I've seen some discussions on here that NKY does not produce a whole lot of D1 talent in basketball. Why is that?

Bad genetics?

Small market?

Lack of quality AAU programs in the area?

Not enough under privileged kids getting a chance to show off their skills in AAU due to finances?

Are other players from larger markets getting more exposure allowing some kids to snatch those offers away from more deserving athletes?

 

Or do we actually get our fair share for the size of the market we are in. Not a lot of hoopsters can play at that level, so if NKY gets one or two a year is that actually a good number?

 

Thoughts please.

You forgot to mention academics. Some of the players who could have been D1 players, didn't have the Grades needed to play D1 out of HS.

I just think that it is talent. NKY doesn't have enough individual talent. Highlands has had a lot, but not so much since Neltner graduated. Holmes has a ton of talent, but some that could potentially be DI fizzle out in the classroom or off the court. Newport has had a couple. NewCath has had 2. CovCath a couple.

 

NKY doesn't produce a ton of DI football players either.

Demographics plays a big part in the lack of Division I talent, in my opinion. In 2010, 60.9% of the Division I basketball student-athletes were African-American while 30.5% were white. (http://www.tidesport.org/rgrc/2010/2010_college_rgrc_final.pdf)

 

According to the US Census Bureau, Kentucky's population was 88.6% white in 2012, which is higher than the national average of 77.9%. (Kentucky QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau). I wasn't able to find the specific breakdown for % of white people in Northern Kentucky, but I'd suspect it's slightly lower than KY's state-wide percentage but still higher than the national average.

 

It might not be politically correct, but my answer is relatively straightforward: most Division I basketball players are black, and there are not as many black high school players in Northern Kentucky when compared to other areas of the country.

 

Does this mean that NKY is incapable of producing Division I talent? Of course not, and NKY has done so in the past (both white & black).

It might not be politically correct, but my answer is relatively straightforward: most Division I basketball players are black, and there are not as many black high school players in Northern Kentucky when compared to other areas of the country.

 

This has a lot to do with it.

Demographics plays a big part in the lack of Division I talent, in my opinion. In 2010, 60.9% of the Division I basketball student-athletes were African-American while 30.5% were white. (http://www.tidesport.org/rgrc/2010/2010_college_rgrc_final.pdf)

 

According to the US Census Bureau, Kentucky's population was 88.6% white in 2012, which is higher than the national average of 77.9%. (Kentucky QuickFacts from the US Census Bureau). I wasn't able to find the specific breakdown for % of white people in Northern Kentucky, but I'd suspect it's slightly lower than KY's state-wide percentage but still higher than the national average.

 

It might not be politically correct, but my answer is relatively straightforward: most Division I basketball players are black, and there are not as many black high school players in Northern Kentucky when compared to other areas of the country.

 

Does this mean that NKY is incapable of producing Division I talent? Of course not, and NKY has done so in the past (both white & black).

 

 

May not be pc but you can't argue with statistics and I believe you have hit the nail in the head.

Honest question, have you ever seen a d1 high major kid up close? There is just a difference in size. NKY high schools produce some great players, but there is difference between being a 6'5 post player at CCH who can dominate in the NkY. Teams around the state such as Henry Clay have 6'7 wings, that is a major difference. Also compare the build of someone like Snider to Bolden. While both are d1 players, Snider has an offer from UCLA because of his size, strength, and speed. Bolden is good, but he needs to add muscle and fill out his frame. Also the competition in NKY isnt that great; but your starting to see a rise in the caliber of player in the NKY. There are several kids who may or will play d1 ball. My favorites to reach that level are Bolden, Macdonald, Weyer, and he may be young but Cole Von Handorf. The kid has all the intangibles, he just needs to grow a couple inches and fill out his body. Also a kid being division 1 caliber is not something to throw around, there are about 330 d1 schools; on average each team welcomes 5-6 newcomers a year. These kids are competing against players from all over the globe for a scholarship, on top of that they are competing with transfers, and also juco transfers. That roughly gives a team about 3-4 spots for a freshman.

6'1 kids, who can't jump over the Sunday paper, are D-III material.

Here's the bare fact. This site inherently blows kids up to be something that we as posters/readers/consumers start to believe. The state as a whole is that way. BGP and those of that ilk are great for promoting kids, but the sad fact that most posters lack the eyeball to identify a "D1" talent. Upandcomer is correct.

There are about 130,000 adults in NKY, in the grand scheme of things, that isn't a huge area. That and I believe CC also makes a very valid point.

Actually, a lot of good points made here.

 

CC nailed the demographics portion.

Others have pointed out NKY isn't a very big area, relatively speaking.

Several have pointed out how difficult it is to be a DI basketball player (few scholarships, many players competing for them).

Those who have pointed out that many on here (and other places) really doesn't know what a DI kid looks like, are also correct. Most people have no clue how good (or what a freak of nature) you have to be to be a DI basketball player.

 

All these points are valid and certainly the main contributing factors to the lack of DI offers this area gets. Hard to add anything to the above.

 

Although it's not a factor, I will add that NKY is, in itself, its own community to a large degree. Often I think people from the area look at how a kid does against other NKY kids and decide the kid has to be DI good. Being good by NKY standards and good by the rest of the country's standards are two very different things. Fast for NKY doesn't often translate to fast for the rest of the world, etc.

 

Not a knock on NKY kids at all, as the area produces plenty of good players. But often these players are big fish in a small pond.

Or do we actually get our fair share for the size of the market we are in. Not a lot of hoopsters can play at that level, so if NKY gets one or two a year is that actually a good number?

 

Thoughts please.

 

Based on the numbers up & comer presents of 330 D1 schools with 15 scholarships, that would lead to about 1,238 available scholarships any given year. JUCO transfers and international players will take some of these leaving about 1,000 / year, give or take. If Kentucky were an average size state, which we are not, that would mean about 20 D1 scholarships per year. What percentage of these 20 scholarships would you expect NKY to represent. With the population base, I might say NKY produces what they would be expected to produce each year.

 

Different demographics might improve that number but I would think 1 or 2 at most per year would represent a fair share. Who from NKY has recently been playing D1 basketball?

 

Ricardo Johnson

Elijah Pittman

Jake Geisler

 

Current prospects in next 2 years:

 

Hatton

Bolden

McDonald

Schulte

Rusthatz - maybe

 

I also think there have been more from the area than people realize. Let's compile a list from the last 5-6 years and see what is there before selling the area short.

D1 players over last 10 yrs:

 

Ross Neltner- Highlands to LSU to Vandy

Justin Doellman- Ryle to Xavier

Mike Brock- SK to EKU

Brennan (?) Votel- Covcath to Penn

Austin Hill- Holmes to JUCO to Illinois St

Greg Rice- Holmes to JUCO but playing professionally in Romania now

Mark Krebs- Newcath to UK (walk on)

Arrez Henderson- Holmes to Louisiana Tech

Ricardo Johnson- Holmes to Ohio U

Elijah Pittman- Holmes to JUCO to Marshall

Jake Geisler- Newcath to Jacksonville St to NKU

Tony Campbell- Holy Cross to Ohio U

 

Current nky players with D1 offer:

 

James Bolden- Holmes

Brandon Hatton- Dixie

Drew McDonald- Newcath

Nic Simpson - Highlands to NC A&T, I believe

Here's the bare fact. This site inherently blows kids up to be something that we as posters/readers/consumers start to believe. The state as a whole is that way. BGP and those of that ilk are great for promoting kids, but the sad fact that most posters lack the eyeball to identify a "D1" talent. Upandcomer is correct.

 

The bare facts are that we on BGP do not determine who is D1 caliber, the coaches of D1 schools do. I'm starting to lean toward the idea that we do get our fare share. 1-2 kids per year is a reasonable number. D1 talent is hard to come by. I do think exposure and 'hype' can lead to kids getting the extra look or lack of those issues causes a kid to get over looked where he might have the ability to shine if given the spotlight. How important is it for a kid to be able to play at Rupp? Seems like there is always a kid that gets a boost in the recruitment process by playing on the big stage.