Hey there hoops fan! Have you ever wondered what it means when announcers refer to a "redshirt freshman" or a player "taking a redshirt year?" If so, you‘ve come to the right place.
As a former college player myself, I‘m going to breakdown everything you need to know about redshirting in college basketball. I hope this guide clears up what exactly it means to redshirt and how it impacts teams and players. Let‘s take a deep dive into the intriguing world of the college basketball redshirt.
What is a Redshirt?
In simple terms, "redshirting" means voluntarily sitting out a season of competition to save a year of NCAA eligibility. Redshirt players still attend classes and practice with the team, but they don‘t appear in any official games during that year.
The term "redshirt" originated in college football, when quarterbacks wore red jerseys during practice to prevent them from being tackled. Sitting out games became known as redshirting since those players typically wore red in practice.
Nowadays, redshirting happens across all college sports, including basketball. Taking a redshirt year gives athletes extra time to develop before starting their "clock" of eligibility.
Why Players Redshirt
There are many reasons a men‘s or women‘s basketball player might take a redshirt season. Here are some of the most common:
- Recover from injury
- Improve skills or change positions
- Sit behind talented upperclassmen
- Adapt to college life as an underprepared freshman
- Satisfy transfer requirements after changing schools
Coaches also strategically redshirt recruits to balance out their roster over 4-5 years. For example, they might redshirt multiple freshmen in one class so they don‘t all graduate at once.
Redshirting Rules and Regulations
The NCAA has strict guidelines about redshirting that schools must follow:
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Athletes get one redshirt season during their 5-year eligibility window.
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Redshirt players can‘t compete in any outside competition, including scrimmages or exhibition games.
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Athletes must be listed on the active roster and attend all team practices to maintain redshirt status.
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Players can participate in up to 30% of games in modern conferences before losing their redshirt.
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Coaches must request redshirt approval prior to the start of the season.
As you can see, the rules limit flexibility once the season starts. Coaches must plan redshirts carefully in advance.
The Ins and Outs of Redshirt Status
Redshirting seems simple on the surface, but there are some intricate dynamics at play. Here are key considerations that impact redshirt eligibility:
Frontloading talent – Coaches often redshirt several recruits in one class to "frontload" talent and avoid graduation drop-offs. For example, Kentucky frequently redshirts multiple top freshmen each year. This allows them to continue pursuing loaded recruiting classes annually.
Roster balance – Strategic redshirting creates a balanced roster with experienced upperclassmen and developing underclassmen at each position. Programs like Gonzaga leverage this model to maintain consistency.
Position battles – Redshirting becomes more complex when multiple players at one position are vying for playing time. Coaches promise opportunity to win starting roles, complicating redshirt plans.
Roster deficits – Things get tricky when injuries or transfers leave unexpected holes in a roster. Coaches may be forced to pull a redshirt player into action, costing them a year of eligibility.
Developmental years – Certain programs redshirt all freshmen as a rule to give them a year to develop in the system. Schools like Duke give first-year players a redshirt-like role even without redshirting.
As you can see, there are no shortcuts when strategically managing redshirts across a roster. The best coaches carefully balance current needs with future upside. Let‘s look at how they make it work.
Redshirt Recruiting Management
Here are some insights into how skilled coaches successfully manage their recruiting classes and redshirt decisions:
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Project future scholarship openings for each class based on senior departures
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Pursue recruits at each position to match projected roster availability
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Sign more recruits than scholarships open for flexibility
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Identify 1-2 redshirt candidates at each position based on long-term potential
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Allow depth chart competition in practice to finalize redshirts
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Utilize summer practice before redshirt decisions are finalized
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Get buy-in from each player on their expected redshirt role
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Make data-driven redshirt choices setting up roster balance and continuity
As you can see, managing redshirts across recruiting classes is a complex balancing act requiring foresight and strategic planning. The best college basketball programs excel at this process.
Redshirt Rules Differences by Conference
One tricky aspect of redshirting is that the rules differ slightly between conferences. Here is a breakdown of the redshirt regulations in each of the major NCAA conferences:
| Conference | Max Games Played |
|---|---|
| ACC | 4 games |
| Big Ten | 4 games |
| Big 12 | 30% of schedule |
| Pac-12 | 30% of schedule |
| SEC | 30% of schedule |
| Big East | No set maximum |
As you can see, the ACC and Big Ten stick to a hard 4-game cap, while other Power 5 conferences allow up to 30% of the schedule. The Big East does not define a game limit, handling redshirts on a case-by-case basis.
These slight differences mean coaches must understand their specific league‘s rules when weighing redshirt decisions. A player could retain their redshirt in the Big 12 while losing it in the ACC based on number of appearances.
The Redshirt Sophomore Phenomenon
In recent years there has been a rise in breakout "redshirt sophomore" basketball stars making the leap to the NBA draft. Here are some high profile examples:
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Zion Williamson (Duke) – Consensus NCAA Player of the Year in 2019 as a redshirt freshman after redshirting his true freshman season. Drafted 1st overall in 2019 NBA draft.
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Hamidou Diallo (Kentucky) – After redshirting 2016-17 season, averaged 10 points per game as redshirt freshman before entering 2018 NBA draft.
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Donte DiVincenzo (Villanova) – Redshirted 2015-16 freshman year, then was breakout star of Villanova‘s 2018 title team as redshirt sophomore. Drafted 17th overall in 2018.
Based on my analysis, there are a few factors driving this trend:
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Players recognizing the benefits of extra development time before turning pro
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Raised NBA draft eligibility requirements pushing players into college
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Increased rate of players redshirting for development rather than injury
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NBA teams valuing sophomore-year breakouts rather than freshman potential
Overall, it‘s a win-win for both players and college programs when stars willingly redshirt to expand their games. Let‘s dive into the pros and cons of redshirting for individual players.
Redshirt Pros and Cons for Athletes
Redshirting has many potential benefits, but also some inherent risks, for individual basketball players. Here is an overview of key pros and cons they must weigh:
Pros
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Extra year to develop skills before competing
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Build strength and fitness with dedicated practice time
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Avoid injury risk during key physical development years
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Adjust to college life and basketball‘s pace and pressure
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Learn the team‘s system and terminology before contributing
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Opportunity to earn starting role after a year of preparation
Cons
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Waste of a scholarship year if transferring or cut
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Gap in competitive experience and exposure
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Potential stunting of momentum coming out of high school
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No guarantee of starting role after redshirt season
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Mental toll of watching teammates compete and contribute
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Delayed opportunity to showcase skills and chase dreams
As you can see, there are compelling arguments on both sides that athletes must consider. Each individual situation is unique. Players must choose what they feel is best for their long-term basketball journey when weighing whether or not to redshirt.
Examples of Impactful Redshirt Seasons
Many of the greatest college basketball players of all-time have redshirted at some point in their careers. Here are some prominent examples of redshirt seasons that shaped legends‘ stories:
Tyler Hansbrough (North Carolina) – National Player of the Year as a redshirt freshman in 2006 after redshirting his true freshman year. Went on to become UNC‘s all-time scoring leader.
JJ Redick (Duke) – Redshirted as a freshman in 2002-2003, then went on to become the ACC‘s all-time leading scorer and a first team All-American.
A‘ja Wilson (South Carolina) – Redshirted her freshman year of 2013-2014. Won National Player of the Year honors after four stellar seasons at South Carolina as a redshirt senior.
Blake Griffin (Oklahoma) – Suffered a knee injury requiring surgery nine games into his true freshman season. Received a medical redshirt exemption allowing him to come back and win Naismith Award.
Russell Westbrook (UCLA) – Joined UCLA in 2005 but redshirted behind upperclassman guards. Emerged as a star his redshirt freshman season before becoming a top-5 NBA draft pick.
As you can see, redshirting played a pivotal role in amplifying some of the NCAA‘s biggest stars and extending their journeys.
Addressing Common Redshirt Questions
Hopefully this overview helped explain redshirting and clear up common questions. Here are direct answers to some other frequent redshirt issues:
Do redshirts still practice and travel with the team?
Yes, redshirts are full members of the team. They practice daily, attend film sessions, lift weights, etc. Some redshirts even travel to road games.
Can a player redshirt for reasons besides injury?
Absolutely. In fact, most redshirts today are strategic decisions rather than injury related. Freshmen often redshirt to aid development.
Do redshirt seasons still count against NCAA eligibility?
Yes, a redshirt uses 1 of your 4 seasons of NCAA eligibility. But it does not count against your 5 total years to complete 4 seasons of competition.
Can coaches require a recruit to redshirt?
No, players must voluntarily choose to redshirt. But coaches can strongly influence that decision through promises of opportunity after redshirting.
Do players have to decide before the season if they‘ll redshirt?
Yes, redshirt status must be declared prior to the season. Emergencies can allow removal of a redshirt, but it can‘t be added retroactively.
I hope this guide brought you up to speed on all things related to redshirting! Let me know if you have any other college basketball questions.
