New Year Resolution from NERR
As we head into 2026, college basketball recruiting doesn’t look anything like it did just a few years ago. And if you’re part of the New England basketball community players, parents, coaches, trainers you need to understand that reality if you want to navigate it the right way.
For the players, some things will always stay the same. You still have to put real time into your skill development. You still need to understand how the game is played at the college level. And you still need to remember that winning and being a good teammate matter more than chasing numbers.
What has changed is this. Today’s path to college basketball includes a business side that didn’t exist before. Whether we like it or not, being a student athlete now comes with responsibilities that go beyond the court.
NIL has changed the game. Players are hearing about money, branding, followers, and exposure earlier than ever. Your social media presence, how you carry yourself, how you interact with your community, and even how seriously you take school can all factor into how a college views you.
But here’s the truth that often gets lost. Real NIL opportunities don’t come from hype. They come from actual production, consistency, character, and trust. No amount of posts, graphics, or noise can replace being able to play and being someone coaches want in their program. If you focus on becoming a better player and a better person, the rest tends to sort itself out.
At the same time, scholarship expansion has created a different kind of pressure. Yes, there are more roster spots. But colleges aren’t just looking locally or nationally anymore. They’re recruiting globally. Players from Europe, Africa, Australia, and South America are coming in with high skill levels, strong fundamentals, and often fewer off court expectations.
That means New England kids aren’t just competing with the kid down the road or the next state over. They’re competing with the world. Work ethic, basketball IQ, versatility, and coachability matter more now than they ever have.
One thing that hasn’t changed at all. Academics. It doesn’t matter how talented you are or how much upside you have. Poor decisions and poor grades will shut doors quickly. There are no shortcuts here.
For the adults in the room coaches, parents, trainers, mentors the responsibility has never been heavier. These kids trust us. If their development isn’t the priority, then we shouldn’t be involved.
Promotion is part of the game now, but in the NIL era, exaggeration does real damage. Inflating a kid’s height, mislabeling their position, inventing rankings, or overstating college interest doesn’t help them. It hurts them. College coaches have more access, more film, and more information than ever. They know what’s real, and they know what isn’t.
The pressure to sell players is real, but authenticity wins every time. The success stories we all celebrate scholarships, NIL deals, next level opportunities came from real development and real growth. The players who were misled by hype, false expectations, or bad advice often don’t get talked about, but their stories matter just as much.
With international recruiting on the rise, domestic players have to bring more than talent. Maturity. Accountability. Academic reliability. A realistic understanding of who they are and how they fit. Coaches are looking for players who know their role, buy into team success, and can be trusted. Traits that don’t show up in a highlight edit but absolutely show up in practices and games.
No one person is to blame for the current landscape. But collectively, we can do better. We owe it to these players to prepare them for a recruiting environment that is more competitive, more global, and more business driven than ever. Without losing sight of their long term growth as people.
And to the players, if there’s one thing you take with you this year, let it be this.
Listen to the people who tell you the things you don’t want to hear. Those are usually the ones trying to help you the most.
The road to college basketball in 2026 is more complicated than it’s ever been. But the things that actually lead to success haven’t changed. Work hard. Stay honest. Put the team first. Take care of your academics. Learn the new rules of the game. Just don’t forget why you started playing in the first place.