Hey, everyone! I am a junior and consider myself good at basketball, not necessarily D1 standards though. Are there any colleges where it might be easier to walk onto the team? Any insights would be super helpful, cheers!
Certainly! When considering schools where it might be easier to walk onto the college basketball team, you might want to start by identifying schools that are not in Division I. Smaller schools across Division II, III and NAIA often have more opportunities for walk-ons, as they tend to have fewer scholarship athletes.
For example, DIII schools and Ivy League schools do not offer athletic scholarships at all, so most of their athletes are essentially walk-ons.
However, even if a school is not Div I, walking onto any college basketball team is not an easy task. It takes talent, hard work, and most importantly, a strong work ethic, both on and off the court. Being a successful student-athlete requires juggling responsibilities and commitments like practices, games, travels, study time, etc. The level of competition will also be higher compared to high school, and the training will be more intense.
Before choosing a school for the purpose of walking onto a basketball team, it's important to reach out to the coaching staff of each school that you're interested in. Send them your stats and video highlights, and offer to meet them so that they can gauge your skill and seriousness about joining their program.
Also, ensure that the school is a fit for you without considering basketball. Ask yourself if you would be happy at that school if an injury took you off the court. Are you interested in their academic programs? Do you like the campus and atmosphere? Athletics will play a major part in your college experience, but it shouldn't be the only factor in your college decision.
Keep in mind that being a walk-on is not a guaranteed path to play regularly in the games. Mostly, walk-ons provide depth in practice and are there in case of emergency during a match.
Still, there are many success stories of walk-ons earning significant playing time and becoming substantial contributors to their team. Moreover, it positively demonstrates your commitment, perseverance, and team spirit, attributes that can serve you well in your future career.
Remember, the most vital thing is to find a college where you'll thrive, both athletically and academically.
CollegeVine’s Q&A seeks to offer informed perspectives on commonly asked admissions questions. Every answer is refined and validated by our team of admissions experts to ensure it resonates with trusted knowledge in the field.