The flip side is that everyone I know that does AAU (boys and girls) loves their teammates they play with for a short period of time, loves their Coach, the environment,etc. As an Outsider looking in,I agree with you whole heartedly, but the actual participants and their families love it with a capital L. So if your passion is 24/7/365 basketball or baseball or football, go for it full steam and never look back

 

This isn't entirely true. I know more parents that have kids playing AAU that hate it. Kids like it for obvious reasons. Parents don't like it as much as you may think. A whole lot of kids end up with "AAU parents" as a result as well. That's also how you end up with kids transferring. Some kids have parents that simply can't get off of work to travel to some of these tournaments or practices and have other parents from the team looking after their kids on the weekends. Bonds are built, trust is formed, relationships forged and next thing you know, Joe Blow has moved to a new school.

 

But people think recruiting is taking place. Nobody recruits anymore. Kids just play AAU. That's all.

It's really not that bad at all.

 

Overall it is. There may be a few teams that break the norm of AAU but for the most part as a whole Professor7 is dead on.

It's still not that easy.

 

It's not supposed to be easy

It's not supposed to be easy

 

Very very true.

It's absurd that the KHSAA allows June basketball yet bans 7on7 football.

Let summer ball begin !!!

AAU is pimped out basketball. Unfortunately, it's the same in every sport. Pay to play on some all star team. Take kids from anywhere, put them together and go play. No one wants to develop kids anymore for there program, just take the best players willing to pay and hope some college coaches will see them. In return, the coaches hope to piggy back it to a job. The way finances are at schools, I am afraid the day will come when all sports will be pay to play. Schools will drop athletic teams. Cant wait to cram into the KBA and watch the Lexington Shining Stars (don't know if such team exists) made up of kids from Owensboro, Covington, Ashland, Indianapolis, Cincy, etc., play one on one basketball. You can see the same thing at the "Blue Courts" for free.

 

Good post overall and good point about most AAU teams' pay-to-play arrangements. However, it's worth pointing out that some of the true "all star" AAU organizations, like EYBL outfits, are involved with big money -- typically from certain sports apparel companies -- and do not require players to chip in beyond some travel expenses.

Looking forward to watching Knott's new team in June. I just heard two of the starters won AAU championships for 15 & 16 year old. Way to go Isaac Caudill and Austin Combs!

Overall it is. There may be a few teams that break the norm of AAU but for the most part as a whole Professor7 is dead on.

 

I also agree with the Professor. Money racket is all it is.

Looking forward to watching Knott's new team in June. I just heard two of the starters won AAU championships for 15 & 16 year old. Way to go Isaac Caudill and Austin Combs!

 

How should they do this year? Is King still Coach?

I expect Knott to be really good by the end of the season. I don't expect them to win at the rate they have over the past four years. They are going to have fairly decent size and will be good set shooters. However, they may have issues with defending off the dribble, rebounding, and scoring off the dribble. They may live and die with three point shooting. They sorta remind me of the Montgomery County team of last year. They will look unbeatable on nights when they shoot the ball really well and look very beatable on the nights when they rely to heavily on jump shots. Knott has three really young kids who will need to improve quickly, how quickly will be the question. The Couch twins have that pedigree and the center, Camron Jones, will have a lot of learning to do. The team should be solid with returning players Combs, Caudill, and Shrum. Shrum comes back from his second knee surgery so one never knows how flexible he is going to be. June will give us Knott fans some idea of how B.B. intends to play. I fully expect him to play the young kids a lot so they have a chance to learn from their mistakes. I see them going 18-12 for the season. And yes, I expect B.B. to be the coach. I've not heard anything contrary to this.

I agree with aau having a part in ruining high school ball but it's a catch 22 for a lot of kids I know for a fact that college coaches put a lot more scouting in during summer. They want to see kids playing against top notch athletes/players. That's not possible in most regions throughout our state.

Anybody have anymore June schedules? It's that time.... ?

Overall it is. There may be a few teams that break the norm of AAU but for the most part as a whole Professor7 is dead on.

 

Depends on who you play for. There are some very good AAU programs out there that flat out make players better when they return to their HS school programs. Don't disagree that there are a lot of programs that aren't teaching a thing and are simply all-star teams running up and down the floor playing nothing more than street ball. However, there are some programs out there that are truly developing players, running "sets" on offense and use the spring and summer to sharpen fundamental skills offensively and defensively. Bash AAU all you want but their some good organizations out there that will make players better, seen it firsthand.

Depends on who you play for. There are some very good AAU programs out there that flat out make players better when they return to their HS school programs. Don't disagree that there are a lot of programs that aren't teaching a thing and are simply all-star teams running up and down the floor playing nothing more than street ball. However, there are some programs out there that are truly developing players, running "sets" on offense and use the spring and summer to sharpen fundamental skills offensively and defensively. Bash AAU all you want but their some good organizations out there that will make players better, seen it firsthand.

 

I know there are some good organizations. I've seen them also.