🎙️ Episode Show Notes: Seena Namdar on the New Recruiting Landscape, the Path to D1 Coaching, & What Skills Actually Matter
Host Adam Peek sits down with one of the brightest young basketball minds in the state, Seena Namdar. Seena is a Graduate Assistant for the Utah Valley University (UVU) men’s basketball team, a co-founder of the Powder League, and a well-known skills trainer who has worked with many of Utah’s top high school, college, and pro players.
Adam and Seena dive deep into the unfiltered realities of the modern college basketball recruiting landscape, debunk common myths, and discuss what skills high school players should really be focused on to play at the next level.
## 🚀 Key Topics Discussed
1. Seena’s Journey: From Alta High to a D1 Bench
Seena shares his playing career, from being an “undersized, smart, limit-mistakes player” at Alta High to the “real JUCO experience” at Colorado Northwestern (CNCC).
Why he chose to end his playing career to start his coaching foundation.
The common path to college coaching: Seena discusses the typical pipeline from Student Manager to Graduate Assistant (GA) and why it’s the most common route for those without a pro-playing resume.
2. The NEW College Recruiting Landscape (Unfiltered)
The “Totem Pole”: Seena breaks down the new pecking order for college coaches. High school players are no longer the top priority, falling behind:
The Transfer Portal
JUCO players
Even G-League players
The 5A/6A Star vs. The G-League Vet: Adam and Seena discuss why a coach will almost always take a 21-year-old who has played against pros over an 18-year-old high school star.
Prep School vs. JUCO: The guys talk about the value of getting into the college system, suggesting players “leapfrog” the prep school route and go directly to a JUCO—at any level—to get on the radar.
3. Debunking Recruiting Myths
Myth #1: Recruiting Services (like NCSA): Seena gives his blunt take, “I’ve never clicked on an NCSA profile.” He argues that a personal connection is far more valuable.
Myth #2: Your AAU Circuit is Everything: While the major circuits (Nike, Adidas, etc.) are important, Adam argues the most valuable asset is an AAU coach (like Evric Gray) with a “Rolodex” who will personally call college coaches on your behalf.
What Actually Works: You need a “Hey, man”—a high school or AAU coach who has direct relationships and will actively advocate for you.
4. Skill Development: What Really Translates?
Instagram vs. Reality: Stop working on “Instagram moves.” Seena explains that his D1 workouts at UVU are 15-20% talking/teaching. It’s not about new moves; it’s about:
Making Reads: Understanding spacing, angles, and footwork.
Scoring Within the Offense: Learning how to get a shot out of the team’s specific offensive sets.
The Non-Negotiable: Adam notes that a 17 ppg scorer in high school who is an average defender will not see the floor in college. You must be able to defend your position and knock down open shots.
Watch Full Games: The guys emphasize why players must watch full college and pro games, not just highlights, to understand the speed, physicality, and complexity of the game.
5. A Look at UVU and the D1 Game
Seena, who charts the offensive play calls for UVU, reveals they run 30-40 unique sets per half and rarely repeat a play more than three times.
Adam encourages all high school players to get to a UVU game to see the D1 speed and physicality up close.
## 🗣️ People & Players Mentioned
Landon Cummings
Jaden Brownell (USC)
Evric Gray (Utah Rebels)
Dr. Blake Flickner (Dallas Baptist University)
Bucky McMillan (Samford)
Congo 15U AAU Team
Colorado Northwestern (CNCC)
Utah Valley University (UVU) Wolverines
