Experts: Five lessons learned during July recruiting period

Aug. 3, 2011

The July recruiting period is a grind. There's no other way to describe it. It's grueling, tiring and draining. In the same way that it wears out players and coaches, it does the same for the writers and scouts that cover the sport. Going nonstop from the 8 a.m. games until the final second ticks off the clock around midnight equals a 16-hour day. But one can't complain too much -- the live period is also extremely informative.

There is no other time during the season where writers and coaches can have so many casual conversations in an open environment, or where writers can watch all the best players in one place.

The four members of the CBSSports.com staff -- senior writers Jeff Goodman and Gary Parrish, blogger Matt Norlander and recruiting writer Jeff Borzello -- all went into the month looking for different things. Not surprisingly, we also came out with different conclusions.

Jeff Goodman, CBSSports.com Senior Writer

1. I haven't been as enamored by the top three guys in a class for a long, long time as I am with the trio that tops the Class of 2013: Jabari Parker, Julius Randle and Nerlens Noel. These guys are all frontcourt players, but all bring something different to the table -- yet they share one facet of their games: a motor. All three play hard nearly every possession. Parker is the skilled guy who has the highest upside, Randle is a beast and has some Karl Malone in him while Noel may just be the most dominant shot-blocker I've ever seen at this stage.

2. It's far more difficult for coaches at the low-major level than it is at the elite level -- and not because the guys in the non-Power Six leagues have to grind it out, worry about budgets and sleep in crappy hotels. Evaluating is easy at the highest level. Pick out the top players, go after them and then start the babysitting process. It's an art form for the low- and mid-major guys, finding kids that fit their program and also aren't good enough to be snapped up by higher-profile programs.

3. I love watching the differences between coaches in the midst of their season and in July. Guys like Ben Howland and Herb Sendek are perfect examples. However, no one illustrates the difference from in-season to the off-season more than Billy Donovan. Florida's head coach is ultra-focused throughout the course of the season (he even left his cell phone with his assistant for nearly the entire day in the NCAA tournament), but is about as relaxed as anyone when July hits. Donovan was once again doing his Ric Flair impersonation and was busy cracking jokes throughout the recruiting period.

4. Maybe I'm different than most, but I place a premium on winning -- whether it's in high school, AAU or even on the playground. I spent the day with Renardo Sidney a few years back in Las Vegas and he was winless in three games -- and we all know what's happened to him. Well, the guy I worry about in the Class of 2012 is Ricky Ledo -- not just because he's at his fourth school, either. By my count, the talented wing racked up a 1-10 record in July. Yes, that scares me.

5. The kid I loved watching more than anyone else and would pay money to see? Kyle Anderson. The kid may not be a human highlight film in terms of above-the-rim play, but he's special to watch because of his passing ability at 6-foot-8. In fact, I'll put the St. Anthony's product's distributing skills against anyone in the nation. He may not have the look of a pure point guard, but he just flat-out makes his teammates better. And my prediction is he winds up going to a Final Four at some point in his college career because players like Anderson just don't come along often.

5B. Do not play blackjack with blogger extraordinaire Matt Norlander or take fashion advice from our recruiting analyst Jeff Borzello. Just ask David Pump -- one of the famed Pump Brothers. Norlander cost him $75. I wasn't counting, but I'm guessing Norlander cost both Gary Parrish and myself a lot more than that. Norlander specialized in hitting (it almost didn't matter what he had) when the dealer was showing a "6", which is basically like trying to take third base with two outs. Norlander did show improvement, though, and has pledged to seek offseason advice from numerical guru Ken Pomeroy before a return engagement to Las Vegas next July. And as for Borzello, just check out his pink shorts. Enough said.

Gary Parrish, CBSSports.com Senior Writer

1. The players play way too often

The Memphis YOMCA finished 50-6 this year while the Boston Amateur Basketball Club (BABC) went 80-3. Impressive records, I admit. But the total number of games played is just stupid. Seriously, why are we asking prospects to play this much? Kids are navigating through their high school seasons, then playing 50 or 60 or -- in BABC's case -- 83 games in a four-month span. If it seems ridiculous and unnecessary that's because it is ridiculous and unnecessary. There are lots of great things about AAU basketball, no doubt. But kids playing as many as 83 games in four months isn't one of them.

2. Shabazz Muhammad is not your typical top-ranked player

There's a tendency for elite prospects to coast during parts of the summer because they're so much more talented than everybody else, but that's not the case with Shabazz Muhammad. The Class of 2012 star has great size for a guard, a unique ability to get to the rim, a decent jumper, and a motor that seems to run nonstop. I bet I watched Muhammad 10 different times last month, and I never once saw him take a game off. That's a sign that he's going to make it OK in this sport, because great talents with great motors almost never fail.

3. The best parts of the summer circuit are the stories in the stands

I love watching prospects and gaining a decent understanding of which players will have massive impacts at the collegiate level well before they get to the collegiate level, but I can't tell you I'm focused on the court each time I'm in a gym. More often, I'm in a conversation, and that's mostly the point for writers traveling the summer circuit. We develop relationships, get story ideas and, hopefully, receive enough tips to expose a scandal or two. I spent hours talking to coaches, parents, shoe-company representatives, agents, runners and everybody else imaginable last month. It'll pay off in time.

4. Jerry Tarkanian is still a star other coaches love

One of the highlights of the Adidas Super 64 in Las Vegas came on the night former UNLV coach Jerry Tarkanian shuffled into Rancho High to watch a couple of games. Folks just gravitated to him. He sat with Kentucky's John Calipari and West Virginia's Bob Huggins for a little while, then went to dinner with a number of coaches, including UCLA's Ben Howland. It was fun to observe the 80-year-old icon interacting with everybody. He's still a star with lots of stories, I assure you.

5. Andre Drummond could be a spectacular pro if he focuses

I've long been of the opinion that the elite bigs in the Class of 2012 -- Andre Drummond, Isaiah Austin and DaJuan Coleman -- are all good, but that none of them is a future star. But after watching Drummond a lot last month I feel like I might need to back off that claim with him. The kid is a physical specimen, and he can be an All-American as a freshman in college if he actually plays college basketball. When he goes hard, he's special -- special enough to someday be the top overall pick in a NBA Draft.

Jeff Borzello, Eye on College Basketball Blogger/Recruiting Writer

1. The pecking order amongst 2012 guards is more muddled than ever. Going into the summer, it seemed like Rodney Purvis and Ricardo Ledo were the two best guards in the country. Now, with the way Archie Goodwin responded after his injury and the way Rasheed Sulaimon played at both ends throughout the summer, a case can be made for any of those four as the best guard in the country. Throw in Gary Harris, who reportedly dominated Rodney Purvis in Orlando, and Marcus Smart, who carried Texas Assault to back-to-back Super 64 titles, and there is no clear-cut No. 1 guard.

2. Coaches don't have a good handle on the class of 2012 yet. This is not a knock on the coaches at all -- it's more an indicator of the weird depth of 2012. The top of the class is the weakest it's been in awhile, and it's not a strong class in general. With that said, there are plenty of high-major-caliber players throughout the class that coaches simply need to see more. There is no better example of this than Louisville's situation. The Cardinals have maybe two scholarships to give for the class of 2012, yet upwards of 15-20 players are still listing Louisville amongst the schools pursuing them. It will make for an interesting next few months.

3. Shabazz Muhammad is the No. 1 player in 2012. Heading into July, the top spot in the class was relatively up in the air. Muhammad made his case during the spring, but Andre Drummond was nipping at his heels, while Isaiah Austin, DaJuan Coleman, Mitch McGary and others were also in the mix. Now, it's tough to argue for anyone besides Muhammad. The Bishop Gorman (Nev.) small forward simply dominated throughout the month. He carried Dream Vision to the Adidas Super 64 title game despite being hampered by an injury. Whenever Muhammad went against Drummond and Connecticut Basketball Club, the lefty scorer came out on top. Does he have the highest ceiling in the class? No, but he's No. 1 in my book.

4. Jabari Parker and Julius Randle could be the two best non-NBA players in America right now. Yes, that includes college players and the entire class of 2012. If these two players could enter the NBA Draft right now, there is little doubt in my mind that they would be the top-two picks. Parker is simply ready for the next level; he can do whatever he wants on the court, and works harder than most top prospects. Randle is a match-up nightmare with a mean streak that puts him over the top in terms of talent. Both of these players are going to be NBA stars.

5. July needs an overhaul -- and I'm not sure anyone knows how to fix it. Around the time July 28 hits, everyone is exhausted. Players, coaches, writers, parents, runners, agents, fans, everyone. The last couple of days of the July live period are almost useless when it comes to evaluating players. As Parrish indicates above, players have already participated in way too many games over the last three weeks and have very little left in the tank. I don't think the number of days should be lessened, but having two 10-day marathons during the month doesn't make sense. The players need to rest at some point.

Matt Norlander, Eye on College Basketball Blogger

Aside from finding out just how much of a challenge it is to split a hotel room with Borzello, here's what I learned during my first jaunt to Georgia and Vegas for the July recruiting period ...

1. It's so much harder than it looks. Recruiting is more than gym after gym after gym. It's all that travel (which so many coaches are at the ready to rightfully lament to you about), and how it breaks you down mentally just as much as it does physically. It's practically a rite of passage for a coach to show up at the wrong gym because he's twisted himself around so much chasing after 16-year-olds.

It's sitting on those bleachers and those chairs for 10 hours; my lower back still hasn't recovered. It's making conversation often, when you don't want to. But you're surrounded by guys who know you, or want to get to know you. Are evaluations being done? Absolutely, but a lot of it -- the coaches being there -- is just a role to be played. So small talk becomes its own little sport. It's a fun sociological Petri dish to examine from afar. Those conversations can get stagnant and brutal. And you're just stuck there, watching the game.

2. There's a grand contrast between the two grand destinations. The Peach Jam (North Augusta, S.C.) and the plethora of Vegas events are considered the two biggest and best recruiting sites of the summer. But they couldn't be much more different. Peach Jam is one complex with four gyms, and you can't take three steps without seeing a coach you recognize. Everyone is there, in one place. They have a hospitality room on the second floor, and AARP card-carrying members hand-slice peaches for everyone to eat -- for free. At night, there's not much to do. A couple of haunts on the streets of rundown Augusta, Ga., and the hotel bar. That's it. Meanwhile, in Vegas you're hopping from one high school to the next, squeezing in a Carl's Jr. or In-N-Out meal when you can. And then the Vegas night comes.

3. Off the record, plenty of people will gab about cheating. There's a lot of cynicism, and rightfully so. Summer brings out a renewed feeling, a sense of self. Amongst coaches, there's a code, an understanding, of which programs should get which types of players. And when certain programs step outside those parameters, it angers their contemporaries. So if coaches are willing to talk about it, why don't more programs get caught? Because getting all the unbreakable evidence -- and people to speak about it on record -- is the challenge.

.4. The NCAA tries to monitor, but it will never be enough. Attempting to chop off the cheaters in the summer is akin to trying to snare minnows with a large-webbed fishing net. I wrote about how runners and quasi-agents were on the grounds of these recruiting events. Since these events need to make money, they need the ticket-buying public to show up. And you can't exactly weed out who can and can't buy a ticket. That's a big problem. Anyone can get into the games, and the "pushing" happens from there. And in Vegas? Forget about it. If a player wants to "run into" a coach two miles away from a high school, no one is going to catch that.

5. Nerlens Noel is perhaps the best high school player I've ever seen. Granted, I haven't seen player after player after player over the years, like Goodman and Parrish have, but Noel is simply dominant. He's a 2013 kid who plays for Boston-based BABC. His offensive game has a long, long way to go, but he'd probably be a top-three defensive player in college right now. And the high-top fade? Just adds to his mystique. The kid already has a mean streak and rechargeable battery in his game. If he develops acumen around the rim he'll be one of the must-watches of the 2013-14 college basketball campaign.

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