Explaining college basketball's recruiting calendar & AAU schedule

When one basketball season comes to an end, another begins. With the close of the college basketball season next weekend, it will officially becoming recruiting season for the Villanova Wildcats basketball staff. The spring/summer AAU circuit represents the time of year when a staff gets most of their scouting and recruiting done, while their own program is out of season.

Below is the official spring/summer calendar for 2015 from the NCAA, along with the definitions of the different periods:

The Quiet Period is a restricted time that prevents a coach from having any off-campus contact with the prospect. Here is what is allowed:

• Unofficial visits
• Official visits
• Letters
• Emails
• Calls

The Dead Period is the most restrictive time for communication between the coach and the prospect. Here is what is allowed:

• Letters
• Emails
• Calls
• College visits (but prospects cannot meet with the coaching staff)

The Recruiting Period (sometimes known as the Contact Period) has minimal restrictions on contact.  You can meet on or off-campus, and the coach is allowed to watch the prospect at their games.  Here is what is allowed

• Unofficial visits
• Official visits
• Off-campus/home visits
• Letters
• Emails
• Calls
• Event viewing / evaluations during high school/prep/AAU competition

The Evaluation Period is a tiny bit more restrictive than the Recruiting Period, and is primarily for the coach to "evaluate" the prospects.  The major difference here is that the coach cannot have any off-campus contact with the athlete or their parent.  Here is what is allowed:

• Unofficial visits
• Official visits
• Letters
• Emails
• Calls
• Event viewing / evaluations during high school/prep/AAU competition

With that out of the way, here the events to keep an eye out for this spring. There are three main AAU circuits, all sponsored by the big sneak companies (Nike, Adidas and Under Armour). If you're in to scouting

Nike EYBL

The EYBL has four circuit stops, followed by the Peach Jam championship in July. Villanova has done quite well in the past pulling recruits from the Nike AAU programs (shocker, Villanova is a Nike school) with players like Josh Hart and Phil Booth (Team Takeover), Mikal Bridges and Donte DiVincenzo (Team Final) and Jalen Brunson (Mac Irvin Fire) all hailing from this grassroots circuit.

Omari Spellman will take the lead for the PSA Cardinals this year with Tyus Battle moving over to Team Final. Other prospects that hold 'Nova offers are Lamar Stevens and Lonnie Walker (Team Final), Eddie Ekiyor (CIA Bounce), and Jordan Tucker (NY Lightning).

• Hampton, VA: April 10-12
• Lexington, KY: April 24-26
• Houston, TX: May 8-10
• Minneapolis, MN: May 22-25
• North Augusta, SC (Peach Jam): July 15-19

Adidas Uprising

The Adidas circuit follows a different format than Nike. Three team events, dubbed the Gauntlet Series, are mixed in with player-specific training/evaluation camps across the spring and summer.

Rawle Alkins (NY Rens) is the big name for Villanova fans on the Adidas circuit.

• Dallas, TX: April 10-12
• Indianapolis, IN: April 24-26
• Las Vegas, NV (Summer Championships): July 22-26
• Atlanta, GA (Adidas Nations): May 1-3
• Houston, TX (Adidas Nations): May 15-17
• New York, NY (All-American Camp): July 15-17

Under Armour Association

The UAA circuit features three round-robin weekend series before the finals in July, and also features the SC30 Camp, which invites the top 20 guards to workout with Stephen Curry for four days. JayVaughn Pinkston (New Heights), Ryan Arcidiacono (PA Playaz), Kris Jenkins (DC Assault) and Tim Delaney (WE-R-1) all hail from the Under Armour circuit.

Juwan Durham (injured, Team Breakdown), plus Trevon Duval and Quade Green (WE-R-1) are the prospects of note here for Villanova.

• New Orleans, LA: April 10-12
• Louisville, KY: April 24-26
• New York, NY: May 22-24
• Atlanta, GA (Finals): July 15-18