AAU basketball, at its core, isn’t about the games. Its not about who actually wins the tournaments or how many point a particular player scores.
Its about exposure. Its about playing against the best competition in the country with evaluators – scouting services, college coaches, etc. – watching. Its about earning a spot on a college basketball team.
McKenzie Moore epitomizes the benefits of AAU basketball.
The 6’7” point guard for Team 94 (CA) is a member of the Class of 2011, but he is here at West Virginia Jam Fest because he is a late-bloomer. Moore has only been playing organized basketball for two years, meaning that he is a relative unknown on the recruiting circuit.
Moore is taking advantage of this opportunity for exposure, as he has been one of the breakout stars of this tournament.
“The goal was to show that I can play, which I have,” Moore said. “I want to keep doing it, but keep playing to win.”
One of the reasons that Moore has yet to decide on a school to head to in the fall is due to his late start in organized basketball. Since he didn’t expect to be playing hoops at the high school level – let alone at the collegiate level – he wasn’t concerned with the concept of NCAA eligibility.
“I didn’t know that there were core classes needed for the NCAA, because I didn’t think [playing college basketball] was possible,” Moore said. “I didn’t really think about it.”
“I had to take an extra year to finish those core classes and to take the ACT.”
Moore has completed his requirements to be cleared by the NCAA – including getting a 26 on a recent ACT – which means he now has to find a school that wants him and, more importantly, that has room for him.
Moore said that some Big East and Pac-10 schools are showing interest, but that Providence – due to their style of play, the opportunity to play the point, and his relationship with the coaching staff – has stood out.
