Manders
Yesterday

Instagram

Ok. Really interesting to see the profile of young players on Instagram versus their results and their selections. Does there need to be a reality check between the twilight zone of instagram posts and posts by coaches and the reality of these guys' futures?

If I was advising a young player coming through, I would most definitely tell them to avoid like the plague Instagram pages and coaches that promote through Instagram. No added value to the actual player in the real world and much transfer of value to those trading off young kids - basically adults trading off kids for free. In fact, if you look at appearances on Instagram against selections or real world success, then it may be the case that these posts are quite detrimental, and so coaches with the best interests of their "guys" would take a different approach and not post. But they are trying to make money ....

I am also really worried about adults running Instagram pages promoting kids without any regulation. Sometimes it just feels like a weird thing.

Tell me I am wrong. Also tell me what basketball associations are doing about this.

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DeepWombat
A few hours ago

I have some of the same misgivings about the Instagram content creators. Ultimately they are profiting by using the kids as the product. I particularly don't like the critical posts of kids - for example there was one a while back questioning a kid’s age, and the fact that the is barely, if any, moderation of the comments on their posts.

However there is some value in it for the truly elite kids, particularly those on the div 1 college pathway. I know of some instances of college coaches and scouts (and agents) contacting kids because they saw these Instagram posts. Some of them have views in the 100s of thousands.

Also in the brave new NIL world, part of the NIL negotiation is judging value by how many social media follower the kids have, which is undoubtedly grown by being featured on these Insta pages.

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Hooping
A few hours ago

International players are unable to sign NIL deals within the USA due to their visa class. This may change at some point.

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DeepWombat
A few hours ago

International players are signing NIL deals now. Alex Condon has signed deals with Fair Game Australia, Clontarf Foundation, Koya Aboriginal Corporation and the Florida Gators official NIL partner Florida Victorious. Tyrese Proctor has signed NIL deals with Podium and Fan Arch.

International players either get paid for NIL through international companies above, or they sign with US companies and the money magically appears in the Australian bank accounts, wink wink, nudge, nudge.

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TB
Today

Agree there are way too many coaches using athletes to push their own agendas while providing nothing to the players.

Think an easy way to spot when someone is "using" the players or just generally up themselves is if they dont have any success stories of actually improving athletes, if the posts are of the "clickbait" variety making outrageous statements to generate interest (which can put athletes in the firing line) or just lots of sharp cuts showing not much or coaches that refer to athletes as "my players," claiming all of their success at their own.

Bonus points if the coach pretends to "move in silence" but is continously posting everyday ;")

However, if the parents have given permission to post (rare) and the messaging is positive I dont think theres an issue with it in todays day and age.

In SA we wish we had the amount of interest there is in Melbourne but there are trade offs

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Hoops

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