If you’re aiming to play college basketball, whether Division 1,2,3, NAIA or junior college, understanding the basketball recruiting calendar and basketball recruiting rules is essential. Knowing when coaches can contact you, when you can visit schools, and what restrictions are in place can make all the difference in your recruiting journey and future playing opportunities.
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Understanding the basketball recruiting calendar
The NCAA basketball recruiting calendar outlines key periods throughout the year when college coaches can communicate with recruits and families. These rules exist to keep recruiting fair and manageable while giving student-athletes and their families structure and clarity throughout the process.
Insider tip: Use the NCAA recruiting calendar to check your progress. If coaches can contact you and you’re not hearing from them, it may be time to revisit your target schools. Recruiting still happens year-round, so get on coaches’ radar early instead of waiting for contact dates.
NCAA Basketball Recruiting Periods Explained
The calendar is made up of several distinct periods:
Contact Period
This is when college coaches can have full contact with prospects — including calls, texts, email outreach, in-person visits, evaluations, and in-home meetings. The contact period is often the most active recruiting window. Coaches use this time to build relationships and extend offers.
Evaluation Period
During an evaluation period, coaches may attend events and watch recruits play in person, but they cannot engage in off-campus contact with recruits and families. This is crucial at major showcases and big tournament weekends.
Quiet Period
In a quiet period, athletes can visit college campuses and meet with coaches there, but coaches cannot recruit off campus. This is a great time for unofficial visits.
Dead Period
During a dead period, no face-to-face contact of any kind between coaches and recruits is allowed either on or off campus. Communication by phone, email, or digital platforms is still permitted.
Understanding these different recruiting windows empowers you to plan communications, visits, and highlight film releases strategically.
Key Recruiting Rules You Should Know
Understanding NCAA basketball recruiting rules helps you make smart decisions and avoid misconceptions:
Coach Communication Rules
- Coaches cannot initiate contact with athletes before June 1 after sophomore year (for Division I).
- Recruits can call or message coaches first at any time, even before official contact periods begin.
Visits
- Unofficial visits can take place during most times of the year, except dead periods.
- A prospective student-athlete may not make an unofficial visit during July unless they’ve signed a written offer of admission or financial aid, or made a financial deposit.
Scholarship Offers & Signing
In Fall 2024, the NCAA abolished the National Letter of Intent (NLI) for Division I. Instead, written offers of athletic financial aid are used to formalize commitments and scholarship agreements.
When does college basketball recruiting start?
NCAA Division 1 coaches can begin contacting recruits, sending recruiting materials, emailing, texting, calling and making verbal offers starting June 1 after the your sophomore year of high school.
While contact from coaches starts in the summer after sophomore year, recruiting isn’t only happening then. Coaches are scouting, evaluating players, and building lists of prospects far before their first outreach. Athletes and families should be proactive ahead of the official start date by preparing highlight tapes, building online profiles, and reaching out first to college coaches.
For Division 2 programs, coach contact can happen at any time. Division 3, NAIA, and junior colleges also have fewer or no restrictions on when coaches can contact prospects. However, many of these coaches still follow the same recruiting rhythms as NCAA Division 1 to maintain competitive schedules.
NCAA Division I men’s basketball recruiting rules
NCAA D1 sports must adhere to the most restrictive set of rules:
- Any time: Coaches may send general recruiting materials (camp info, non-athletic school info, NCAA publications).
- Recruits may call coaches at any time, but the athlete must initiate the call. Coaches cannot return missed calls or communicate via text, email, or direct message before the permitted contact date.
- June 15 after sophomore year: Coaches may begin direct recruiting communication, including calls, texts, emails, direct messages, questionnaires, and verbal offers.
- August 1 before junior year: Recruits may begin taking official visits. Athletes may take one official visit per school per academic year but may revisit a school in a later year.
NCAA Division II men’s basketball recruiting rules
NCAA D2 recruiting rules are more lenient than Division 1. They are same across all sports:
- Any time: Division II coaches may contact recruits via calls, texts, emails, direct messages, and recruiting materials.
- In-person, off-campus recruiting and evaluations are allowed year-round.
- For the 2025–26 recruiting year, the Division II signing date dead period is November 10–12, 2025, when no in-person contact or visits are allowed.
NCAA Division III men’s basketball recruiting rules
D3 coaches are not limited on when or how they can contact recruits. The only restrictions in place are around off-campus contact and official visits.
- Any time: Coaches may call, email, text, and send direct messages. Recruits may take unlimited unofficial visits at any time.
- After sophomore year: Coaches may begin off-campus, in-person contact.
- January 1 of junior year: Recruits may begin taking official visits. Athletes are allowed one official visit per school, with no limit on the total number of Division III official visits.
NAIA basketball recruiting rules
NAIA programs set their own recruiting timelines and are not governed by NCAA recruiting calendars.
- Most NAIA programs begin recruiting during junior year, after standardized test scores become available, and continue into senior year.
- Coaches may contact recruits at any point in high school via phone, email, text, or social media.
Junior college (JUCO) basketball recruiting rules
Junior college basketball recruiting is open and flexible, similar to the NAIA.
- JUCO programs typically recruit athletes during junior and senior year.
- Coaches may recruit athletes at any time using phone calls, emails, texts, and social media.
- Student-athletes must complete their junior year of high school before taking an official visit to an NJCAA school.
In Fall 2024, the NCAA abolished the National Letter of Intent (NLI) for Division I. Instead, written offers of athletic financial aid are used to formalize commitments and scholarship agreements.
2025-26 NCAA Division I men’s basketball recruiting calendar
Here are the key recruiting periods for the 2025-26 calendar year:
Dead Periods
These are times when coaches cannot meet you in person. Dead periods give student athletes and families downtime and focus from recruiting pressure.
- August 4-20, 2025
- November 10-13, 2025
- December 24-26, 2025
- April 2-9, 2026
- May 10, 2026
- May 20 – 31, 2026
- June 19, 2026
- June 21, 2026
- July 1-26, 2026 (except designated evaluation periods: July 9-12, 16-19)
- August 3-19, 2026
Quiet Periods
During a quiet period, athletes can talk to college coaches in-person on their college campus. However, the coach can’t watch recruits compete in-person, visit their school, talk to them at their home or anywhere outside of the college campus.
- August 1 – September 2, 2025 (except dates listed as dead period)
- May 1 – June 30, 2026 (except dates listed as dead, evaluation or contact periods)
- July 27- August 31, 2026 (except dates listed as dead, evaluation or contact periods)
Evaluation Periods
The evaluation period, particularly in summer tournaments and in July, give coaches chances to watch you play live. While in-person recruiting contact is restricted during these events, your performance on the court can dramatically raise your recruiting profile.
- May 15 (8 a.m.) -17 (4 p.m.), 2026 (NCAA certified events only)
- G League Elite Camp (TBD)
- NBA Draft Combine (TBD)
- NBPA Top 100 Camp (TBD)
- July 9-12, 2026 (Evaluation period for NCAA certified events, institutional camps and permissible governing body events begins Thursday at 8 a.m. and ends Sunday at 6 p.m.)
- July 16-19, 2026 (Evaluation period for NCAA certified events, institutional camps and permissible governing body events begins Friday at 6 p.m. and ends Sunday at 3 p.m.)
Recruiting or Contact Periods
These are broad windows when coaches can engage in in-person recruiting:
- September 4 – November 3, 2025
- November 8, 2025 – April 2, 2026 (except dates listed as dead periods)
- April 11-30, 2026
2025-26 NCAA Division II men’s basketball recruiting calendar
Like NCAA Division 1, Division 2 coaches must adhere to a specific recruiting calendar, which the NCAA outlines when and how they can contact student-athletes.
Division II men’s basketball is in a contact period for most of the year. Coaches may contact recruits at any time and are allowed in-person, off-campus recruiting and evaluations. The only major restriction during the 2025–26 recruiting year is the dead period, which runs:
November 10–12, 2025
During this time, no in-person recruiting contact or visits (official or unofficial) are allowed.
college basketball signing day
College basketball signing day depends on the level:
- NCAA Division I: The National Letter of Intent (NLI) is no longer used; commitments are finalized through written offers of athletic aid, typically in the early (November) or regular (April) signing windows.
- NCAA Division II: Signing day usually begins in November, and athletes sign the National Letter of Intent (NLI).
- NAIA & Junior College: Signing timelines vary by school and conference.
The early signing period is great for athletes who have offers from their top-choice schools and are ready to commit. If you’re still deciding or waiting for another offer, you can sign during the regular signing period in the spring.
New NCAA Trends Impacting Recruiting (2025–26)
Basketball Transfer Portal Changes
The NCAA recently approved new transfer portal windows for men’s basketball teams, including a 15-day window following the NCAA tournament championship. This replaces the previous open timelines during March Madness and is meant to streamline roster movement.
There’s also a new rule where a 15-day window opens if a coaching change occurs, enhancing flexibility for student-athletes but adding strategy considerations during recruiting season.
Want more guidance on recruiting calendars?
The NCAA basketball recruiting calendar and rules system may seem complex, but with the right planning and strategy, athletes and their families can confidently navigate the process. Staying ahead of contact periods, understanding evaluation windows, and knowing when you can and cannot meet coaches will give you a competitive edge in your recruiting journey.
Have more questions? NCSA offers expert-led workshops on what to do to be prepared for each part of the recruiting calendar. Check out the full schedule here.
FAQS
What is the NCAA basketball contact period?
The contact period is when college basketball coaches are allowed to have in-person, off-campus contact with recruits and their families, evaluate them at games or events, and communicate freely via phone, text, and email.
When can coaches contact basketball recruits?
For NCAA Division I men’s basketball, coaches can begin directly contacting recruits (calls, texts, emails, and messages) on June 15 after the athlete’s sophomore year of high school. Division II, Division III, NAIA, and junior college coaches can contact recruits at any time.
When is the NCAA basketball live period? What is it?
The NCAA basketball live period is a designated evaluation period, usually in April and July, when college coaches can attend tournaments and showcases to watch recruits compete in person. Coaches may evaluate athletes but cannot have off-campus, face-to-face recruiting contact during live periods.