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Why do basketball commitments rarely flip while football commitments constantly do flip?

Posted on 10/22/25 at 9:11 pm
Posted by CCTider
Member since Dec 2014
25060 posts
Posted on 10/22/25 at 9:11 pm
It's not like basketball recruiting is squeaky clean. It's famously sleazy and shameless. But you almost never see anyone flip, or really even hear about guys getting recruited after they commit somewhere.
Posted by RammerJammer91
Member since Jan 2016
5502 posts
Posted on 10/23/25 at 8:26 am to
I think there’s a gentleman’s agreement that once a kid commits, other schools back off. They won’t make another run at a player who is committed until he opens his recruitment back up.
Posted by Hugh McElroy
Member since Sep 2013
19242 posts
Posted on 10/23/25 at 8:29 am to
I think it’s the psychological differences between a team in basketball and in football. Football is so large, it’s more of an institution. At its best, it’s a brotherhood. But it’s easier to walk away from an institution.

Committing to a basketball team is committing to a smaller group of guys, more like (at its best) a family.
Posted by BhamTigah
Lurker since Jan 2003
Member since Jan 2007
17217 posts
Posted on 10/24/25 at 8:01 am to
Basketball recruiting for decades has been about relationships with AAU coaches and handlers. Even with NIL, I would imagine it still requires greasing the wheels with these relationships, and as long as the schools keep the wheels properly greased, the handlers keep encouraging the kids to remain committed.

Football has always been more about relationships with high school coaches and directly with players and their families. NIL changed this drastically.

I don't thinkbasketball players themselves are any more committed to the college, as the transfer portal is still very active.
This post was edited on 10/24/25 at 8:02 am
Posted by surgicalvenom
Omaha
Member since Jan 2014
6361 posts
Posted on 10/31/25 at 1:45 pm to
But basketball players seem to transfer in High numbers after their freshman year.
Posted by OU Guy
Member since Feb 2022
23477 posts
Posted on 11/7/25 at 9:28 am to
We need data to decide if its really different. Whats the roster size of football and basketball teams. And then how many transfers for each as a percentage.

It may not be so different but perception can distort reality.
Posted by Tigerpride18
Lakewood Colorado
Member since Sep 2017
31850 posts
Posted on 11/8/25 at 12:48 am to
theres not as many basketball commits
Posted by Windy City
Member since Jun 2019
2134 posts
Posted on 11/10/25 at 11:40 am to
The easy answer is shoe companies. They have rigged the game.

Major recruits depend solely on two national networks that killed the traditional AAU process. If you are not featured in one of the Nike EYBL or Adidas 3SSB national events, you are not going to get in from of the major college coaches. Most recruiting is really done through a kids early junior year, and NIL has flowed into places like Link Academy and Montverde and elsewhere.

Unlike football, major prospect don't plan on being in college long. They go to Duke for a year or two at the most and the get rich in the NBA, the G League, or overseas,

These shoe companies are also in bed with the university athletic departments and coaches.

so everything gets done and dusted behind the scenes and the money have little incentive to let the various programs try to outbid each other. The colleges like it as well.
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