If The NCAA Wants To Improve Grassroots Basketball, It Needs To Look At Las Vegas

The Rice Commission on College Basketball has talked quite a bit about grassroots basketball and how they think they know how to fix it. Hint: they don’t, but at least they think they do. Their concept of fixing grassroots basketball is eliminating it and putting together regional camps that is run by the NCAA.

That’s just a flat out idiotic decision as it will ruin the chance for so many people. Instead of worrying about the entire grassroots program, they are only thinking about the top-10/20 players. I always reference the story of how Jevon Carter was found by Bob Huggins. Huggy and West Virginia were at the gym scouting another player when Carter was playing on the court next to them. Carter was doing Carter things by diving all over the place, 1 man pressing and being a lunatic defensively. We know what happened next.

So instead of these dumbass regional camps, why not put together the NCAA-sanctioned grassroots tournament? Obviously there are a lot of things that have to come into play here, but I thought of this idea after reading Gary Parrish’s story from Vegas which held the de facto grassroots national championship between Compton Magic (Adidas) and Team Takeover (Nike).

Neither Trigonis nor multiple recruiting analysts could actually remember the last time the best Nike-sponsored team played the best Adidas-sponsored team before it happened Wednesday. I know because I asked. Everybody assumes it’s happened before. But nobody could remember exactly when — even if everybody agreed it’s definitely been a while.

What if that wasn’t the answer? What if the NCAA set up a tournament that took the top 8 teams from Adidas Gauntlet, Nike EYBL and Under Armour for a 24-team tournament. Again, I get there has to be things moved and figured out from a monetary and sponsorship angle in order to get these 24 teams. But, shouldn’t this what the NCAA be worried about here?

If you want to put together the best place for coaches to recruit, end the summer recruiting circuit with the best 24 teams in the same gym. You’ll draw all coaches from all conferences out. Plus, I’m selfish. I want this to happen. You get the national championship feel and let’s face it. AAU hoops is better than high school hoops. That’s just how it is now unless you’re maybe talking about the WCAC. AAU at this level isn’t the same AAU that so many casual fans think of. Coaches like Keith Stevens are great coaches. This is the best collection of talent. It’s not just showing up as the team changes each quarter.

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This is a free idea, NCAA. Next time I want a commission in my name.