How to Select the Best Basketball Camp

There's an old saying in basketball that teams are made in the winter and spring, but players are made in the summer.

Right now, basketball players all across North America are making plans to spend their summers working on their games.  Some will spend it in the gym, others in the driveway or the park, and some may attend a basketball camp or two.  But with a limited time to work on their game, and hundreds of options to choose from, how does a player find the best basketball camp for their own personal development?

Here are 4 things you may not have considered, that will help you choose the best basketball camp this summer:  

1)    Local College vs. Brand Name:

Most local colleges and universities have their own summer basketball camps, but don't think they're the only game in town.  The best basketball camp for you may be a brand name basketball camp that happens to be running a session in your neck of the woods.  Camps like Five Star, Point Guard College, and Hoop Group have sessions that run out of local high schools and colleges, so make sure you take a look at what's coming up in your area beyond the local options.  The best basketball camp for you may be IN your backyard, but not FROM your backyard!

2)    Player Exposure vs. Player Development:

Players go to different basketball camps for different reasons, so finding the best basketball camp for you largely depends on what you're looking for.  Some camps like Five Star and ABCD tend to attract players looking to get noticed by college coaches and AAU teams, and therefore have more games being played throughout the day.  Other camps like Point Guard College and Hoop Group develop players by offering significant instruction beyond the hardwood.  The best basketball camp for you may largely depend on whether you're looking to get better faster, or get noticed faster.

3)    On Court vs. Off Court Development:

The best basketball camp for you may not spend all their time on the court doing drills and playing games.  These days, the top basketball camps out there also offer video analysis, leadership training, and breaking down basketball related concepts in the classroom setting to develop a player's mind and leadership abilities off the court.  With so much of the game being mental, it's important to consider the value of spending time learning how to think the game and not just how to play.  The best basketball camp for you may offer more of the latter.

4)    Day Camps vs. Overnight Camps

Some of the best parts about basketball camp are not the time you spend on the court, but the time you spend making relationships that will last a lifetime.  The best basketball camp for you doesn't have to be one with an overnight experience, but if that's what you're going for this summer, make sure you determine how many days and how many nights your camp offers so you can get the best value for your dollar.

Summary:

As you plan for another summer on the hardwood, think hard about your options for how you're going to spend your time.  If attending the best basketball camp is part of your skill development approach, make sure you take a few of these thoughts into consideration so you can get the best experience possible this summer.