College Basketball Recruiting: 15 Important Factors When Deciding on a School

Every year thousands of high school basketball players pick where they want to play in college.

Some are good enough to go to power schools like UCLA, Kentucky and Duke, while others are happy just to sign with a lower-level Division I school.

When deciding on that school, wherever it may be, there are certain factors every recruit takes into account.

Here's a look at 15 factors every recruit considers before committing and signing with a school.

15. Distance from Home

Some players like to stay close to home to play in college while others want to get as far away as possible.

Among this year's top recruits, UCLA got two players whom illustrate the different approaches.

Tony Parker from Miller Grove (Ga.) went across the country to play at Westwood while Shabazz Muhammad will come to town from Las Vegas.

Schools like Providence and Baylor also got top 10 players who were close to home, with the Friars getting Ricardo Ledo to stay in town to play his college ball and the Bears getting Isaiah Austin to stay in Texas.

And it's not just athletes that make this decision. Many college students will consider their distance from home when choosing a school.

Students who are really devoted to their family could be more likely to choose a school closer to home than a person who loves their independence or really didn't have a great home life.

14. School Size

Some schools, such as Florida, have a student population over 50,000 while other lower-level Division I schools have around 2500 students.

It all depends on what someone is comfortable with.

A few players will succeed as a little fish in a big pond (think Bradley Beal at Florida) while others are better at being a big fish in a small pond (think Jimmer Fredete at BYU).

13. Location

The location of a school could prove to make a huge difference for many recruits.

For those recruits who are from the South, a school in the Northeast might not be their cup of tea—although Jeremy Lamb certainly succeeded at Connecticut after coming from Norcross (Ga.).

Those from the North might choose to go somewhere other than the Southeastern part of the country where the heat and humidity get the best of them.

Others would make sure they didn't go to a school where certain natural disasters are common, like earthquakes in California or tornadoes in the Midwest.

Then, you have to think about what kind of town a school is located in.

Schools like Georgia Tech and Georgia State are located in the heart of Atlanta which would be great for someone who likes the city life.

Others, like Auburn and Alabama (Tuscaloosa), become two of the five largest towns in Alabama on game day. Other than that, the school is the main part of the town's population.

So recruits have to figure out where they want to be.

Those in larger areas can blend in more with the crowd and could be less likely to get into trouble if they're doing something wrong. Recruits in small towns like Athens, Georgia—where cops more frequently patrol the downtown streets—may more easily get caught doing the wrong thing.

It all depends on what you're most comfortable with.

12. Degree Programs

Although it's not the same sport, I think the example that Florida State's Myron Rolle set is one that has to be mentioned.

Rolle went to FSU and majored in exercise science.

He then received the Rhodes Scholarship and decided to forgo the NFL draft for one year to study at Oxford University in England to get a master's degree in medical anthropology.

Rolle made his education a priority, as do many other athletes across all college sports.

Having a degree that you want to major in is vital to picking a school.

If you know you're not going to make it to the NBA or NFL, having a degree to fall back on is the smartest option.

And why get a degree in something you're not interested in?

With your education paid for, you might as well take classes in a field of study that you're interested in.

11. What Brand the School Represents

Schools have their specific outfitter for their uniforms and shoes, such as Nike, Reebok, Adidas or others.

The same goes for AAU teams across the country.

I'm not saying that this is the reason why he committed to UCLA, but Tony Parker's Georgia Stars AAU team is sponsored by Adidas, as is the Bruins.

Some athletes might not commit to a school just because of the gear they wear, which is a rumor that was floating around about Shabazz Muhammad.

Again, I'm not saying these players committed to UCLA because of that, but I believe it's a very real possibility that this has happened.

10. Facilities

Let's face it: Nobody wants to go to a school where the gym and other practice facilities are run-down.

Recruits want to know that a school is spending the money on helping them be a successful program.

So if a gym is run down or the weight equipment looks old, that could play a large part in a recruit's decision.

9. How Hard They Were Recruited

Some players think about how hard certain schools recruited them.

Those schools that make an early offer to a recruit have a leg up as they will likely stick through the entire process with the player.

Other schools put out feelers and aren't sure about certain players. That can come back to haunt them—maybe a player commits before the school makes an offer or they're just eliminated all together because they never showed the serious interest the recruit wished they should have.

Regardless of the case, all athletes want to be wanted. They want those schools to push hard and roll out the red carpet for them.

8. Parent's Alma Mater

Danny Ainge played basketball at BYU, and so did his sons, Cooper and Austin.

For certain players, they dream of one day putting on that same uniform as their father.

It's a way to bond their legacies and give them something to talk about when it comes to tradition.

College basketball is a tough place to find this trend, but you see it a lot more in college football.

7. Dining Hall

The best way to a potential recruit is through his stomach.

If the school has an excellent dining hall with a lot of food choices, recruits will come away satisfied.

The hours of the dining hall will also be important, as some would love to go to a school where they can grab a burger or a slice of pizza at 2:00 AM on the weekend.

6. Game Day Atmosphere

Basketball players love when things get crazy in their gym.

When fans go wild over a rim-rattling dunk or a 3-pointer that takes the momentum away from another team, the atmosphere on game day is something all players want to be a part of.

That's why the fans play a large part in a recruit's decision.

Athletes want to know their fans are behind them and cheer them on no matter what the scoreboard reads.

5. Distance Between Classes

The proximity of a recruit's college classes also plays a huge role in their consideration of a school.

If one is going to have to be trekking across campus for all of their classes, it could lead them to consider going elsewhere.

Just like every other college student, athletes don't want to have to run from one class to another just to make it in time.

4. Girls

As much as I hate to admit it, high school boys are always going to notice how the girls look on campus.

That's just something natural that exists subconsciously in their brain.

When a recruit takes a visit to the school, there's no doubt he's looking at the basketball program, the coaches, possible future teammates and the campus, but he's also looking at the girls.

He wants to check out the prospects, and that could weigh in on his decision.

Again, I hate to admit this, because I wish it weren't true. But it's something that's become accepted in our society and something that many men will look at when choosing a school.

3. Coaching

The coaches you will play for are another important factor when deciding on a college.

Some coaches use a system that perfectly suits you while others don't. Some coaches choose to yell and scream at their players to get their point across.

Certain athletes don't respond to that kind of feedback and may opt to go another direction towards a coach who is more encouraging.

Athletes who consider themselves to be religious could look for a coach that will support their beliefs or believe the same things they do.

By doing that, it opens the door for the player and coach to have conversation on a much deeper level outside of basketball.

2. Tradition

Any player growing up as a college basketball fan dreams of putting on Duke or Carolina blue, playing in Pauley Pavilion or Rupp Arena or playing under coaches like Mike Krzyzewski or Billy Donovan.

The tradition of a school is important to any player.

They want to be the next Magic Johnson, Larry Bird, Michael Jordan or Bill Walton at those respective schools.

Tony Parker, who recently committed to UCLA, said he was looking forward to getting UCLA back to where it once was.

Parker realizes the tradition of UCLA, and he committed to it.

1. Playing Time

The reason many guys start playing the game is just that...they want to play the game.

The same goes for players when deciding on a college.

They want a chance to play.

If a player doesn't feel like they're going to get a decent amount of playing time by the time they're in their second or third year, then what's the reason for going to that school?

They could go to a mid-major or lower-level school and get the playing time they desire—likely a lot more in their freshman or sophomore years than they would get at a major program.