Kampe finding ways to recruit from a distance
With the arrival of spring comes an important time for college basketball recruits and coaches to get to know each other.
It’s all different this year with the Novel Coronavirus COVID-19 changing the norms. The NCAA has suspended all recruiting on and off campus until at least April 15.
Oakland University’s men’s basketball coach Greg Kampe is coming up with different ways to handle the situation.
“A player’s creative way is showing me a video. My creative way now is trying to come up with a virtual tour of the university, a virtual tour of the arena on game day, testimonials from players,’’ Kampe said. “It’s things like that we’re trying to do while they’re in their homes to get them to maybe commit to us without a visit.’’
Depending on what happens with COVID-19 in the next few weeks the April 15 date could be extended.
“There is a good chance it could be the middle of May before we can visit,’’ Kampe said.
There could be a time crunch since school starts June 22 at Oakland.
It’s all complicated with the possibility that a new NCAA rule for the transfer portal will become effective early in May. That rule — which Kampe expects to be enacted — would allow a onetime transfer that would let a student play immediately instead of sitting out for a year. Kampe thinks if that happens there could be 2,000 students in the portal, covering all divisions.
“I think you’ll see Division 2 kids in there that hope they can play Division 1. I think you’ll see high major kids in there that will transfer to other high major schools. I think you’ll see the wild, wild West if that happens and I believe it will happen and I believe it will be the beginning of May,’’ Kampe said.
Kampe has four scholarships open for next season.
“To get immediate help, I’d rather have a kid who’s averaged 15 points a game in Division 1. Of those four there’s still going to be some high school kids, but I want to see if I can get that transfer first,’’ said Kampe who just completed his 36th season at Oakland.
Visits are essential for both transfers and seniors.
“We have to unlock this idea you’ve got to come take a visit and we’ve got to move the needle with kids. How do we do that? We’re brainstorming, experimenting with those types of things that we
can put on a video that we can put on YouTube where they can go and look at it,’’ Kampe said.
It’s key for him to get Oakland out there.
“I’ve got to believe there’s going to be panic in these kids.
“They don’t want to be in the middle of June not knowing where they’re going to be next year,’’ Kampe said.
“If I’m a high school kid or a junior college transfer or a guy in the portal I want to make a decision where I’m going. I can’t do that right now other than phone calls.
“Is it going to come down to who’s the best on the phone? I hope not. I hope we can come up with creative ways in getting young men to come play for us here,’’ Kampe said.
It’s not just COVID-19 that has added a new wrinkle to spring recruiting.
“The transfer portal changed everything. At this time last year we were done, ready to go and then in the beginning of May I had four kids leave,’’ Kampe said.
Oakland’s campus is closed for all students at least until the end of the spring semester on April 25.
For most people, the COVID-19 virus causes only mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia. The vast majority of people recover.