Gmtm Logo
SIGN UP
Gmtm Logo

College Basketball Scholarships: Four Unknown Truths Every Recruit Should Know

ByKeiwaine Hicks

4 min read

College Basketball Scholarships: Four Unknown Truths Every Recruit Should Know

For many people in the basketball community, a college basketball scholarship is held in the highest esteem. It’s the ultimate status symbol - a golden ticket to a promising future and new world of educational opportunity, travel, and a chance to hone and develop your craft under some of the best coaches and training in the world.

Thoughts of playing in sold-out arenas on national television, having your games broadcast around the world, and competing against the best players from around the globe are tantalizing. If everything goes as planned, the opportunity to potentially play basketball professionally and earn a living by playing basketball is within reach on the horizon.

According to a 2020 study conducted by the NCAA, only 3.5

of high school males playing varsity basketball make an NCAA college roster and only 1.0
make a Division I roster. For high school females playing varsity basketball, only 4.1
make an NCAA college roster and 1.3
make a Division I roster.

Despite small odds, many high school student-athletes pursue their passion and hope to earn the coveted prize. Although those perceived grandiose illusions and vision of financial security are certainly a reality for some players, there is more that happens behind the scenes that aren’t sensationalized and cloud the truths of college basketball scholarships.

Here are four unknown truths about college basketball scholarships that every recruited student-athlete should know about:

Basketball Scholarships Can Be Rescinded During the Recruiting Process

It’s important to remember that a basketball scholarship is not binding until a student-athlete signs a National Letter of Intent (NLI). College basketball coaches might rescind a basketball scholarship offer for many reasons.

A coach’s roster is constantly in a state of flux due to reasons which include: players transferring in and out of a program, grad students using an extra year of eligibility, and academic casualties. When a basketball coach offers you a basketball scholarship, he or she might not have taken into account or predicted changes in the future.

Also, coaches who offer basketball scholarships early during a student-athlete’s recruiting process do so as a measure of recognizing potential, which could be in terms of physical or skill potential.

When a recruited student-athlete fails to develop as anticipated or a coach doesn’t see desired growth in skill development, a coach might rescind a basketball scholarship offer. Remember: “Nothing is guaranteed unless it’s in writing...”

Ask: “Am I on track to receive and earn a National Letter of Intent to sign?”


Not All Basketball Scholarships Are Committable

“If a college basketball coach offers me a basketball scholarship, I can commit at any time, right?”

After receiving a basketball scholarship offer, immediately follow up with the question, “Am I able to commit now?” If a coach says you aren’t able to commit, then, assuredly, it’s a non-committable offer.

College basketball coaches extend non-committable offers for a myriad of reasons, which include publicity exposure and to retain coaching relationships with coaches at the grassroots, AAU, and high school levels. Also, college basketball coaches can offer you a basketball scholarship, despite not having an actual basketball scholarship available or a roster spot for you.

Ask: “Is this a committable offer?!”


Basketball Scholarships Are Renewable Year-To-Year

Once you sign a NLI, it does not guarantee four years of scholarship, as they are renewable year-to-year at the coach’s discretion. Factors that could determine whether your basketball scholarship is renewed include: recruiting developments, roster changes, character/off-court behavior, academics, and even on-court performance.

Additionally, the amount of scholarship money you receive can vary year-to-year as well. In most cases, the head coach decides who receives a basketball scholarship, the scholarship amount, and whether the scholarship will be renewed.

If the coach informs you that your basketball scholarship will not be renewed, he or she must inform you in writing, and you will be given time to appeal the decision.

As a student-athlete, it’s imperative to remain in good academic standing, be of good character, and give your best effort on a daily basis to help ensure that your basketball scholarship will get renewed each year.

Ask: “What percentage of players on the team and during your tenure has had their basketball scholarships renewed?”


Scholarship Amount Might Be Correlated to Anticipated, Potential, or Immediate Impact

It’s important to remember the economic reality of college basketball scholarships: often, there are more players on a roster than available fully-funded basketball scholarships. Even though some schools have different scholarship allotment, a number which varies depending on gender and division level, not all schools have the max number of scholarships funded. As a result, you can often infer or correlate your anticipated potential immediate impact to the amount of scholarship money offered.

For instance, one basketball coach might offer a full-scholarship, while another coach might offer 50

. A basketball coach might promise to only give 25
the first year, but give hints that you potentially could receive a full amount from your second year on, depending on your development.

Basketball coaches who are more eager to sign you and feel that you could make a great impact immediately will more than likely offer more scholarship money. Additionally, this can be a determining factor in eliminating schools based upon the amount of scholarship money offered.

Ask: “What are some criteria used to determine the amount of scholarship money offered?”


While undergoing the college basketball recruiting process, it’s vital to know about and be cognizant of some of the realities of college basketball scholarships.

Knowing these truths can play a key role during your decision making process, eliminating schools, and ultimately finding the school that’s the right academic and basketball fit for you.


Keiwaine Hicks is a contributing basketball writer for GMTM. He is a graduate of Duke University, has over 20 years experience coaching basketball at various levels, and is passionate about helping student-athletes achieve maximum success."



Are you an Athlete?

Create a free profile to access the largest network specifically designed to connect athletes to opportunities. Get started.

RELATED ARTICLES
College Basketball: Four Coaches Who Could Switch Jobs After March Madness

College Basketball: Four Coaches Who Could Switch Jobs After March Madness

While the games from November through February certainly count in the standings, the tilts that...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Mar 15 2023
Name, Image, & Likeness: March Madness Offers Rare NIL Opportunities

Name, Image, & Likeness: March Madness Offers Rare NIL Opportunities

For college basketball fans around the country, it truly is the most wonderful time of the year....

ByAndrew Pistone | Tue Mar 07 2023
When Values Clash: Tackling the Alignment Problem for Sports Organizations and Athletes

When Values Clash: Tackling the Alignment Problem for Sports Organizations and Athletes

More than a century ago, Teddy Roosevelt Jr's injury during an amateur football game resulted in...

ByJoey Grant | Thu Mar 02 2023
How Many Scholarships Does Each Collegiate Sport Offer?

How Many Scholarships Does Each Collegiate Sport Offer?

It's time to start applying for schools and begin your recruiting process. You have been working...

ByJohnathan Wright | Tue Feb 21 2023
Five Reasons Why College Basketball Coaches Rescind Scholarship Offers

Five Reasons Why College Basketball Coaches Rescind Scholarship Offers

It’s what you have dreamed of, worked for, and waited on your whole life - a coveted college...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Feb 13 2023
Sports Injuries and Insurance: Four Facts Parents & Recruits Should Know

Sports Injuries and Insurance: Four Facts Parents & Recruits Should Know

Injuries are a major part of athletics, and a high percentage of student-athletes competing in NCAA...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Feb 07 2023
Why The Transfer Portal Is So Important For College Basketball Coaches

Why The Transfer Portal Is So Important For College Basketball Coaches

2019 was a transformative year in NCAA athletics. The NCAA Transfer Portal, a database which allows...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Sun Dec 11 2022
Recruiting Rankings: Should I Be Worried If I’m Not A Ranked Basketball Player?

Recruiting Rankings: Should I Be Worried If I’m Not A Ranked Basketball Player?

Getting ranked - it’s the ultimate goal and source of motivation for many basketball players across...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sun Dec 04 2022
How similar is the NCAA Transfer Portal to free agency in professional sports?

How similar is the NCAA Transfer Portal to free agency in professional sports?

The NCAA Transfer Portal is a great platform that is beneficial to student-athletes. It allows...

ByScotty Jenkins | Fri Dec 02 2022
"What Is A 5-Star Recruit?": Explaining how high school basketball prospect rankings work

"What Is A 5-Star Recruit?": Explaining how high school basketball prospect rankings work

High School basketball players like Bronny James are all over TV and social media nowadays, with...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Dec 01 2022
College Soccer: What is the difference between NCAA Division-I & NAIA?

College Soccer: What is the difference between NCAA Division-I & NAIA?

Many soccer athletes across the United States aspire to play their sport at the college level, and...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sat Nov 26 2022
College Volleyball: What Is The Timeline For A High School Recruit

College Volleyball: What Is The Timeline For A High School Recruit

Playing volleyball at the collegiate level is almost every single player's dream as a young...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Nov 24 2022
Baseball Recruiting: Tips For How To Find A Showcase Team

Baseball Recruiting: Tips For How To Find A Showcase Team

It isn’t always easy to find a team that’s the right fit for you. It wasn’t easy for me. Some guys...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Nov 23 2022
How To Improve Your Golf Game With A New Workout Routine

How To Improve Your Golf Game With A New Workout Routine

The potency of preparedness in winning all battles, from the most ferocious to the most trivial of...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Nov 22 2022
Which College Sports Mascots Are The Most Polarizing?

Which College Sports Mascots Are The Most Polarizing?

They’re one of the most crucial aspects to a college sports viewing experience. The players?...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Nov 21 2022
Five Ways To Boost Your Basketball Recruiting with Social Media

Five Ways To Boost Your Basketball Recruiting with Social Media

Instagram, Snapchat, LinkedIn, GMTM, TikTok, Twitter, YouTube, Facebook... Social media is a...

ByKeiwaine Hicks | Sat Nov 19 2022
Which High Schools In America Produce The Most Female College Athletes?

Which High Schools In America Produce The Most Female College Athletes?

It may come as no surprise to hear parents want what is best for their children. If parents have...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Nov 15 2022
How To Play Division-I College Football: Four Requirements For Every Athlete

How To Play Division-I College Football: Four Requirements For Every Athlete

It is no secret that it is often a young football athlete's dream to play their favorite sport at...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Nov 14 2022
Is playing Division-II college sports worth it?

Is playing Division-II college sports worth it?

Being a Division II collegiate athlete was one of the best experiences of my entire life. Having...

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Nov 08 2022
Five major benefits of playing at a large high school for hopeful recruits

Five major benefits of playing at a large high school for hopeful recruits

Quality of Competition Large high schools tend to have bigger athletic departments and budgets....

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Nov 02 2022
Eight Football Athletes Using GMTM To Find Opportunities To Play

Eight Football Athletes Using GMTM To Find Opportunities To Play

There doesn't seem to be a clear start and finish to the football season anymore. In today’s day...

ByScotty Jenkins | Fri Oct 28 2022
What are College Football’s New Overtime Rules?

What are College Football’s New Overtime Rules?

In the 21st century, major sports have had to walk an interesting tightrope. They’ve had to balance...

ByAndrew Pistone | Mon Oct 24 2022
College Volleyball Recruiting: How Athletes Can Get Ahead Before High School

College Volleyball Recruiting: How Athletes Can Get Ahead Before High School

The first step in getting recruited by a college volleyball team is to take advantage of the...

ByScotty Jenkins | Sun Oct 23 2022
Transfer Portal: Does Every Athlete Who Transfers Find A New College To Play For?

Transfer Portal: Does Every Athlete Who Transfers Find A New College To Play For?

On the 15th of October, 2018 the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) introduced a...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Oct 19 2022
The Four Best Quarterbacks Turned Wide Receivers in NFL History

The Four Best Quarterbacks Turned Wide Receivers in NFL History

Playing quarterback may be the toughest job in professional sports, with just thirty-two jobs in...

ByBryan Armetta | Sun Oct 16 2022
Three Tell-Tale Signs You Are Ready For College Sports

Three Tell-Tale Signs You Are Ready For College Sports

Plenty of high school athletes think they have what it takes to play sports in college. However,...

ByBryan Armetta | Thu Oct 13 2022
How Athletic Scholarships Work: A Quick Guide To Paying For College

How Athletic Scholarships Work: A Quick Guide To Paying For College

It is no secret that college is expensive, and as time goes on, the price continues to increase....

ByScotty Jenkins | Tue Oct 11 2022
Think you can play college football? Here’s what to expect in the recruiting process

Think you can play college football? Here’s what to expect in the recruiting process

Playing college football is a dream for many high schoolers but the recruiting process can be...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Oct 06 2022
College Basketball: Midnight Madness and the start of the CBB schedule

College Basketball: Midnight Madness and the start of the CBB schedule

Many college basketball fans think that the season gets underway in earnest around Thanksgiving,...

ByAndrew Pistone | Fri Sep 30 2022
College Football's "Dead Money": Why Fired Coaches Keep Getting Paid

College Football's "Dead Money": Why Fired Coaches Keep Getting Paid

We’re at the point in the college football calendar where teams are assessing whether they’d like...

ByAndrew Pistone | Wed Sep 28 2022
Soccer Recruiting: What College Coaches Look For In High School Recruits

Soccer Recruiting: What College Coaches Look For In High School Recruits

Realistically, soccer coaches and managers look out for different things in soccer players during...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Sep 28 2022
Volleyball Recruiting: Nine Questions For Recruits To Ask Volleyball Coaches

Volleyball Recruiting: Nine Questions For Recruits To Ask Volleyball Coaches

Finding a good college, team, coach, and place to spend four years of your life is important and...

ByRebekah Morris | Mon Sep 26 2022
College Football: Five Stars Who Could Have Benefitted Most from NIL Ruling

College Football: Five Stars Who Could Have Benefitted Most from NIL Ruling

The NCAA's Division I Board of Directors announced a new...

ByBryan Armetta | Sat Sep 24 2022
College Sports: How To Pick The Right School To Attend

College Sports: How To Pick The Right School To Attend

Picking the right college can be a tough task for any high school senior, but it can be a unique...

ByAlexis Peltzer-Harding | Fri Sep 23 2022
Where Is The Sport Of Lacrosse Most Popular?

Where Is The Sport Of Lacrosse Most Popular?

Lacrosse has long been known as an east coast sport in the United States, but has seen growth...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Sep 22 2022
How Recruits Can Ask A School For More Athletic Scholarship Money

How Recruits Can Ask A School For More Athletic Scholarship Money

Athletes and parents often ask for college scholarship money during the athletic recruiting...

ByScotty Jenkins | Wed Sep 21 2022
What Does Redshirt Mean? And The Reasons Why Players Do It?

What Does Redshirt Mean? And The Reasons Why Players Do It?

Any athlete with a love for competition hates sitting on the sideline, but once he or she gets to...

ByCorey Roepken | Mon Sep 19 2022
What Every College Athlete Should Know Before Freshman Year Starts

What Every College Athlete Should Know Before Freshman Year Starts

The shift from high school to college is a big one. Throw playing a collegiate sport in and it can...

ByLily Ford | Sun Sep 18 2022
Is playing College Soccer the best route to making the MLS?

Is playing College Soccer the best route to making the MLS?

Earlier this month, we witnessed the 2021 Major League...

ByJohnathan Wright | Sat Sep 17 2022
College Basketball: What Is The NCAA Transfer Portal And How Does It Work

College Basketball: What Is The NCAA Transfer Portal And How Does It Work

With the ever-changing NCAA and college athletics scene, transfer athletes have become more and...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Sep 15 2022
The Positives of Playing Club Volleyball For College Recruits

The Positives of Playing Club Volleyball For College Recruits

Do you aspire to step into your next level as a collegiate volleyball player? Are you unsure if...

ByGrace White | Thu Sep 08 2022
Top Five Skills Every Defensive Back Prospect Needs to Develop

Top Five Skills Every Defensive Back Prospect Needs to Develop

Quarterbacks and offensive player command a lot of attention on recruiting websites, and rightfully...

ByJordan Rinard | Tue Sep 06 2022
How High School Recruits Can Use Twitter To Engage With College Coaches

How High School Recruits Can Use Twitter To Engage With College Coaches

National Signing Day is right around the corner (February 3, for the uninitiated), and now is good...

ByJordan Rinard | Mon Sep 05 2022
College Football: Why Head Coach Salaries At Top Schools Keep Going Up

College Football: Why Head Coach Salaries At Top Schools Keep Going Up

What does one normally associate with the position of college football head coach? Leaders of men....

ByBryan Armetta | Sun Sep 04 2022
How UConn Has Dominated Women’s College Basketball

How UConn Has Dominated Women’s College Basketball

Women’s College Basketball and UConn are two terms that you will often hear together as they have...

ByScotty Jenkins | Thu Sep 01 2022
How Parents Can Help You Get Recruited To Play College Football

How Parents Can Help You Get Recruited To Play College Football

While performance and execution are a fundamental necessity for the child when it comes to getting...

ByDJ Cadden | Tue Aug 30 2022
Basketball Recruiting: Four Ways To Improve Your Chances Of Getting A Scholarship

Basketball Recruiting: Four Ways To Improve Your Chances Of Getting A Scholarship

College basketball recruiting is structured in a time-sensitive and fast-paced manner:...

ByScotty Jenkins | Mon Aug 29 2022
5 Tips To Help Get Recruited To Play College Soccer

5 Tips To Help Get Recruited To Play College Soccer

The college soccer recruiting process can be extremely competitive, and unfortunately, it does not...

ByJohnathan Wright | Mon Aug 29 2022
College Football: Three Transfer Portal Players to Watch in 2022

College Football: Three Transfer Portal Players to Watch in 2022

It's not even four years old, but it's hard to even remember what college football was like before...

ByBryan Armetta | Sun Aug 28 2022
Why Top High School Baseball Recruits Choose College Over The Big Leagues

Why Top High School Baseball Recruits Choose College Over The Big Leagues

In terms of popularity, college baseball doesn’t quite make the cut. Stadiums definitely don’t sell...

ByScotty Jenkins | Fri Aug 26 2022