OT - 17 yr. old kid Alex Kline hired by Rivals.com
Link: http://basketballrecruiting.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=1362837
I've never heard of nor visited the site, but Alex Kline is a basketball recruiting analyst who founded the recruiting site The Recruit Scoop. It doesn't specify how long he's been doing this, but since he's only 17 and the fact that there is yet to be a wiki page written about either him or his recruiting site, Rivals must have got in on him early.
Thoughts? Well, he's young. And I wish I could have had a job like this at the age of 17. He has a huge twitter following, and he must be good if Rivals decided to actually hire him. I just hope that these kids don't start getting hired by scouting sites just to get that "in" with high schools to obtain competitive advantage over other sites. This may be the next step to taking recruiting WAY too far.
Edit: http://www.therecruitscoop.com/ - already given the Rivals touch
I find this extremely funny on multiple levels. And actually a little bit concerning. But mostly just really really funny.
But he'll probably need to redshirt. As with most high schoolers, he has all the attributes you want in a good recruiter, but he'll need to work on his writing form. That should develop quickly with college-level recruiter coaching though. Props to Rivals for getting in on him early, before his stock really went up.
I'm 17...where's my rivals job?
I'm a man! I'm 40!... where's my rivals job?
I was covering recruiting and doing it when I was 18. That was 1991. I broke my first story during my first semester in college and was hooked.
There was NO ONE covering recruiting then. Most of the players I called were stunned to discover that anyone cared. I worked for several print publications and they'd pay me per story or per profile. I could string together a slew of players to hit and finance a Grateful Dead east coast tour that way.
One of the first stories that I covered was on the decommitment from NC State of Damon Jones. He went to Michigan...was very good...and then set off a pipe bomb in his dorm room and ended up at a MAC school. Ended up playing for the Jacksonville Jaguars.
And now...some people care a little too much (31 year old sex offender guy).
Maybe it's time for someone to open up a recruiting site for the rankers? Rivals, ESPN, 24/7, Scout all extending offers to 5 star 17-year old...and he picks Rivals. This could be big.
I didn't commit to a job till I was 22. I suppose the advances in recruiting have really pressured kids to commit to the working world earlier
I read an article about this kid. He seems pretty amazing but the thing I kept wondering is if he can keep it up after graduating high school. It sounded like the reason that recruits talked to him is because he was like one of them - not some old guy. But when he graduates high school it seems like the main appeal goes away. Either way, its a pretty cool story.
He shouldn't have much of a problem now that he's with Rivals. If he stayed independent he would've had problems being a creepy old guy. Instead, he has a Rivals badge so kids will still talk to him i would think.
He shouldn't have much of a problem now that he's with Rivals. If he stayed independent he would've had problems being a creepy old guy. Instead, he has a Rivals badge so kids will still talk to him i would think.
He keeps getting all these guys to commit really early, and they're just trying to keep up.
Congrats to him!
Not a bad gig to get! Best of luck!
As long as he keeps his cell padding level down his vspace could reach negative numbers.
I heard ESPN pulled their offer/didnt want him.
/11 warriors reply
there was an article in ESPN the Magazine or SI, don't remember which, all about him, how hard he works and how much of the coaching community listens to him. even created a charity bball game dedicated to his mom that gets a LOT of hs talent to play. players feel ok talking to him bc of his age and coaches feel he knows his stuff. wish i could find the link.
everybody should read this:
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vault/article/magazine/MAG1192862/index.htm
One of the great developments of the internet age is that a lot of people can get hired solely on performance now. The kid produced and now has a great job. More power to him. May he be the first of many.
So is this a case of a highly hyped 4-star, or a 3-star with a high ceiling?