Utilizing your area's community college coaches

Here's a suggestion that would benefit countless high school basketball players:

* Befriend your local community college coach and ask him to critique your game, no holds barred. Find out what you do well, what you need to work on and about the mindset necessary to compete at the college level. Get a 'current' sense of your collegiate basketball future whether it be NAIA, DII or D1 and what level within those strata.

Granted, you could possibly end up playing for this person at some point down the road and thus any feedback could be tainted to curry your favor but why would such a coach blow you up if you won't be able to help him win games and thus keep his job?

So why community college coaches?

Because they are the overall best truth-telling option.

Just look around the Bay Area/northern California and see the abundance of quality and experienced coaches at the two-year schools. These are guys who know their craft and are connected with staffs at four-year schools of all levels. They are called upon by DI, DII and NAIA college head coaches and assistants to make recommendations about their own players as well as those of opponents.

The suggestion of connecting with college coaches is because most parents are not equipped to make such determinations (whether they realize such or not).

This is not a knock of high school coaches. Some are tremendous at what they do but determining college talent level isn't their primary job.

Plus, some travel team coaches may not be fully honest because of the financial arrangement if the truth might cause a switch to another program and thus a loss of revenue.

Ditto with some basketball trainers although many are excellent at what they do as well as being forthright.

Again, not disparaging any trainers or travel team coaches -- just making an observation.

Another option

Beyond the JC ranks, look at someone like UC Santa Cruz Coach Ron DuBois. While a few may scoff and question how someone at a DIII school could be of help, well, try this: DuBois' bonafides include coaching in the NBA with the Phoenix Suns and Memphis Grizzlies as well as FIBA teams. He is a tremendous yet underutilized community resource. Is someone like this available in your community?

But all this is dependent upon a willingness to enter the Honesty Room preferably with someone who has no financial interest in your hoops present or future and who makes a living in part by assessing talent.