HOOP RECRUITING: Does AAU Basketball Exploit Kids
In recent weeks America has seen high school-phenom LeBron James become a multi-millionaire with the stroke of his pen signing with NIKE. And if it weren’t enough, Final Four hero Carmello Anthony signed to a shoe deal of his own. Both players are nationally known but both got their start playing on the AAU circuit as young teenagers.
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Today is a day of multi-million dollar contracts for a select few. But some believe that it is also an era in which young men are manipulated, exploited and taken advantage of by the summer basketball system.
Others contend that the positives associated with the summer basketball circuit far outweigh the negatives.
SPARTAN Magazine sat down with NIKE executive George Raveling to discuss his thoughts on these issues.
George Raveling, formerly the head basketball coach at Iowa and USC, is NIKE’s Global Basketball Consultant and Director of the Nike All-America Basketball Camp.
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SM: Congratulations on signing LeBron. How do you come up with that sort of dollar figure ($90 million)? What goes into it? How do you determine a young man’s worth?
GR: Well I just think it depends on how much the market will bear. What competition is willing to pay. What you think you can get on a return on your investment. There are a variety of factors. But when it’s all said and done the most important thing is can he move product for you.
SM: As far as the return on investment, obviously that’s going to take some time; do you have a time frame or a formula that you work through (to determine if signing a player is successful)?
GR: No, you never know until you stick your hand in the fire. With Michael Jordan, at that time, I don’t think anybody thought he would sell the type of product that he ended up moving for NIKE. If our sales in basketball increase by one percent next year then it was worth the money we spent on LeBron.
SM: You guys also signed Carmello as well?
GR: That’s correct.
SM: What was the (dollar) figure behind that (deal)?
GR: The figures are all confidential. The figure for LeBron isn’t true.
SM: Really? Is it inflated?
GR: I’m just telling you it isn’t true.
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SM: OK shifting gears. Can you talk about the AAU Circuit and what it does for a lot of these young men – the positive aspects?
GR: Well I think first and foremost it gives them an opportunity to play against the very best talent. And usually when you play against superior talent it tends to bring out the best in you. I think it also gives them a chance to gauge where they are in their development. And how much further they have to go to be the player that they want to be. And I think it gives them an opportunity to travel and to compete against players they’ve heard about but never, under normal circumstances, had a chance to play against.
SM: A lot of people say AAU exploits kids. Can you address that?
GR: I don’t think AAU ball exploits kids anymore than anything else in society. Most people to one degree or another are being exploited by somebody else. When you say exploits kids they have to be a little more specific and how where and when are these kids being exploited. My way of thinking I think when you look at the alternative to these kids sitting home doing nothing with the temptation to get into trouble. I think this is an excellent alternative for them. I’d rather see them out here playing basketball than out in the neighborhood doing some things they shouldn’t be doing.
SM: As far as academic support a lot of these young men come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Is there anything in place to address some of that and help them?
GR: Most or all of our events carry an academic component. But first and foremost education starts in the home and in the schools. It’s not AAU’s job to educate kids. They can reinforce what is being taught in the home and in the school. But the primary responsibility for education takes place with the parents in the home and then in the educational system.
SM: As far as the (AAU) circuit do you make every event?
GR: I try to make every one. I might miss one, not outside two a year but I try to make every one else.
SM: Do you have a favorite?
GR: Probably the (NIKE) Peach Jam.
SM: (Family Head Coach) Speedy Walker said the same thing. He said it’s because it’s the best of the best playing each other. (We’ll) try to get down there.
GR: You deserve to get down there because it’s a great event.
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SPARTAN Magazine would like to thank Raveling for his time and for sharing his thoughts.
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