Get paid to playThere are about 400 players in the NBAWith TV dollars backing the NBA, players' salaries will continue
to climbIt helps to be tall, but you also need good coordination and speed
NCAA basketball tournament sites have been selected through 2007.
As coaches and agents try to smooth the path to the tournaments, they'll be
on the lookout for fresh young talent -- today's high school basketball players
could be the hand-picked stars of the future.
Do you have the skills, talent and attitude to be a basketball player?
In North America, both men and women have leagues that offer them a shot at
the big time.
The major men's basketball league is the National Basketball Association
(NBA), which has two conferences. The Eastern Conference has the Atlantic,
Southeast and Central Divisions, and the Western Conference has the Pacific,
Northwest and Southwest Divisions. There are currently 30 teams in the NBA.
The NBA Development League (NBA D-League) and the Continental Basketball
Association are both minor leagues. Another minor league is the United States
Basketball League (USBL), which is a summer league.
Women's basketball is also popular. The Women's National Basketball Association
(WNBA) is a women's professional league. There are 13 teams in the league.
How are new players drafted in professional basketball? Let's look at the
NBA. "Playoff teams get draft choices based on their record -- best team last.
There's a weighted lottery for all teams not going to the playoffs," explains
talent scout Dean Oliver.
"The worst team has the best chances for the top pick.... They only draw
three teams, which get the top three picks in the order drawn. The remainder
of all teams are ordered in inverse order of their record."
Basketball players require ability, experience and technical knowledge
of the sport. Players practice every day, lift weights, participate in exhibition
games and play regular season games.
In women's basketball, it helps to be tall, but height alone won't keep
you in the game. More specifically, you need good coordination, speed (both
vertical and lateral), balance, aggressiveness, reflexes and good hands.
"Physically, you have to take care of yourself," says basketball player
Carol Ann Shudlick. "You have to eat the right foods and get plenty of rest."
Alli Bills is a third assistant coach. "For women, the opportunities have
grown because they now have professional basketball in America," she says.
However, opportunities are more plentiful overseas, for both men and women.
"The opportunity to play over there is actually pretty good," says Bills.
Basketball players find overseas work through an agent with international
contacts. "Once they've played over there, other teams might recruit them
directly without going through the agent," explains Bills. She adds that overseas
work doesn't pay well, but it's a great experience.
Bills speculates that the OOH doesn't take NBA salaries into account when
calculating the averages. For the average player, however, the OOH salaries
are accurate. "And that includes America and Europe," says Bills.
The money is excellent, but keep in mind that NBA players have an average
NBA career of probably three to four years, according to Matt Akler. He is
the supervisor of publications and information with a basketball team.
"The CBA's salaries range from $15,000 to $35,000 per season," says Leonard
Greene with the Continental Basketball Association.
Head coach Steve Knight adds, "With TV dollars backing the NBA, players'
salaries will continue to climb. The market overseas is good, and basketball
is very popular, so opportunities will be available."
RegionAverage Annual EarningsAverage Hourly EarningsU.S. National$62,360-RegionOutlook2023 Workforce2023 to 2033 Growth RateU.S. NationalAbove Average25,10011%
While setting your sights on the pro leagues, it's best to go to college
and get your degree, says basketball player Carol Ann Shudlick. "Focus on
that because there will come a time when basketball won't be there," she warns.
"Develop as a player and intellectually."
Here is just one example of a school offering a related program:
Duke University
Health, Physical Education and Recreation
Wilson Center
P.O. Box 90548
Durham
,
NC
27708
USA
Internet
:
http://www.duke.edu/web/intramural/index.htm
Associations
National Basketball Association
Internet
:
http://www.nba.com/
NBA Development League
Internet
:
https://longisland.gleague.nba.com/dleague-101/
Women's National Basketball Association
Internet
:
http://www.wnba.com/
Links
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