We have been in the basketball scouting business for over a decade and feel fortunate that we’ve grown NetScouts Basketball as much as we have. We’ve been scouting all over the globe, been to China with our USA All-Star teams over a dozen times, and have been in every corner of the USA, scouting every level of basketball. Now it’s time to give something back and help those who want to get started in the business.
NetScouts Basketball has joined forces with Sports Management Worldwide (SMWW), a leader in the sports industry training business in conducting this four-month apprenticeship program. The program will be more structured than previously with regular phone calls featuring special guests including NBA personnel and college coaches. Generally we would like applicants to have completed SMWW’s Basketball GM & Scouting course prior to entering this program but we will make some exceptions based on your experience.
The next group will start on October 30, 2023. If you are interested please contact us and forward your resume/CV. Thanks!
Scout trainees will be:
- Credentialed for college basketball or overseas club or professional games in your geographic area where you will live-scout alongside professional scouts at press row (Fall/Winter session)
- Assigned video scouting of overseas international tournaments (Spring/Summer session)
- Live scouting of high school/AAU events (Spring/Summer session)
- Trained in NetScouts Basketball’s scouting process
- Writing scouting reports which will be critiqued by NetScouts Basketball
- Writing content for games covered which may be featured on our website and others, including Eurobasket, USBasket and SMWWScouts.
- Take part in 16 weekly audio chats with occasional NBA scouts and agents and college coach guests
- Receiving important industry experience and the ability to use the apprenticeship program as an excellent resume reference
- Professional resume rewrite to meet basketball industry standards
- Four-month access to Synergy Sports Technology video analytics software ($1,300 value) and training in the software which will be used as part of the scouting process
- Full web page with photo and bio for one-year on the smwwscouts.com website ($320 value)
- SMWW Basketball Scout business cards ($50 value)
- SMWW Polo shirt ($50 value)
Trainees who have completed the program with sufficient live-scouting and video-scouting experience and submitted scouting reports in the quality required will be evaluated and those passing the program will have an important resume feature to add.
This program is available for the cost of $1950 (plus shipping cost for materials – there is generally a discount for SMWW alumni). There are also non-USA geographic discounts available. We may limit the acceptance of applicants to this program based on geographic area. This is now a 4-month program run at least twice each year. Those who have completed one apprenticeship group may re-enroll for 50% off. The spring/summer session will feature video scouting of European youth tournaments and domestic high school/AAU events. The fall/winter session will feature live college scouting when available.
Here are a few testimonials from graduates of our program:
“NetScouts Basketball gave me an opportunity to experience working in a high-level basketball setting and helped inspire me by watching some of basketball’s best coaches. This allowed me to continue to pursue a future in basketball and helped me land a Division 2 assistant coach position.” – John Cavaliere, Head Coach, Concordia College of New York
“Interning for NetScouts Basketball was a tremendous opportunity to get started in the basketball industry. I was able to learn from some of the best in the business and gain some real-world, practical experience in the field. Through this internship, I was provided with the opportunities to get out into the scouting world and add a respected organization to my resume. I would encourage those who have the opportunity to take full advantage and build as many meaningful relationships as possible through this program. It was a great way to break into the industry!” – Cameron Schott, Assistant Coach, Menlo College
“Getting a job in pro basketball is all about separating yourself from the hundreds of other applicants and NetScouts/SMWW do just that. There’s no substitute for being in arenas, seeing players in-person and learning what it means to be a scout on the fly. Building your skill set through courses then applying what you’ve learned to live game action is invaluable experience. NetScouts/SMWW had a huge role in molding me into a basketball operations professional and I use what I learned during my time in the apprenticeship program to this day.” – Keaton Davis, Head Analytics Coordinator, New York Liberty (WNBA)
“The SMWW/NetScouts Basketball Scout Apprenticeship Program was an excellent opportunity to kick-start my scouting growth and development. I gained invaluable in-person scouting experience at DePaul and Northwestern and established a strong fundamental understanding of the international youth basketball landscape through FIBA U16 and U18 video-scouting projects. While there is no tried-and-true path into a career in scouting and basketball operations, this program certainly served as a nice springboard in bolstering my scouting chops and broadening my basketball network.” – Jon Chepkevich, Partner and Director of Scouting, Draft Express
“If you need hands on experience scouting, including feedback and formatting reports, then NetScouts has an ideal option, with their in-depth scouting program. Having spent a full NCAA season scouting for them across the US, I had support the whole way. Entry into games, great seats and excellent advice. Now, with NetScouts teaming up with SMWW, they’ve gone to a new level. I highly recommend this program to anyone looking to start out in the basketball industry.” – Dan Gould, International Scouting Consultant, Melbourne United
“The NetScouts Basketball/SMWW apprenticeship program is a great opportunity for anyone with an interest in pursuing a career in basketball. Being a credentialed member on press row was a dream come true for me. You are given the tools to hone your skills of talent evaluation and get feedback on your reports about how to improve. Mr. Berman is hands on with his feedback and has a great deal of respect and experience in this business. While in the program, I attended several SOCON basketball games in my area and two years later I am now coaching in the same conference. Take advantage of this position by forming genuine relationships with as many people as you can.” Cody Deas, Basketball Video Scout, Sports Info Solutions
“Learning under Carl Berman of NetScouts Basketball was an extremely valuable experience. Not only as a basketball evaluator but also with growing my writing capabilities. He helped me learn the ins and outs of the basketball industry and all of the details to look for when covering a team or a player. I would highly recommend getting involved with NetScouts and SMWW in any way you can. The connections and experience you gain will be invaluable.” Alec Lasley, Senior Writer, TheHoosier.com (a Rivals.com website)
“Working and learning under Carl at NetScouts Basketball was an important experience for my growth as a basketball talent evaluator. While working for NetScouts helped shape the way I see the game, it also gave me a platform for exposure.” – Ronnie Levi, Founder, Sababasket and General Manager, Inter Aliyah Club (Israel)
“NetScouts Basketball offers the only opportunity for aspiring scouts to gain meaningful experience scouting live Division 1 games at press row. The program enabled me to be credentialed for high-level college games and hone my scouting ability in a professional setting. Through this unique process, you will drastically improve your ability to evaluate players and assemble professional scouting reports. The scouting experience I’ve gained with NetScouts has contributed directly to my professional development and has resulted in new career opportunities. I highly recommend the program to anyone interested in scouting or working in basketball at any level.” – Mike Duffy, Assistant Coach, SUNY New Paltz
“NetScouts Basketball has been an integral part of my journey, and stands out as one of the best opportunities in the world. The ability to watch high-level basketball at press row has helped me grow as a talent evaluator, as well as a connector. This training program has helped me develop my eye both on the court and through video scouting, while simultaneously introducing me to wonderful people around the NCAA & NBA communities. I highly recommend NetScouts to anyone aspiring to work in the realm of basketball.” – Derek Murray, Head of Basketball, Cerebro Sports
“NetScouts Basketball’s training program gave me the opportunity to learn from some of the best in the business. Not only do you get access to high level college basketball, but you also get feedback on your reports so you can continue to grow. My experience with NetScouts has been invaluable and I highly recommend their program to aspiring scouts.” – Jack Vlasic, Manager, Business Development, Miami Hurricanes
“NetScouts Basketball’s scout training program has been an amazing part of my professional scouting journey. Through this program I have learned the ins and outs of scouting and have been given the opportunity to do it in a professional setting. Being affiliated with NetScouts has given me credibility for my career and allowed me to show other organizations my professional worth. I recommend this to anyone interested in scouting, analytics, media relations or just basketball in general.” – Greg Walter (Director of Scouting, DMV Warriors, ABA)
“NetScouts Basketball’s scout training program has given me so many professional benefits. It will help separate you from the competition by gaining key evaluation tools, you will learn from actual scouting people and receive direct feedback in a mentoring relationship, you will gain a network of scouts, and most important, it will increase confidence in your abilities and talents.” – Rich Ward, Assistant Coach. Laramie County Community College
“Working as a scout trainee with NetScouts Basketball was the best decision that I have made thus far for my career. While at NetScouts I have gained very valuable experience. I have been able to take advantage of some unique opportunities such as working side-by-side with other scouts and journalists on media row, while attending high end Division 1 basketball games. I’ve also been able to sharpen my skills by working on international scouting projects.” – Frank Preston, Head Coach, Hidden Gems Basketball
You can apply for this program by submitting your resume to carl@netscoutsbasketball.com and we will discuss your eligibility. We will review all requests to assure that each applicant has the background required to be successful in this program.
You can also contact us at 541-359-9653.
