We Don't Treat All Players the Same — And Neither Should You
I keep having the same conversation with parents, and it’s driving me crazy. They want to know what program their kid should be in or what team they should join. They’re asking the wrong question.
The question isn’t what program. The question is what does your kid actually need to develop?
Because here’s the truth: we treat all players like they’re the same, and it’s killing their development.
Some kids need to learn basic fundamentals. Some need to learn how to compete. Some need to learn how to make decisions under pressure. Some need to get stronger. Some need to learn how to shoot. Some need to learn how to play with others.
But somehow, we’ve convinced ourselves that everyone needs the same thing: more games, more tournaments, more exposure. It’s garbage.
You have an 8-year-old who can barely dribble with their off hand, and you’re worried about what AAU team they’re going to be on. You have a 10-year-old who can’t make a skip pass and you’re asking me about what camps they should attend. You have a 12-year-old who can’t make a simple read in a 3-on-3 situation, and you think 5-on-5 travel ball is the answer.
This is why youth basketball is broken. We’re putting kids in situations they’re not ready for because we think exposure matters more than development. Or we think development happens without a solid foundation in basic skills.
The development path for every player is different. Some kids are ready for team basketball early. Most aren’t. Some kids need individual skill work. Most need small group training with competitive components. Some need to learn how to compete in 1-on-1 situations before they ever step foot in a team environment.
But that doesn’t fit the business model of youth sports. It’s easier to throw everyone on a team, charge the same fee, and pretend we’re developing players.
Here’s what actually works: you start with what the player can’t do, not what looks good on Instagram. You build from 1-on-1 2-on-2 to 3-on-3 to 4-on-4 to 5-on-5. You don’t skip steps because the hyped up shoe circuit program has a spot on a team.
I’m working on a facility that will take kids from elementary through high school with a proven development path. And it won’t involve travel basketball until they’re elite or until they’re in high school — and for most kids, that means sophomore at the earliest. Maybe junior.
Doesn’t mean they won’t play. Doesn’t mean they’ll only train. But they will progress systematically from being able to play 1-on-1 2-on-2 to 3-on-3 to 4-on-4 and finally 5-on-5, when they’re actually ready for it.
The problem is parents don’t want to hear this. They want their kid on the best team, playing the most games, getting the most exposure. They want the shortcut.
There is no shortcut. Development is individual. It’s specific. It’s systematic. And it takes time.
But if we keep treating all players like they need the same thing, we’ll keep getting the same mediocre results. And your kid will be the one who pays the price.
Aram runs Hoops College, a basketball training program in Charlotte. The program is the offer that follows from the argument. → hoopscollege.com