College Basketball Scholarships by the Numbers
Next in our series of infographics is Basketball Scholarships by the Numbers. Here, you can see the number of scholarships offered at each division level, how many programs there are and in what regions programs are in.
If you are interested in playing college basketball and finding a basketball scholarship, it is crucial you familiarize yourself how many scholarship there are and where they are available. There are 13 full scholarship opportunities available at the NCAA D1 level. This is the most competitive level in college, and you need to be playing basketball year round. Also, attending the biggest camps and showcases might not be enough to get noticed by a major program. If you are only playing local high school ball, chances are you will never get to play D1 right out of high school.
NCAA D2 basketball is an excellent opportunity, but only if there are programs in your area. With only 282 programs nationwide, you need to check out the map to see if there are schools in your region. Normally, schools competing at the D2 level are smaller schools that look to recruit in state athletes on order to save on scholarship money.
NCAA D3 has 400+ programs but does not offer traditional athletic scholarships. Playing at this level you need to have excellent academics and be prepared to pay part or most of your own way in college.
The NAIA is fast becoming one of the most competitive basketball leagues at the college level. With two division levels and 17 scholarships per team, many athletes with the ability to play in the NCAA choose NAIA for scholarships. It used to be that the NAIA was closer to the competitive level of NCAA D3, but it is now even with NCAA D2 competition.
If you do not have the academics to be eligible at a four year school or need to save as much money as possible while going to college, the NJCAA would be right for you. Some of the best basketball players in the country play at this level. These players routinely go on to have a significant impact at the highest levels of college basketball. You should also consider this level if you need more years to develop as a basketball player.
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