This July (2023), the NCAA will re-introduce their attempt to create the NCAA College Basketball Academy. These academies are designed to create awareness and understanding of college athletics, while pairing student-athletes with high level competition and skills training. While the NCAA first introduced this concept several years ago, the NCAA will be making another attempt to create this platform during the July NCAA Evaluation Period. Here is some more information on this Academy . . .
What are the 2023 NCAA College Basketball Academies?
The NCAA College Basketball Academies give prospective men’s and women’s student-athletes a sample of the college basketball experience. Organized with input from the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA), these developmental summer academies pair high-level basketball competition with life skills instruction.
In addition to basketball training, skill development, and games, participants and their parents or chaperones will attend life skills courses about NCAA eligibility and compliance; the recruiting process; name, image and likeness opportunities; agents; the transfer portal; and the pathway to professional basketball opportunities.
When: Both Academies will take place in late July 2023.
- The College Basketball Academy for men will occur from Monday, July 24, 2023 to Thursday, July 27, 2023. Men’s student-athletes will arrive on Sunday, July 23 and depart on Thursday, July 27.
- The College Basketball Academy for women will occur from Friday, July 28, 2023 to Monday, July 31, 2023. Women’s student-athletes will arrive on Thursday, July 27 and depart on Monday, July 31.
This College Basketball Academy is the only event NCAA Division I Basketball Coaches are permitted to attend during this period.
Where: The 2023 College Basketball Academies will take place at one site, the Memphis Sports and Events Center in Memphis, Tennessee.
Who: Men’s and women’s prospective student-athletes can participate in the NCAA College Basketball Academies by qualifying via one of three pathways:
- The National Pathway includes: USA Basketball’s under 17 3x3 junior national team trials and training camp, as well as Canada Basketball’s NextGen national team training camp. USA Basketball and Canada Basketball will select participants for each of their events in this pathway.
- The Team Pathway features the U.S. Open Basketball Championships at the NCAA College Basketball Academy, which is USA Basketball’s premier 5-on-5 youth national championships. Twenty-four rising 11th grade and 24 rising 10th grade travel teams will earn the right to participate in the U.S. Open Basketball Championships via USA Basketball-approved qualifying events that will be announced later this spring.
- Finally, in the Individual Pathway, NCAA Division I basketball coaches, along with a College Basketball Academies advisory board, will select up to 400 players from the classes of 2024, 2025 and 2026 for both the men's and women's academies. Players who receive an academy invitation via this pathway will be placed on teams and compete in games, as well.
What Else?
- If allowed by their state high school association, the NCAA may pay for the actual and necessary expenses (travel, lodging, and meals) of each participant selected to attend the Academy and one parent/legal guardian or chaperone. Find your state high school association’s website here.
- Academy coaching staffs will be composed of Divisions II and III, NAIA and Junior College men’s and women’s college basketball coaches and high school coaches. The Divisions II and III, NAIA and Junior College coaches and high school coaches will be nominated by the National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA).
- All coaches and staff working any aspect of the NCAA College Basketball Academy will be required to obtain a USA Basketball Gold Coach License.
What’s Next? To be considered for the invitation-only Academies, prospective student-athletes must be registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Once registered, men’s high school prospects interested in the Individual Pathway of the Academies must self-nominate by May 8, 2023. Women’s high school prospects interested in the Individual Pathway must self-nominate by May 15, 2023.
For more information, visit thecbbacademy.com.
