NCAA College Basketball Academy Program: A Comprehensive Guide

The NCAA College Basketball Academies offer a unique opportunity for prospective men’s and women’s student-athletes to experience college basketball firsthand. This article delves into the details of the program, covering its structure, pathways to participation, eligibility requirements, and other essential information.

Overview

The NCAA College Basketball Academies provide a taste of the college basketball experience, offering a platform for aspiring student-athletes to showcase their skills and gain exposure to college coaches.

Academy Structure and Pathways

The Academies are structured around two primary pathways: the Team Pathway and the Individual Pathway.

Team Pathway

This pathway is centered around the USA Basketball Club Championships at the NCAA College Basketball Academy, which is USA Basketball's premier 5-on-5 youth national championships. Twenty-four rising 11th grade and sixteen rising 10th grade travel teams earn the right to participate in the USA Basketball Club Championships via at-large bid invitation.

Individual Pathway

The Individual Pathway offers opportunities for prospective student-athletes to be individually invited to the Academies. Up to 300 men's and up to 400 women's prospective student-athletes will receive individual invitations to attend the Academies following a self-nomination process in this pathway. NCAA Division I basketball head coaches will be able to vote to select up to 300 players from the classes of 2025 and 2026 for both the men's and women's Academy. Head coaches from all 360+ Division I basketball programs will be able to vote for players who have self-nominated in a central portal, and the College Basketball Academies' Advisory Board will also have input on selections. Players who receive an Academy invitation via this pathway will be placed on teams and compete in games, as well.

Key Dates and Locations

Men's Academy: July 23-25, 2024
Women's Academy: July 27-29, 2024

Eligibility and Nomination Process

To be considered for the invitation-only Academies, prospective student-athletes must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center. The Academies nomination portal opened on February, 19. To be considered for participation in any of the three tiers, players must complete the nomination form by 11:59 pm ET on Friday, May 24, 2024 if you are a prospective men’s or women’s basketball student-athlete. After this time, the portal will stop accepting nominations. To self-nominate for the Individual Pathway, prospects must be rising high school seniors (Class of 2025) or juniors (Class of 2026).

Here's a step-by-step guide to the nomination process:

Register with the NCAA Eligibility Center: If you don’t already have an account, register with the NCAA Eligibility Center here. Creating an account is the first step toward becoming an NCAA student-athlete. You can create an account with “Option 1: Free Profile Page Account.” You will be asked for information like your expected high school graduation date, contact information, and the sport you hope to play in college. Ensure you have reported the necessary information about your school.
Fill out the nomination form.
Optionally, you can upload a photo headshot.
Click “Submit Nomination” at the bottom of the form to finish the process.

Selection Process - Individual Pathway

In May, once the self-nomination window closes, men’s and women’s basketball head coaches from all 360+ Division I basketball programs will be able to vote for players that have nominated themselves. Once the selection process concludes, invitations will be sent for the Individual Pathway of the Academies in early June.

Selection Process - Team Pathway

In May, the USA Basketball selection panel will begin to offer bid invitations to teams to fill the twenty-four slots in the 10th grade (rising juniors) division and sixteen slots in the 9th grade (rising sophomores) division at the Club Championships. To be considered for an at-large bid teams MUST submit an application consideration form.

Expenses

If allowed by their state high school association, the NCAA may pay for the actual and necessary expenses (travel, lodging, and meals) of each participant selected to attend the Academy and one parent/legal guardian or chaperone.

Read also: Crafting Your NCAA Profile

Coaching Staff

Academy coaching staffs will be composed of Divisions II and III, NAIA and Junior College men’s and women’s college basketball coaches and high school coaches. The Divisions II and III, NAIA and Junior College coaches and high school coaches will be nominated and selected by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA). All coaches hired to work at the men’s Academy must be active members of the NABC and must be active head coaches.

College Coach Attendance

Division I, Division II and Division III basketball coaches will be able to attend the Academies for evaluation.

Spectator Policy

Beyond the single official chaperone, all prospective student-athletes participating at the Academies will receive one (1) additional free passes for family or friends to watch them play and compete as spectators at the Rock Hill Sports & Event Center. The general public will not be allowed to spectate or attend the event.

Student Manager Opportunities

Grow the Game is currently accepting applications for manager positions at the NCAA College Basketball Academy. The men’s basketball developmental academy will be held July 23-25, 2024 (Tuesday-Thursday), managers are expected to be July 21-26. The women’s developmental academy will be held July 27-29, managers are expected to be there July 26-30. The deadline to apply is Friday, April 12.

Active student managers and graduate assistants who will still be enrolled in school by July are eligible to serve as Academy managers. Academy managers will be paid a total of $400. All interested managers must be current members of Grow the Game and be available to work the duration of the event.

Three student managers will be responsible for oversight of one court during each day. Responsibilities will include running the game clock and shot clock during games, elimination of any potential slick spots on court during games and assistance with games/practices. Student managers will report to NCAA men’s basketball staff. They may also be required to help with the transitions throughout the day and assist Academy coaches with oversight of players with life skills sessions. Managers will also assist with airport arrivals and transportation. Additionally, student managers may be assigned to wash staff laundry nightly. Managers will be provided double-double hotel rooms and share with one other manager.

All NCAA College Basketball Academy staff, including student managers, will be required to obtain or renew a USA Basketball Gold License, which includes passing a background screening and SafeSport check. The NCAA will pay for the fee to obtain the USAB Gold License as well as expenses including mileage/travel reimbursement, lodging, and meals. More information on this process will be distributed at a later date. All student managers will be required to abide by the NCAA College Basketball Academy Code of Conduct and participate in monthly planning conference calls beginning in the spring.

All selected student managers will then be notified by Grow the Game of their status once selections have been made.

Post-Graduate Basketball Programs

For student-athletes seeking additional development and exposure after high school, post-graduate basketball programs can serve as a bridge to college. These programs, like Experience Academy, provide elite basketball training, academic support, and opportunities to compete against top-tier competition.

Experience Academy: An Example of a Post-Graduate Program

Experience Academy, located in Johnson City, Tennessee, offers a 9-month basketball immersion program designed to prepare student-athletes for collegiate basketball. The program includes rigorous training, a challenging game schedule, and academic support services.

Key features of Experience Academy:

Elite Basketball Training: College-level practices and workouts designed to enhance skills and prepare players for the demands of college basketball.
Competitive Schedule: Games against top prep schools, junior colleges, and occasionally JV teams from universities.
Academic Support: ACT Prep through a third-party professional tutoring service, affiliation with a High School which enables student-athletes to retake high school classes to boost their current GPA even after they have graduated from High School.
Exposure to College Coaches: Opportunities to interact with college coaches through guest speaker sessions and recruiting events.
Film and Branding: Practices and games are filmed to create a professional profile of each player, aiding in recruitment efforts.
Leadership and Character Development: Courses and mentoring programs focused on developing leadership skills and character.
Facilities: Access to training equipment like Vertimax, as well as housing with personal bedrooms and bathrooms, a full-size kitchen, living area, washer and dryer, and outdoor balcony, swimming pool and hot tub, pool table and ping-pong table, as well as a workout room.

The Benefits of a Post-Graduate Year:

Increased Exposure: Post-graduate programs provide a platform to showcase skills to college coaches and recruiters.
Skill Development: Focused training and competition can lead to significant improvements in basketball skills.
Academic Preparation: Opportunities to improve grades and test scores, enhancing college eligibility.
Maturity and Readiness: A post-graduate year can help student-athletes mature and become better prepared for the academic and athletic demands of college.

NCAA Eligibility:

A post-graduate year will not affect NCAA eligibility, as long as NCAA Guidelines are followed. However, NCAA regulations vary by sport and on a case-by-case basis.

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