How to Play Basketball Overseas Immediately After High School
For many aspiring basketball athletes, making it to the NBA or the NBA G-League is a dream come true. Not only will these basketball players be able to play basketball as a career, but they will also be playing against some of the best players in the world.
However, not all aspiring basketball players will make it to the NBA. And for those players, looking to play overseas may be a great option. Below, we’re going to review how to play basketball overseas immediately after high school and without having played in a collegiate division.
The Pros of Playing Collegiate Basketball
If you are looking to play basketball overseas as a career, then playing at the collegiate level is one of your best bets. By playing at the collegiate level, you will be able to attract the interest of recruiters from around the world.
By being able to attract recruiters worldwide, you will be able to have a much wider selection of countries where you would be eligible to play.
In addition, although you may be a top high school player, you may find that the collegiate, and even overseas skill levels, far surpass your own.
By taking time to play collegiate basketball, you will also be able to hone in on your basketball skills and fully develop your basketball abilities.
Furthermore, by playing in the collegiate level, you will be able to network with both coaches and other players.
These connections can not only help you to get to an overseas league, but they can also help to guide you on what steps you need to take and what missteps you should avoid along the way.
Even further still, by not going to a collegiate league, you may be doing yourself a disservice by exempting yourself from a possible NBA run.
Although you may not have the skills right now to make it to the NBA, you may be able to develop your skills further and potentially make a run at the NBA draft.
Lastly, by going the collegiate basketball route, you will also be able to complete a degree within your time at the school.
While basketball may be your final destination, it is always a good idea to have a backup in-case of injury or in-case you are not picked up by any domestic or international leagues.
Play at the Highest Level of Competition
If you are deciding to skip out on a collegiate basketball career, then you should still look to play at the highest level of competition that you can.
While this may be your own high school, you should also look to get invited to certain high school basketball tournaments.
Being invited to high school basketball tournaments will not only help you to garner attention of domestic and international recruiters but will also put your skills to the test. If you truly are a great basketball player, then your skills will shine through during the tournament.
In addition, if you make your intentions known that you are looking to play overseas and at the international level, you may have recruiters approach you and offer you an opportunity to play for their team.
Play Exceptional Basketball and Show Maturity
Many overseas leagues may be nervous to sign a basketball player straight out of high school and without any collegiate experience. As a basketball player, there are two main ways to allay those fears.
The first, is to show the utmost level of professionalism, respect, and maturity. You should show-up to both high school events and separate tournaments in professional attire, you should carry yourself well, and you should be mature when speaking and when speaking to others.
In addition, and perhaps even more so than showing professionalism and maturity, is to play well. And when we say play well, what we really mean is to play exceptionally well. You should play better than any other player on the court and you should make sure your end of game statistics are better than the other players on the court.
By playing well and having your stats exceed any other player on the court, you will naturally attract the attention of both domestic and international recruiters.
Create a Highlight Video
In addition to the above, a great way to attract international and overseas attention is to create a highlight video. This video should showcase and showoff your in-game and practice abilities. Ideally, you should enlist the help of a professional videographer to take the videos and compile them together.
When creating a highlight video, you should go for professionalism above all else. Don’t add slow-mo. or unnecessary, dramatic effects. These effects will distract from your true skills and will add nothing to a recruiters decisioning.
Find a Basketball Agent and Network for Opportunities
If you’re really serious about playing overseas straight out of high school, then you will likely need an agent to represent you. These agents will determine your eligibility and likelihood of playing in an overseas league and will be able to create opportunities for you from their contacts.
However, if you’re unsure of whether or not to get an agent, then you can do some of the work yourself. You can do so by networking with people and individuals who have played in an overseas league before. In addition, you can reach out to recruiters on Instagram and LinkedIn for assistance.
Although you may be able to do it yourself, it is infinitely easier to go the route of an agent and enlist their assistance.
Make a Basketball Resume
While it may sound odd, a basketball resume will help you to showcase your specific skills and strengths. Like a typical resume, a basketball resume should include your skills, experience, and position played. However, unlike a traditional resume, your basketball resume should also include notable figures such-as your height, weight, and wingspan.
Within your basketball resume, be sure to also include a picture of yourself playing in a game, include stats for every season, include highlight links that are clickable, add accolades and trophies won, and add in references.
Visit Your Target Destination
Lastly, to show your seriousness about joining an overseas league immediately after high school, be sure to visit your target destination. This will not only give you an opportunity to meet with the coach and the coaching staff, but you will also have an opportunity to play scrimmage games.
In addition, you will be able to get to know the city and country and confirm that you really want to move there for an international basketball career.