When student-athletes kick off their recruiting journey, they often wonder: When can men’s basketball coaches contact me? College coaches can now start contacting student-athletes June 1 after their sophomore year. From calling to texting to emailing, they’re personally reaching out at this time. But don’t be mistaken—coaches are still actively recruiting behind the scenes before June 1. This section breaks down the NCAA basketball recruiting calendar to help student-athletes maximize their opportunities of connecting with basketball coaches.

Getting a grasp on the NCAA men’s basketball recruiting rules and calendar

At first glance, the NCAA basketball recruiting calendar may look overly complicated. From NCAA live periods to different types of contact, there’s a lot of information packed in there. We break it down piece-by-piece so families have a clear understanding of when and how college coaches can reach out to student-athletes. First and foremost, it’s important to know that the calendar was created to protect student-athletes from early recruiting. By limiting coach contact, the NCAA aimed to prevent coaches from emailing and calling too often and too early.

And even though these rules are designed for coaches to follow, it’s a great way for student-athletes to check if their recruiting is on track. For example, if we know that men’s basketball coaches are allowed to reach out starting June 15 after a student-athlete’s sophomore year and student-athletes haven’t heard from coaches by this time, then they should reevaluate their target list of schools. But the most important thing to remember about the NCAA basketball recruiting calendar is that these dates don’t represent when recruiting starts, or the only time recruiting takes place. Even when college coaches can’t talk to athletes, they’re still scouting and evaluating players behind the scenes. Plus, basketball recruits have a way of working around these rules: they can initiate contact via telephone and the college coach or staff can answer and talk to them. As long as the coach didn’t initiate the contact, they’re in the clear. So, basically, there’s still a lot of recruiting that happens. The best way to use this calendar is to know when coaches are contacting athletes and get on their radar ahead of time.

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 athlete’s sophomore year. NCAA Division 2 coaches can begin contacting recruits at any time. At any time Division 1 and Division 2 can send general recruiting materials, such as brochures and camp information. NCAA Division 3 and NAIA teams don’t have limits on when coaches can contact recruits and can reach out at any point during high school. That being said, they tend to follow the lead of Division 1 schools and start personally contacting athletes during their junior and senior years.

However—and this is very important—that doesn’t mean recruiting starts after sophomore year. Coaches are doing their homework before this point and create a list of their top prospects. That way, when June 1 rolls around, they know exactly who will receive scholarship offers. Student-athletes are in the loop, too. Recruits are allowed to call college coaches and talk to them on the phone as long as the student-athlete is the one initiating contact. In fact, 63 percent of basketball recruits are connecting with coaches before junior year. Therefore, we recommend that student-athletes be proactive in their recruiting by building a realistic list of target schools, creating a highlight film and emailing and calling college coaches to get on their radar.

NCAA basketball contact period: When can coaches contact basketball recruits?

The NCAA basketball contact period is—you guessed it—when college coaches can talk to and visit student-athletes. It’s the most active recruiting period in men’s basketball. All communication is fair game and in-person contact is allowed, which means coaches attend tournaments, athletes visit campuses, coaches visit high schools and in-home visits occur.

Coaches visiting during the contact period is a great sign that the student-athlete is a high-value recruit, but student-athletes shouldn’t expect them to come knocking. Recruits need to establish relationships with coaches before the contact period occurs. A few ways to do this is by coordinating efforts with their current high school or club coach, sending introductory emails to college coaches with key stats and highlight film and researching college rosters to understand the best opportunities.

When is the NCAA basketball live period? What is it?

There are certain times in the offseason when the NCAA permits college coaches to evaluate their top prospects in person. Typically referred to as a NCAA live period or evaluation period, these crucial stretches in the basketball recruiting calendar give college coaches an opportunity to hit the road and scout players at tournaments—but that is about all they can do. No in-person contact is allowed between college coaches and recruits or their parents during these events. In fact, college coaches sit in their own section, away from families, and even use separate entrances when coming and going.

It’s important for families to know when live periods are taking place and which tournaments college coaches are attending. In basketball recruiting, high school and college games are often scattered throughout the week, making it difficult for college coaches to see prospects play in person. That’s why a live period is a great time for them to evaluate all of their recruits and even scout new players. Keep in mind, though, that coaches come prepared with a list of recruits they want to see. Be proactive in your recruiting and reach out to college coaches before a live period occurs. Sending them an introductory email, with a link to your online profile and highlight film, can help you secure an evaluation during the event.

2025-26 NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball recruiting calendar

Each academic year, the NCAA outlines specific types of contact that college coaches are permitted to have at the D1 and D2 level. Below is an overview of the 2025-26 basketball recruiting calendar, the different contact periods and when they occur. Families can layer this information with the basketball recruiting rules to fully maximize their opportunities.

Dead period: During the dead period, coaches may not have any in-person contact with recruits and/or their parents. But communication is still allowed to occur via phone, email and social media/other digital communication channels.

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

Note: You can’t make an unofficial visit in July unless you’ve signed a financial aid agreement or written offer of admission, or the school has received your financial deposit.

Quiet period: 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 period: Also known as a live period, the evaluation period is the specific time of year when college coaches can watch an athlete compete in person or visit their school—but that is about all they can do. Coaches can’t communicate with recruits (or their parents) off the college campus.

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.)

Contact period: All communication between athletes and coaches is fair game during the contact period. This is when coaches are most active in their recruiting process.

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 2 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.

With the adoption of Division II Proposal No. NC-2025-14 (recruiting — modernization and deregulation), the following dates have been updated to reflect those changes effective August 1, 2024.

Dead period:

November 10 (7 am) – 12 (7 am), 2025

NCAA men’s basketball EARLy recruiting rules

The NCAA created rules to limit early recruiting and protect athletes, giving them more time to make their college decisions by reducing coach contact. While men’s basketball also has rules where contact is limited, they follow a separate set of guidelines. As a reminder, here’s the NCAA’s guide to basketball recruiting rules.

NCAA Division 1 men’s basketball recruiting rules

NCAA D1 sports must adhere to the most restrictive set of rules:

Any time: College coaches can send recruits general materials, such as questionnaires, camp information, non-athletic information about the school and materials published by the NCAA. Recruits can call coaches or athletics staff at any time and talk to them on the phone. However, they can’t communicate with coaches in any other way (such as text or email), and student-athletes need to initiate the contact (coaches can’t return a call when athletes leave a voicemail).
June 15 after sophomore year: Student-athletes can receive personal contact and recruiting materials. Coaches can call athletes, send text messages, direct messages and emails, as well as make verbal offers.
August 1 before junior year: Recruits are allowed unlimited official visits starting Aug. 1 before their junior year. Student-athletes can’t take multiple official visits to the same school in the same school year, but they’re allowed to revisit a school where they took an official visit during junior year.

NCAA Division 2 men’s basketball recruiting rules

NCAA D2 recruiting rules are more lenient than Division 1. They are same across all sports:

Any time: Coaches can call, text, email, direct message. Student-athletes can take an unlimited number of unofficial visits.
June 15 after sophomore year: College coaches can conduct off-campus contact with an athlete or their family. Student-athletes can also begin taking official visits at this time. They’re allowed one visit per college and are granted unlimited total visits to D2 schools.

NCAA Division 3 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: Student-athletes can receive recruiting materials. Coaches can call, email, text and send direct messages to student-athletes. Recruits can go on an unofficial visit at any point during high school and aren’t restricted in the number of unofficial visits they take.
After sophomore year: Coaches can contact student-athletes off campus.
January 1 of junior year: Student-athletes can start taking official visits. They’re allowed one visit per college and can take as many official visits to Division 3 programs as they like.

NAIA men’s basketball recruiting rules

NAIA coaches manage their own recruiting timelines and can contact student-athletes at any point during high school, including emailing, texting and calling. They don’t face the same restrictions as the NCAA. Student-athletes will find that most NAIA coaches begin recruiting junior year—after ACT and SAT scores become available—and into senior year.

Junior college basketball recruiting rules

Like the NAIA, junior college basketball coaches can recruit student-athletes at any point during high school. That includes telephone calls, emails, texts, social media, etc. Student-athletes must complete their junior year of high school to take an official visit to an NJCAA college. Student-athletes will find that JUCO programs recruit athletes during their junior year and into their senior year, as well.

When is college basketball signing day?

Getting a verbal offer from a college coach is exciting, but it’s not official until you sign a financial aid agreement. This agreement confirms your commitment to the school, and in return, the college promises to provide an athletic scholarship for that academic year. Signing this agreement is a big milestone in your recruiting journey.

For NCAA D1 men’s basketball, there are two signing periods:

Early signing period: November 12–19, 2025
Regular signing period: April 15–Final date based on institutional policy for awarding scholarships

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.

Want more guidance on recruiting calendars?

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.

2025–26 Men’s NCAA Basketball Recruiting Calendar and Rules

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