As a College GA / SM, how much Intel should I give to NBA teams?
Working in the NBA
One of the most important things you can do to further your career is give NBA teams intel.
One of the biggest things you can do to hinder your career is give NBA teams intel.
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While I worked in Video and Scouting for the Trail Blazers, I often needed to connect with College Graduate Assistant’s and Student Managers to get access to certain Video. This was an opportunity for both us. For me to get to know them and get what I needed, video. And for them to meet me and get what they needed, insights into the NBA. And then there was the thing I didn’t need but I wanted… Intel.
NBA teams love Intel. Anyone can watch a college game, evaluate a player, and write a scouting report. But getting to know a player’s practice habits, leadership abilities, coachability, character, and more… is a key part to the evaluation process.
Oftentimes, the GA’s and Student Manager’s held the keys to what I was looking for. But what should they do with those keys?
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My Rules For You:
1 – Speak Positively, Always
When Kevin Pritchard was the GM of the Trail Blazers, he used to tell us, in regards to talking to other teams about players, only speak positively. We wanted to increase the value of our players, not decrease.
While working for a college team, you don’t want to be the reason a player’s value is lessened. You only want to increase their value. This doesn’t mean you have to lie. Just tell the truth, to a limit.
For example: one of my buddies who is an Assistant Coach with a Top 5 program would tell me, Player X is the hardest working player on the team. He comes to the gym two hours before practice and comes back in every night.
Player Y is Top 5 on the team. He shows up to practice everyday,
This tells me all I need to know. Player X is going to continue to improve and put in the extra work. Player Y likely is who they are.
2 – Only Give Out What Your ‘Coach’ is OK with
It’s pretty common in basketball circles to share Intel. In your case, I’d go with, Use Your Best Judgement. If I’m a GA or SM, I am likely not going to ask the Head Coach if it’s okay to talk to NBA personnel about players. They’ll likely be protective and tell you not to share anything. But… someone who is more of a direct report, check in with them and make sure everyone is on the same page.
3 – Yes, to Giving Out Intel!
So long as you’re on the same page, and you are speaking positively, it’s a great opportunity for you to build relationships in the NBA. NBA teams crave Intel and you have it. Use that to your advantage. One thing I always say when sending in your resumes is, what separates you? What makes your resume different from others? Having access to Intel on particular players IS something that separates you. Use that. But be smart about it.
4 – Don’t Let Yourself Be Taken Advantage Of
Sorry to say, but some NBA personnel don’t care about you, they’ll want to use you to get that Intel! In those regards, it’s fine to just say you aren’t allowed to share. Make sure when you are giving out Intel that it is to someone you trust. One thing I would always do was ask if the person giving me the Intel wanted their name on the report. This would allow me to put their name in the comments (and therefore their name in front of the GM and other scouts). But also, they would have the opportunity for me to leave their name off of it and just put ‘trusted source with team.’ What you don’t want to happen is that word leaks out that you told someone something and that gets back to the Head Coach (if the Head Coach wouldn’t authorize or support what you say).
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Don’t lose or risk the opportunity you are currently in. But also, use your current opportunity to create the next. It can be a fine line of a dance but hopefully this can give you a framework to operate in.