Prep Hoops Indiana Prospect Rankings Update Primer
Basketball simply never stops in the state of Indiana. I guess that is why they say in 49 states it is just basketball, but this is Indiana. We go from the high school season November through March straight into the…
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Continue ReadingBasketball simply never stops in the state of Indiana. I guess that is why they say in 49 states it is just basketball, but this is Indiana. We go from the high school season November through March straight into the grassroots schedule from April through July. Then, we quiet down a little for a couple of months before fall leagues take over in October and then we are right back into the full swing of things again. However, that busy schedule also means that we are constantly in the gym. We are always evaluating and finding new prospects in our talent-rich state. That is also why we make sure to update our prospect rankings multiple times a year. It is now time for another such update. Before each update though I always like to lay some parameters and hopefully provide some education around what goes into prospect rankings.
First off, as is always the case, these are PROSPECT rankings not PRODUCTION rankings. That is even more true when ranking younger guys here in the Class of 2026. There will be players ranked very highly who have not even dressed on varsity while there will be Watch List players who had very productive seasons on varsity as a freshman. Our job is to project what type of college prospect each player will be, not how productive they are of a player right now.
Secondly, with the younger classes, there will always be more movement because we become aware of more prospects or simply get a better evaluation. If you move down several spots it doesn’t mean you got worse or that you aren’t a very good prospect. It just means with more information, and many more names coming into the rankings, we had to readjust. If you didn’t attend our Prep Hoops Indiana Freshman Showcase, play major varsity basketball as a freshman, or play on a good AAU team it is really hard for us to find out about you yet. So, if you simply aren’t listed at all, be patient and reach out to me so I can get your information. That is how we build these lists over time.
Third, it is true, that rankings really don’t matter. I know that is a bit of cliche and I understand why they matter to players…that is why I spend countless hours evaluating prospects and then pour over all information time and time again to put out the most accurate ranking possible. I know it matters to YOU. However, they don’t matter much at all to the people who actually matter…college coaches. When a college coach asks me about a prospect they don’t look to see what he is ranked and I don’t look before I respond. Evaluations matter…rankings don’t.
Finally, I am always very transparent when it comes to rankings. My email address is coachbrandonramsey@gmail.com or you can find me on Twitter @BRamseyKSR. Reach out to me if you have any questions or if you would like to submit information to be considered at the next update. We do these 3-4 times a year because we know it is an inexact science. There will always be someone flying under-the-radar. However, we at Prep Hoops Indiana, do as good of a job as possible covering every single corner of the state and find good players from high-major Division I prospects to Division III prospects and everything in between.