If the NBA had an Entrance Exam

By:   Dan Barto,  Director of Player Development IMG Basketball Academy and The PTC

The NBA and NCAA have made it clear that they are going to push harder in the direction of character filtration processes to reinvent the image of players, strengthen the brand, and controlling competitiveness between franchises. 

Is it fair?  Probably not by today's standards but let's look at the concept of an entrance exam.  Unlike the Wonderlic test, this will determine a player's basketball IQ, love for the game, basketball-specific creativity, and work threshold.   

The idea consists of 4 sections in which two of the first three sections will count as well as section four for a total score of 1200 points.  Once the test is graded only the score will be revealed much like the SAT.  

Part One:  The History of the NBA (400 points)

Like Jeopardy, the players will have a couple of books with tons of facts and statistics.  The questions will be multiple-choice with the all of the above/none of the above option on every question.  Though simplistic in theory, it would be a great way to judge the all important "Love for the Game."

Part Two:  Short Answer Breakdown (400 points)

This is a short answer section in which the players will be able to answer things ranging from situational basketball to expectation of the differences in rules and style of play in the NBA versus one another, and college and international.

Part Three:  Film Breakdown (400 points)

Players will have written situations explaining the dynamics surrounding the upcoming film piece.  The players will watch the film piece and then answer the 5 questions in written form that relate to each film piece.  There will be a total of 4 film pieces worth 100 points each.  The questions will have a human scorer with a basketball background grade based on 20 points.

Part Four:  Future Predictions (400 points)

The last section of the test will ask the players to explain the career route and the reasons associated with their success.  The players will be urged to express creativity and ability to organization for this portion.  This section is the most rigorous and important section.

As mentioned in my last blog, the NBA Early Age and Draft Committee will create the exam with it's wealth of knowledge and decide in which ways it should be used.