This is VERY alarming. Coach Stinnett and Coach Haworth both had fantastic summers, and now both of their best players are announcing transfers right before school starts. Can’t imagine they’re too thrilled at the moment. These kids have the wrong people in their ears. 

In my opinion, leaving a "regular" high school to play for a prep school has never been less necessary. With the way it is in college with the transfer portal and NIL, why mess with the disruption and cost of transferring? If you are good enough to get a college scholarship, then zero need to transfer. Take whatever scholarship you get and then work your way through the NIL/portal game. You will get your money and you will be able to reach the highest level of success you are capable of. You may play at a new college every year to do that but the opportunity is there.

8 hours ago, Voice of Reason said:

In my opinion, leaving a "regular" high school to play for a prep school has never been less necessary. With the way it is in college with the transfer portal and NIL, why mess with the disruption and cost of transferring? If you are good enough to get a college scholarship, then zero need to transfer. Take whatever scholarship you get and then work your way through the NIL/portal game. You will get your money and you will be able to reach the highest level of success you are capable of. You may play at a new college every year to do that but the opportunity is there.

VoR spot on here.

It’s truly sad what is happening. I just don’t get how you can do that to your friends and teammates that you’ve worked and sweated with.

Both Male and Fairdale will be good but that’s a raw deal those teams just got handed.

These kids are getting paid a pretty good amount to go these prep schools I am sure.  

25 minutes ago, Overton34 said:

These kids are getting paid a pretty good amount to go these prep schools I am sure.  

That is the key question I would like to know the answer to. Everything I am reading says there aren't big NIL deals happening for these kids. They are being sold on this being the path to the big NIL money. I think that is a farce and is the point I was making in my earlier post. 

 

3 minutes ago, Voice of Reason said:

That is the key question I would like to know the answer to. Everything I am reading says there aren't big NIL deals happening for these kids. They are being sold on this being the path to the big NIL money. I think that is a farce and is the point I was making in my earlier post. 

 

I agree this is the key factor, how much money.

La Lumiere has been pulling in kids like this for a long time. They have alot of dudes in the NBA right now. They usually play on ESPN a couple times a year. They had NIL before NIL was a thing but I think they are getting watered down now by the amount of prep schools out there and OTE is probably their biggest competitor. It is sad to see the talent leave the state especially when it may not be necessary. I hope these kids dreams come true and things pan out how they picture it.

I think that in a lot of cases these players would be better off learning to shoot.  It's the most basic and important basketball skill and the prep school and AAU circuit don't necessarily help in that aspect of the game.  

A good example is the Thompson twins.  They are very athletic and playing in the NBA.  They bypassed their senior year of high school and college and played for Overtime Elite.  They were groomed for basketball from the 6th grade on.  Their father homeschooled them in the 6th and 7th grade so they could focus on basketball.  I understand the argument that given their high draft status and the fact they are playing in the NBA would indicate the strategy worked.  I would counter with the fact that they can't shoot from outside.  How can you spend that kind of time training gifted athletes and then they shoot 22% from 3 and less than 70% from the line?  Time will tell but given the amount of talent and the quality of the shooters coming into the league every year their shooting deficiencies could cost them millions.  

Prep schools sell kids on being able to do basketball and basketball only. Glorified classwork and many hours of basketball daily, which they say helps them get better and more prepared for college. Whether it really does, who knows. Are you better off being the big dog at your school and one of the guys at a prep school? That is the million dollar question.

Just using the 2 kids that went separate paths to the University of Kentucky. Is Jasper Johnson further along right now doing two years of prep school? Is Malachi Moreno behind because he didn't go? I personally think no on both questions.

1 hour ago, User147 said:

Just using the 2 kids that went separate paths to the University of Kentucky. Is Jasper Johnson further along right now doing two years of prep school? Is Malachi Moreno behind because he didn't go? I personally think no on both questions.

Call me a traditionalist, but Malachi Moreno playing four years with guys he grew up with, culminating in a state championship would seem like a cool experience.

On 8/7/2025 at 12:17 AM, Voice of Reason said:

In my opinion, leaving a "regular" high school to play for a prep school has never been less necessary. With the way it is in college with the transfer portal and NIL, why mess with the disruption and cost of transferring? If you are good enough to get a college scholarship, then zero need to transfer. Take whatever scholarship you get and then work your way through the NIL/portal game. You will get your money and you will be able to reach the highest level of success you are capable of. You may play at a new college every year to do that but the opportunity is there.

The problem is getting that first scholarship. The transfer portal has made it harder for incoming freshmen and effectively reduced the number of scholarships available for high school players. Schools are filling needs and giving money to more established current college players who are older, more physically mature, and already have somewhat of a track record of being able to play at the college level....guys that can help coaches win now, not a year or two down the road. These prep schools allow high school kids to prove themselves against better competition, and if they can do well, they have a better chance to secure a better spot at the college level at one of the better schools. It's certainly a risk, because if you don't do well, your road will get much tougher. 

It seems to me that the total number of roster spots is the same as what it was before these changes went into place.  There's just a lot more turnover.

I think that it has become really important for these players to go somewhere where they'll get playing time.  Unless they really like the school or are basing their decision on academics they have to prove themselves to the coaches at the higher levels of competition.  

15 hours ago, 24Rocks said:

It seems to me that the total number of roster spots is the same as what it was before these changes went into place.  There's just a lot more turnover.

I think that it has become really important for these players to go somewhere where they'll get playing time.  Unless they really like the school or are basing their decision on academics they have to prove themselves to the coaches at the higher levels of competition.  

I assume you are speaking about College?

The same can be said for Prep Schools. Guys that have been used to playing 30 of 32 minutes a game may find it difficult to stomach only playing only 20 or God forbid they have to come off the bench.

That Prep School is going to get the best possible players, no matter what they tell you about playing time when recruiting you.

Didn’t Kentucky have a high profile kid got to Monteverde last year and he rarely got off the bench? The kid from Washington County whose name escapes me?