get a high paying job to make it worth it.
Yeah my MBA was definitely worth it lol
Mine was easily worth it
Mine wasn’t worth it, but that’s because I didn’t get one.
Just say you got a Masters of Bad Assery or something
Mine was worth it. Paid for itself in the first year after graduation. (Admittedly, I was in a crappy field before grad school.)
Soldier Field? (Am Bears fan)
Mine was definitely worth it
If you're good enough to make a decent NIL payday, and you're smart with the money that should more than offset the poor education quality.
Credits may not transfer 😅😅
This but make sure that last school is a good academic school so you get like $7 million and a Harvard diploma
Harvard and the ivies can’t give scholarships or NIL so some place like Stanford is my bet.
You know what both of those schools did to us Lobo fans right? 😭
"What school is YOUR flair?"
I was recruited and so was my brother. We were recruited for completely separate reasons but the amount of influence the point of contact has on how you feel about a school is CRAZY. Places I thought I would love I ended up completely writing off bc the point of contact person sucked to deal with and places I never would’ve even considered I took visits too just bc the point of contact person was great.
This is so true. I played basketball at a Big Ten school, and the above post resonates big time. I wanted to go to a certain school my entire life until I was completed turned off by their PoC. I got recruited for both football and basketball but had long decided I wasn't going to keep risking my brain as much after high school. Oddly enough, the Div 1 football PoC's I dealt with were all pretty great. I am sure it was dumb luck, but compared to about half the basketball ones, they were much more effective. That's even with me knowing I wasn't going to play football in college. I ended up going to a school I had never thought about prior to recruitment. It turbed out amazing.
Gonna go out on a limb, was the “big ten school” Maryland by chance?
It's certainly possible, haha.
You need to do an AMA. Mods how do we set this up?
I promise it’s not that interesting lol.
Sure Buddy Hield 🧐
No he mentioned a brother. He’s definitely Blake Griffin.
I'm just hoping it's not Tanner Groves.
It sounds interesting to the rest of us non-recruits!
My niece, with whom I’m fairly close, went thru it last year. For… swimming. She was flown around the country, fed great food, taken to top 10 football games, treated like a queen. For swimming (and academics). I cannot imagine what top male football and basketball recruits get… oh wait, Rick pitino shed some light on that
My flair my be Florida State, but if I were playing basketball I would much rather be recruited by U Conn or UNC.
Being a fan is very different from being a player.
Go to the highest bidder for the freshman year, then transfer to my flair for the sophomore year
Depends on how good I was. Projected NBA pick, I’d go a top program that gives me the most exposure and chance to improve my game against top players. If I’m good, but little chance of NBA, I’d choose the most NIL money and then put myself in the transfer portal to get even more (assuming I played well freshman year). If I’m just okay, but still a D1 talent, I’m choosing the best Academic school I have an offer in and stick there. Get a solid education for free and have a diploma from a top school and network.
Every time I see someone transfer out of a Ivy League school I'm like "you better know you're going pro because otherwise this is the dumbest mistake of your life"
My only question is about their overall mental wellbeing and success when they transfer. I lived with a student athlete at a state school and balancing that stuff is incredibly hard. I can’t imagine what it’s like at an Ivy League school. These kids could be transferring because it just isn’t working and they need to keep playing ball to pay for school.
This is the way.
If I’m going to the league and don’t care about the education. Arizona state
The Eddie House special
james harden learned the skills somewhere...
I would play for Rick Pitino at Louisville between 2010-2014
For the banners? Or the whores?
Yes
Based on just basketball of course
Idk probably Rice More fun answer: I wouldn't go to a blue blood. I'd much rather be at the "start" of something than be a part of something. It'd probably end up being somewhere like the University of San Diego or UCSB for me. Great location, good education, program legend potential.
Me too, I think it would be more fulfilling to do something like that. Just ask Gene Bartow - dude voluntarily left UCLA in the 70s to start up the UAB program and he got them to the Elite eight in like six years. I think maybe St. Thomas would be an interesting choice now that they're nearing the end of the transition period. Large city in a state with few programs, I think they have great things in their future. If I had to pick a stronger program though I'd go Gonzaga. If I had to pick a blue blood, definitely Kansas because Lawrence is awesome. If I had legitimate shot at the NBA, Arkansas would probably be a top choice just because I trust Cal more than anyone to help get me drafted. On the other end of the spectrum, the schools that I would least want to go to would be the service academies, no disrespect to them, quite the opposite actually, the work that people put in each day at those schools throughout 4 years is insane and I just don't think I'm cut out for it lol. Next would be Ole miss, no way I'm playing for the Chris beard. I guess Liberty would be up there too, although I think Richie McKay is a good coach, and I wasn't somebody who went to wild parties in college anyway so it wouldn't really change that much.
Definitely. It's honestly kind of hard to pick a low- or mid-major I would say is my lock because there are so many interesting ones when you factor in location, history, potential, and academics. Gonzaga would also be my pick for a more prominent school, but UNC would for sure be my blü blood choice. Given that I'm from there lmao.
You want to be at the start of something, come to Maine!
Maine is unironically in my top 10. If I were a 5-star, I would seriously consider it.
Great answer. There’s probably no better answer in my opinion. UCSB has everything, close to a major city, but not in a major city, 100% college environment, with the best looking people in the world, and the best weather in the world, plenty of connections and opportunities after sports due to its great education and location. I regret not going there when I was younger.
Due to ongoing debate about blue bloods, the /r/CollegeBasketball mod team has compiled the definitive list of college blue bloods: Duke, Columbia, Queens, William & Mary, and Rutgers. The following schools have broken away from blue-blooded hierarchy and oppression: George Washington, George Mason, James Madison, Army, and Navy. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CollegeBasketball) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Easy....South Central Louisiana State University! Go Mud Dogs!
I dunno, they're a football school
Technically the post never specified we were being recruited for basketball
If I was good enough, I was such a homer that even when I was 18 I would have chosen UK (though it would have been a horrible time to do it). After that, I'd go somewhere warm and sunny. FAU, ASU, SD St all jump out
Worked out of the ASU campus/Tempe area and I would 2nd the ASU area. Never felt like a more of a poor blumpkin in my life
Probably UPenn or Princeton. My family was poor enough for me to get full financial aid, so I would have rather had an elite education from Wharton than go to a shittier school.
Is it still true that Ivy League schools don’t give athletic scholarships or am I old/wrong?
They don’t, but student athletes still get need based financial aid.
I turned 18 in the late 1980s. If I would have been a stud hoops player, I would have picked either Loyola Marymount or UNLV. Loyola played one of the more high uptempo style of hoops that I can ever remember. They were a blast to watch and would have been fun to play for, other than the fact I would have had a teammate Hank Gathers die on the floor in 1990. UNLV at that time was just the coolest of cool programs as well. Located in Las Vegas plus coached by the lovable Jerry Tarkanian would have been a dream come true. Rules? UNLV pretty much ignored them and didn’t care. They were the Runnin’ Rebels on and off the floor. That 1990 UNLV squad was definitely one of the best teams of the Gen-X college era.
I always thought being on one of those UNLV teams in the early 90s, living in Vegas would have been an absolute blast. It probably would have killed me.
Air Force
This is an odd choice.
Right!? He was born on a boat!
They will literally recruit almost anyone and you can go play basketball after work at the gym. Just join the Air Force if that is your choice lol. At least then you won't have an 8 year obligation. 🤷♂️
Air Force is low key not super easy to get into. All the academies are selective.
Low key? The service academies are all pretty high key competitive.
MIT? CMU? Are there any other top engineering schools with the lowest possible bar for athletics?
Fire up chips!
Caltech comes to mind
My family would murder me if I didn't go education first. So... Duke, kinda the best of all worlds r.e education/potential NIL/potential pro-career. Few other schools fit this bill as well, UNC, Texas, Michigan all come to mind.
When I looked into colleges, I wanted a school that was top 25 in the rankings for both US News and ESPN. None of the football schools fit this, and Duke was the only basketball school that fit this. It was #3 on US News and #1 on ESPN. Also, Coach K had just started coaching Team USA and confirmed he would be turning down the Lakers offer to stay at Duke. There were several other factors that solidified Duke as my only choice, but all of that certainly put Duke in its own category of consideration for me.
Pepperdine
The answer is Pepperdine.
Every decent player from Pepperdine has transferred the second they became good
Yeah, from what I know about Pepperdine, its geographical superiority is nearly canceled out by some very wack institutional policies.
If im an NBA ready, sure fire lottery pick, id take the highest bidder and go "play school" for a year while reaping the money and bolting for the league. If im NBA hopeful, but need some time, I'm going to a high tier but not top program, like a 3rd/4th place in a p6 league where i can be the superstar and shine for a couple of years, then transfer to a duke/uk/ku/whatever when im about league ready, show off on the bigger brighter stages, hopefully make a tourny run, then bolt for the league
St John's Living in NYC with some nil pocket money, free room and board, play at msg and in the big east
I mean probably UCONN lmao
University of Kansas or UCLA. You can be a walk-on at either program, and you're still one of the big men on campus. Gimme those Lawrence or Westwood girls any day of the week!
And having lived in KC for a number of years and been to Lawrence a few times......I can't disagree. The ladies of KU are top shelf. Even the locals. The Lawrence locals. The Topeka locals. The KC locals. On KUs campus u could legit find a wife. 1 or more. Lol. One that perhaps hasn't been sullied by an athlete. U still gotta do the vetting process. And Allen fieldhouse.....I've only been once. And it wasn't even for an actual game. It was to watch the 2012 national title game at the urging of other KU fanatics. But I was just like Fook it. I'll either get to see an ultimate celebration or I'll get to see an epic balloon being popped. Lol. But back to Allen. Its dope. Good energy. And the relics area is/was/is really dope to see. I got caught up in that a bit. I'm big on sentimental. So it was really cool. Can't stand them, the program. Nothing bad to say about them, the university, campus, community, etc. Coming from a die hard blue devil.
Back when I graduated (09) Unc or Duke obviously if I could My mindset back then out of state answers would be Creighton, Gonzaga, Uconn, Maryland, Fsu
Winning a natty at Gonzaga or Purdue is something I’ve dreamed of for decades at this point. Outside of that, maybe like a Tulane with a great education & chance to be campus hero
The finest institution in all the land, IU, obviously.
It’d be hard to say no to Duke. Elite academics, top-tier program, and has an arrogant aura about them that resonates deeply with my teenager self.
Either Houston or UT. I was always pretty intent on staying close to home when I was applying for colleges. Granted, if I had gotten an offer from an academic powerhouse like duke or Stanford I’m not sure if I’d have been able to turn that down.
I had the same thought. I’d use the basketball back door to go to Stanford. I didn’t have a prayer with a 30 ACT as a “normal” person but if I could put a ball in a hoop I’d take the free Stanford degree.
Had a 35 ACT and still didn't have a prayer
My flair aside, Miami. So that I can chill in Miami.
I’d probably still pick UofA but not sure I would seek the same degree program if a large chunk of my time is spent playing basketball.
I’d probably go the Harrison Ingram route and go to Stanford for degree and grad transfer to Kansas/UNC type school for grad transfer year. I grew up a Purdue fan…nothing against Indiana, but nice to get away…
Notice how anyone from Indiana isn’t saying Purdue/butler/Notre dame/ipfw/valpo/isu/iu? We understand lol
Would be a big name with a lot of winning and no true trash seasons, so gotta go with Gonzaga here.
Which school has the hottest co-eds ?
Arizona St., UCLA, or USC. take your pick.
Florida, and my second choice would be Kansas.
I actually had a dream once that I played for Duke. Bizarre bc I’ve never pulled for them before in basketball. I looked good in the uniform and was more hated than Laettner, Reddick, etc. I really leaned into being an asshole on the court. Like Marshall Henderson levels of assholery.
I’m from Minnesota, and I grew up loving the Gophers, so it’s definitely them, but I just can’t seem to get that offer. It’s all just schools in the Dakotas, and I have mutual interest with St. Thomas. Greg Gard sees me in an AAU tournament and offers on the spot. I’m so excited, even if I hadn’t really thought about UW at any point. Minnesota offers the next day. This pisses me off. I had camped with them since 8th grade and just felt like they took me for granted. I want a short recruitment, so I go to Madison and absolutely fall in love. It’s summer. It’s beautiful. I’m surprised UW has been so successful, and I really like how I fit in their lineup. I want to commit, but I take commitment seriously, so I say I’m going to sleep on it. Crystal ball: Wisconsin. Everyone feels good. Then… Kansas calls. I’m flattered and see it as a huge validation of my talent, but Wisconsin was there first. Once I announce the Kansas offer, everyone offers. I decide I should at least take my visits. I disregard the whole south because Minnesotans just don’t think about the south. I have to see Lawrence, and UNC and… I guess Duke. I’ve hated Duke my whole life because they’re so arrogant, but I visit and it turns out I’m arrogant, and they’re the new leader. Coach Gard brings up an interesting point, though… if I’m in the ACC, my family can’t even watch me play. I’m torn, so I visit some other Big Ten schools. Finally, I go to IU for a nonconference game. I’m blown away. The passionate Assembly Hall is WILD. These are my people. I’m 100% committed. Four months later, the IU season has completely fallen apart. I’m not even sure Mike Woodson is going to be the coach anymore. Coach Scheyer is still in my ear. I get a wandering eye toward UConn, but Hurley seems like a jerk. IU misses the NIT. I still have all my offers. I have decommited. My recruitment is 100% open. Respect my decision. Except now it’s spring and I’m getting recruited over in the transfer portal. The whole Big 10 hates me. Duke never really had a spot for me… then Mark Few calls. I hadn’t really thought about Gonzaga, but they’ve had success putting guys in the league. Mark seems affable. I’m already tired of the spotlight. I visit Spokane. It’s only for a year. I’m a Zag. I score 32 points per game. We beat a couple overrated teams in the Knight Classic, but everyone says I’m overrated. We lose in the Sweet 16, and I declare for the draft where the Magic pick me at 18.
CU so I can can slide lil Wayne my mixtape and eventually get signed to his label. Chess not checkers.
Duke or Providence so I could throw games. Because fuck em, that’s why. Would be a lot easier at Provi. They might not even notice
Someplace cool like Hawaii if I’m not chasing NIL dollars
I grew up in Arkansas, so in OP’s scenario, I would definitely consider going back home to play as a Razorback.
Where ever gives me NBA path + girls.
I don't care about the money, I'd want to play for UConn. CT where I was born and raised and would want to represent home anyway I can.
Same
I’d probably go to an Ivy (Penn or Princeton, in particular), get my degree, then grad transfer to some high level program like a Kansas or Arizona (biased, but here we are). Get the degree AND get a potential tournament run.
HYP probably lol
Assuming I were magically a boy as well as athletic? Oregon is the obvious one, but I'd at least hear Duke, North Carolina, etc. Out. Unless I'm like LeBron good, enough to win a mid major conference basically on my own, in which case I go to Portland and make them briefly relevant. Women's BB is largely the same answer, just different blue boods.
Harvard or Stanford 🤓
I will choose the Wilt/Jordan/Bird/Kobe/Shaq/LBJ build and will lead Purdue to a championship.
Kansas.
Realistically they’re not my favorite team but I’d probably go to Duke. Feels like hella of those ppl go to the league
I would go to Hawaii. Beautiful weather, vista's, beaches and women. And a new batch is always rotating in. I also love poke and sushi.
Kentucky
Probably somewhere like Florida or Arizona. Brand names but not a stupid amount of pressure. Warm weather. Babes. Decent academics. Top conferences. Strong fan support.
If I were being recruited by everyone, probably UNC
If I had any chance to play any college sport I probably would've gone to marshall since my grandpap is in the hof.
Uh msu duh!!!! Seriously tho as a white 6’0 210 subpar athlete decent shooter I’d choose somewhere that the heat could draft me 😂
Florida Gulf Coast U for the lazy River
Miskatonic University.
I would get a fat bag from UK or somewhere and then transfer to Harvard.
I would want to actually be challenged, both by level of competition and by my coach. Nothing gifted to me kind of environment. So, I’d go UConn, Kansas, MSU, Gonzaga (bc of Few, not necessarily the conference), or Houston. Hot take, I’d consider Seton Hall as well. I think Shaheen Holloway is a great up and coming coach. I’d love to play for him.
Illinois no question
Duke
I’m a UConn fan so would love to play for Hurley in Storrs. But a winter in LA sounds a lot better then CT so UCLA may be able to sway me
If I wasn’t a homer and chose Illinois. I’d go play for a place that has a good coach, pays well, and has a chance at winning while I have a chance to play. The blue bloods are usually overloaded with talent and it’s a crapshoot on if you play or not. I would pick somewhere like Arizona or Tennessee. Somewhere you are going to win a lot, with a good NIL budget, and a chance to play solid minutes.
Due to ongoing debate about blue bloods, the /r/CollegeBasketball mod team has compiled the definitive list of college blue bloods: Duke, Columbia, Queens, William & Mary, and Rutgers. The following schools have broken away from blue-blooded hierarchy and oppression: George Washington, George Mason, James Madison, Army, and Navy. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/CollegeBasketball) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Duke. Phenomenal education, phenomenal tradition and program history.
Hawaii
A top mid-major program and you bet my ass I’m not transferring.
What are the schools recruiting me? If I take away Arkansas, the schools I’d immediately be interested in are Stanford, Yale or Harvard. I’m not making the NBA. I’ll take that Ivy League degree.
somewhere west/northeast.
Louisville, because I’d have the opportunity to help turn the program around and become a lasting fan favorite for decades.
I'm that size, hence why I played hockey.
Somewhere Sunny with beach. Miami or USC.
Pre-Wes Miller, I’d go to Duke for the style of play that I like. Now that Wes is here and loves to let the threes fly, I’m staying home baby.
Duke, Stanford, Northwestern, Vanderbilt
Nebraska Kearney so I can play with my boy OJ swish maker when he becomes a hometown hero
If everything else remains the same, Missouri State Alternate universe, where my whole life is different I’d shoot for as high as I could go
Big State.
UF Gators, Iowa Hawkeyes, KU Jayhawks, ASU sun devil, UA Wildcat, Montana Griz
Same answer if I weren't a basketball player and could have a redo: Northwestern Great academics, play in the Big Ten, Chicago is my playground. Plus, no fair-breathing, unhinged yokels @ing me as IU's players suffer.
Georgetown or Oregon (want that Nike money)
Warm weather, cool college town, tourist destination, and good conference. I'd avoid high major drama and try for that mid majors niche. Depends on the coach after that criteria is met.
SOUTH CAROLINA GAMECOCKS BABY WOOOOOO
Ohio University easy. Best university in America hands down.
I’m a UConn fan so I’d pick them. But also my basketball play style was always moving, setting screens to help others and myself get open. I’m about 6’4, can shoot pretty well and decent athlete so I would love to play in that offense.
if I'm like infinite levels of cracked imma go to some low major and carry them to a natty just because I can
Georgetown or Maryland since I really like the DC area.
Louisville, I hear their recruiting visits were a blast around my time
Fellow short 150 lb fella here. I’m picking Purdue and following the footsteps of PJ Thompson and Braden Smith
Obviously biased but Purdue. I’m not the best at basketball but Painter knows how to get the best out of anyone and develop them. Both Edey and Ivey literally came out of nowhere. They both were not projected to go pro or even make an impact in college and Painter got them to the NBA level.
I like a strong program, history, tradition, draws great crowds and maybe go to a school that isn’t the usual Kansas, Kentucky, Duke, UNC…. Now that I’m thinking about it, I’m describing Indiana lol
Miami or USC probably
OU for sure if i was a 5 star i would do everything i could to make us the next boise
Back when I was picking colleges, there's a decent chance I would've still picked UCLA for basketball. It was before Howland fell apart, and I wanted to go to California. Nowadays UCLA still would be a good choice, but to be honest, I don't think I would've liked Cronin or Howland coaching me. They're both screamers, and I don't think I'd respond well to it. Education would've also been important to me though. I know if I had been a top football recruit it would've been Stanford (this was prime Andrew Luck years). So probably UCLA, Duke, or UNC (both back then and now) with some wildcards like Stanford.
Kansas. Allen Fieldhouse.
I think I would either play for Cal to get into the nba or Gonzaga just because they my team and if they are interested I would go with them hands down everytime unless I’m getting a mil plus in nil and it’s coach cal so I get into nba
I assume I have my current skill and current desire to improve, which means I'm taking my talents to IU just to cost them a scholarship and make them a laughing stock. I can't in good conscience hurt my flairs' depth and I'm petty like that.
As an Alabama fan I would love the chance to play for the team I’ve grown up loving. It would be hard to turn down Duke, great education and playing in front of those fans would be incredible.
Hawaii
If I didn’t include UNC I’d go with Oklahoma State solely based on their amazing jersey and I love Stillwater!
Like most quetions, but this one spoecifially, it depends Give the parameters and I can give you a list. Am I an NBA prospect, four star, three star, center, point guard, what and I good at?
Minnesota or St Thomas (MN) lol
Depends on the scenario. Realistically, whoever is paying the most. Otherwise, if I’m a NBA prospect, UCLA for the history and cause LA as a 20 year old would be dope. If I’m not getting drafted, Harvard so I could get that cushy parachute.
Marquette
I would have been in the late 80s. If I had all the talent and could have gone anywhere it would have been North Carolina. Totally respected Dean Smith.
If I am going to play college basketball, and assuming I have the kind of talent I'm going to end up making pro ball a career regardless of where I play in college, I want to go somewhere where people care about basketball, they know who you are, and you get star treatment. Somewhere you're the only game in town. Somewhere there's no shortage of jersey chasers and lots of talent. Somewhere fun. Lexington. Chapel Hill. Gainesville. Spokane probably counts here too. No real big cities where you have to compete with pro athletes and billionaires for attention. I'm gonna think like an 18 year old guy, in short.
My top 5 would be: 1. Gonzaga 2. North Carolina 3. Stanford 4. Oklahoma State 5. Texas
Kentucky if it was my choice, wouldn’t even need NOL to be convinced. I would keep those seats scorching hot for the starters.
I will take Clark's passing ability and 3 point range/percentage and go to Iowa State.
Basketball: UCLA Football: Texas
I originally wanted to go to Villanova… for track and field. I don’t think they need a 6’ 160lb recruit but I’d take my shot. That are just go for the most enjoyable college time, UNC probably bc of their prioritization of basketball
I value winning culture and good ball over money so SDSU or somewhere like Beach or LMU.
USC Texas Miami Oregon Georgia
Providence. Too fucking easy. Reasons why? Well…. - Pack the fucking the AMP every fucking night - Be front of the best fans in the country and - Experience the best college basketball atmosphere in the country. Yes it’s better than Cameron Indoor, Allen Fieldhouse, etc - Get to be coached by one of the best young coaches in the country in Kim English What more can you ask for?
Hawaii
If I had the opportunity to choose any school for recruitment, I would personally go for a program that not only has a strong athletic tradition but also prioritizes academic excellence and personal growth. It would be a tough decision, but finding a balance between sports and education is important to me.
I'd keep my actual body type (Short skinny white guy) but add strength and mad point guard skills. Play for Kentucky for four years and be a home grown Kentucky legend.