For the first time in almost 20 years, the NBA is allowing its team’s scouts to attend a limited number of high school basketball games this season.
Today through Saturday, that lifted restriction will bring at least 40 NBA scouts to Florida SouthWestern State College’s Suncoast Credit Union Arena in south Fort Myers for the GEICO Nationals, an eight-team boys’ tournament, said Rashid Ghazi. A four-team girls’ tournament is also taking place.
Ghazi, the president of Paragon Marketing Group, said the change in NBA policy further boosts the profile of the event his company organizes and promotes.
“This year, there will be 40-plus scouts from the NBA,” Ghazi said. “The NBA decided to sanction three events this season.”
The other two high school events NBA teams scouted were the Tarkanian Classic in Las Vegas in mid-December and the Spalding HoopHall Classic in Springfield, Massachusetts, in mid-January.
“I think it’s recognition of the level of teams and the individual players,” Ghazi said. “We’ve had dozens of alumni of GEICO play in the NBA.”
Speaking of GEICO, the insurance company’s sponsorship along with other corporate sponsorships brings in the revenue stream needed by Paragon to put on the event. The visiting teams have their travel expenses to and from Fort Myers paid for as well as lodging, said Glenn Farello, the coach of Paul VI in Chantilly, Virginia. The NBA scouts on hand increase the already high stakes for the teams, he said.
“These kids are the best in the world at what they do at their age,” Farello said. “It’s the perfect celebration of basketball. As a player, you want to get as much exposure as you can get. They’re evaluating you now. It’s all about mindset, the spotlight. It’s either going to shine on you, or it’s going to burn you.”
The boys’ championship game is slated for noon Saturday and will be televised on ESPN. Tickets cost $10. The semifinals begin at 2:30 and 4:30 p.m. Friday. The quarterfinals tipoff today at 2, 4 and 6 p.m.
The girls title game is scheduled for 10 a.m. Saturday and will be broadcast on ESPN2. The semifinals are at 10:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. Friday and will be on ESPNU.
This marks the third year the event has taken place in south Fort Myers, and it’s the 14th year of the event’s existence. Its previous homes were in Washington, D.C., and New York City. Having the event gives the GEICO Nationals a natural tie-in with the City of Palms Classic, which takes place inside the same building in mid-December, Ghazi said. Montverde Academy, Bradenton IMG Academy and Paul VI are among the teams to have participated in both events over the years.
“The venue is tremendous,” Ghazi said. “The access we have for the media and the teams, everything, is first class.”
