Before committing to play basketball after high school, you need to fully understand what you’re signing up for. Playing at the post-secondary level is rewarding, but it is not easy, and it is not casual.

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The Reality of the Commitment

Playing basketball at the next level is HARD

• Coaches will yell at you
• You likely won’t play right away but you’ll still be expected to train like a starter from day one. </aside>

The Queen’s Men’s Basketball team preparing for Nationals at VTT in 2025.

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A typical in-season week often includes:

• 4–5 team practices

• 4 lifting sessions

• 3 individual skill sessions

• 2–3 cardio or conditioning sessions

• Weekend games (often 2 games from October–March)

• Roughly 20+ hours per week dedicated to basketball

  (Plus mandatory study hall at many schools often another 5–10 hours)

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SSB’s Cobra Teams Practice 3 to 4 times a week with elite coaches

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Sacrifice Is Part of the Deal

It takes a lot of COMMITMENT to play

You give up a lot of a typical University experience to play

What your life will look like:

1. School
2. Basketball
3. Social

• Your social life takes a major backseat to basketball, your team becomes your social life
• That means team culture matters a lot because you’ll spend most of your time together

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Not Everyone Makes It

• Many programs see 60% or more attrition within a recruiting class.
• Some athletes leave because of injuries, burnout, academics, or simply realizing it’s not what they expected. </aside>

The Big Question to Ask Yourself

Before committing, ask yourself honestly:

Do you want to play basketball at University knowing this? Why?