2016 Spring AAU Events

The star-studded class of 2016 will be making their final appearances in All-Star games throughout the country in March and April while the spring AAU season is about to kick-off for players ready to make their mark in 2017, 2018, and 2019. The NCAA has two live spring recruiting periods scheduled beginning in mid-April. Tournaments and dates will be updated as they become available:

ALL-STAR GAME                         DATE                             LOCATION

McD’s AA practices                                       March 27-29 (Sun-Tues)             Chicago, IL

McD’s Game                                                March 30 (Wed)                          Chicago, IL

Nike Hoop Summit                                       April 9 (Sat)                               Portland, OR

Jordan Brand                                               April 15 (Friday)                         Brooklyn, NY

TOURNAMENT / EVENT             SPONSOR                      LOCATION                                 

April 15-17 (Live Session #1)

Nike EYBL #1                                              Nike                                           Brooklyn, NY

UA Association 1                                          UnderArmour                              New York

Adidas #1                                                   Adidas                                        Duncanville, TX

April 22-24 (Live Session #2)

Nike EYBL #2                                              Nike                                           Indianapolis, IN

UA Association #2                                       Under Armour                             Westfield, IN

Adidas #2                                                   Adidas                                        Suwanee, GA

May 13-15

Nike EYBL #3                                              Nike                                           Hampton, VA         

Gibbons TOC                                               Gibbons                                      Suwanee, GA

May 27-29

Nike EYBL #4                                              Nike                                           Suwanee, GA

UA Association #3                                       Under Armour                             Los Angeles, CA

June 3-5

Pangos All-American Camp                           Pangos                                       Long Beach, CA

Super Soph Camp                                                                                         Atlanta, GA

Mohamed Bamba Prepares For His Future

No matter what recruiting service you look at, 6’11” Mohamed Bamba ranks as a top 5 prospect in the 2017 junior class. He might even have the most long-term potential given his 7’6” wing span which will make NBA scouts drool in just a few months. While Bamba is fresh off winning a Pennsylvania Independent School state championship for Westtown he is currently getting ready for his last AAU season, but he is also preparing for his future.

On March 11-12, the 10^th annual Sloan Sports Analytic Conference was held in Boston with almost 4,000 people in attendance. As the premier sports conference in the country, Houston Rockets General Manager Darryl Morey brought in a premier crop of panelists to discuss the future of analytics in sports, the future of sports media rights, and modern sports finance to name a few. The event took place at the Boston Convention & Exhibit Center and also included various competitive advantage presentations and workshops. With speakers such as Michael Lewis and Nate Silver sharing their knowledge attendees were exposed to a treasure of information. One attendee that will be able to put his learnings into action one day was the 6’11” Bomba.

Bamba towered over the rest of the conference attendees including former NBA players Shane Battier and Brian Scalabrine, as he soaked up information through the two-day event. He attended panels regarding the future of the front office with Bob Myers, General Manager of the Golden State Warriors and Modern NBA Coaching with Mike Brown, Scott Brooks, and Vinny Del Negro. In addition, Bamba was able to listen to professors discuss research papers regarding the proper evaluation of complimentary skill sets when evaluating NBA player values to a specific team as well as injury prevention panels through wearables for athletes.

The Sloan Sports Conference is usually attended by industry professionals as well as students looking for potential internships or jobs. In Bamba’s case, it’s refreshing and exciting to see such a talented individual recognize his gifts and push himself both on and off the court.