It isn't just height as a 9th grader, it is your potential for height. If you and your spouse are really tall then hang around those tryouts. If you are short then stay away.

You need to look to make a list- see how many seniors graduated last year, how many were juniors last year and how many were sophomore and freshman. Sometimes it is really just luck of the draw. You can have one kid tryout as a freshman and the year before they had a ton of seniors graduate. So then everyone moves up and there are more openings. If you have a tiny graduating class then there is a bottleneck and not many spaces open up.

Anonymous wrote:wow I am the mom who originally posted and I am amazed at the several unhelpful comments. I am simply ignorant about what specifically high school teams are looking for. My kids have played for years but that doesn't mean that I have any knowledge of what a high school coach looks for?

They are looking for the same thing all basketball coaches look for. If your kids have played for years I’m confused why this is a question.

Anonymous wrote:for HS boys basketball? (That forum is slowwww, figured more eyeballs here).
Beyond height, what are they looking for? What separates the kids who make it from those who don't? --not a sports person but have two sporty children
In my region, tryouts are next week.

Did you also post about the ball hog?

Jesus, power down the chopper. Stop having so much anxiety about your child’s extracurricular activities. It isn’t healthy or normal and your feelings are not valid.

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. Ball handling/dribbling, court awareness, shooting, passing, rebounding, speed, footwork, fitness and attitude. Combined with the general athleticism you can just see kids have (or don’t have). If you need more specifics than that, I don’t know how to explain it. Kids who can shoot and are fit will stand out, as will kids who play effective defense and can pass.

I'll add basketball IQ to this. A lot of really athletic kids just don't have the ability read defenses and anticipate plays.

Do your kids play AAU basketball? Most serious high school players also play AAU basketball. My friend is a high school coach at a good program in this area. He used to coach AAU and still goes to the tournaments to look at potential players.

Anonymous wrote:I’ll bite. Ball handling/dribbling, court awareness, shooting, passing, rebounding, speed, footwork, fitness and attitude. Combined with the general athleticism you can just see kids have (or don’t have). If you need more specifics than that, I don’t know how to explain it. Kids who can shoot and are fit will stand out, as will kids who play effective defense and can pass.

That was a kind reply and makes sense

I’ll bite. Ball handling/dribbling, court awareness, shooting, passing, rebounding, speed, footwork, fitness and attitude. Combined with the general athleticism you can just see kids have (or don’t have). If you need more specifics than that, I don’t know how to explain it. Kids who can shoot and are fit will stand out, as will kids who play effective defense and can pass.

Anonymous wrote:If you’re asking your kid has no chance

I am not sure what your comment adds to the conversation beyond negativity

wow I am the mom who originally posted and I am amazed at the several unhelpful comments. I am simply ignorant about what specifically high school teams are looking for. My kids have played for years but that doesn't mean that I have any knowledge of what a high school coach looks for?

At a good sports school, boys' basketball will usually, statistically, the toughest sport to get on the varsity roster for based on the number of kids who want to play vs. the number of roster spots--usually 12 to 15, depending on where you are (we're not even talking about being one of the starting 5 here).

That's also true in college. Statistically, the number of kids who play in high school vs the number of D1 spots (NCAA rules make it so each college can only have 15 players total) makes it the hardest sport to play in D1.

The boys who make a competitive high school team have both size and skill and have been playing competitively for years.

A kid with truly exceptional size (6-6+) who is athletic they would take on a team with less skill.

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:If you’re asking your kid has no chance

+1

Unless you are at some very small, non-sporty school.

+2

Anonymous wrote:If you’re asking your kid has no chance

+1

Unless you are at some very small, non-sporty school.

If you’re asking your kid has no chance

for HS boys basketball? (That forum is slowwww, figured more eyeballs here).
Beyond height, what are they looking for? What separates the kids who make it from those who don't? --not a sports person but have two sporty children
In my region, tryouts are next week.