Steve D'Agostino

Unless you really, really love what you're doing and you can handle, like we've been saying, the adversity, those hard times. Yeah. Right. And so I always say when these people are chasing this, like, OK, would you rather your kid be a college basketball player? Would you rather be happy? Yeah. Like, oh, happy. Well, then wait. You're pushing college over happy.

Unless you really, really love what you're doing and you can handle, like we've been saying, the adversity, those hard times. Yeah. Right. And so I always say when these people are chasing this, like, OK, would you rather your kid be a college basketball player? Would you rather be happy? Yeah. Like, oh, happy. Well, then wait. You're pushing college over happy.

You don't even know if you want college basketball. You don't even know if your kid wants college basketball. But yet you're pushing this notion that... And to your point, I play Division II. I don't care what level you go to. I mean, obviously, for all these organizations and businesses that have players, you want them to go to the highest level, right? I'm the opposite.

You don't even know if you want college basketball. You don't even know if your kid wants college basketball. But yet you're pushing this notion that... And to your point, I play Division II. I don't care what level you go to. I mean, obviously, for all these organizations and businesses that have players, you want them to go to the highest level, right? I'm the opposite.

We had a kid who's probably the best player in the area right now. And he's... He was choosing between Johns Hopkins, Tufts. I think he's a Division I player. Those are high academic Division III schools. And we had a conversation. I'm like, dude, you're going to go to Johns Hopkins.

We had a kid who's probably the best player in the area right now. And he's... He was choosing between Johns Hopkins, Tufts. I think he's a Division I player. Those are high academic Division III schools. And we had a conversation. I'm like, dude, you're going to go to Johns Hopkins.

And in 10 years, you're going to be looking back and be like, oh, my God, I can't believe that I was going to go to, you know, name a low division one school. It doesn't matter this school that I don't even want to name any because I don't want to disrespect anybody. Right. But you're looking at it from such a short lens of like, you know, Johns Hopkins, man, are you crazy?

And in 10 years, you're going to be looking back and be like, oh, my God, I can't believe that I was going to go to, you know, name a low division one school. It doesn't matter this school that I don't even want to name any because I don't want to disrespect anybody. Right. But you're looking at it from such a short lens of like, you know, Johns Hopkins, man, are you crazy?

You've got to go to Johns Hopkins. And so if the focus was just be the best you can in high school, if you're productive enough and good enough, somebody's going to want you. And then hopefully you choose that right situation that's going to benefit you the most for your future.

You've got to go to Johns Hopkins. And so if the focus was just be the best you can in high school, if you're productive enough and good enough, somebody's going to want you. And then hopefully you choose that right situation that's going to benefit you the most for your future.

And we phrase it, not to cut you off, but the way that it's framed to these kids by the parents and the other AU coaches, trainers, decision makers, is that the college level is like good, better, best. It's not the case. It's not the case because everybody's different. So what?

And we phrase it, not to cut you off, but the way that it's framed to these kids by the parents and the other AU coaches, trainers, decision makers, is that the college level is like good, better, best. It's not the case. It's not the case because everybody's different. So what?

So you get a Division I scholarship to a low Division I school that's better than going to a Tufts or a Williams or a Johns Hopkins? Not in 20 years it's not, you know? And so, again, and this goes back to the right information.

So you get a Division I scholarship to a low Division I school that's better than going to a Tufts or a Williams or a Johns Hopkins? Not in 20 years it's not, you know? And so, again, and this goes back to the right information.

Do you have somebody that can frame it in a way so that you and the kid and the parent can still make the choice on what they think is better for them, but they have all the right information? You have all of it, you know? Yeah.

Do you have somebody that can frame it in a way so that you and the kid and the parent can still make the choice on what they think is better for them, but they have all the right information? You have all of it, you know? Yeah.

Yeah, so I think a couple things. When I started Dags Basketball, which is the local business, I'm just reacting to what the market is, right? And there wasn't a ton of honesty and value. Right. And so what I've always said is whatever we do, we're going to try to provide the most value and we're going to mess up. We're going to have days where we're not great.

Yeah, so I think a couple things. When I started Dags Basketball, which is the local business, I'm just reacting to what the market is, right? And there wasn't a ton of honesty and value. Right. And so what I've always said is whatever we do, we're going to try to provide the most value and we're going to mess up. We're going to have days where we're not great.

But for the most part, we're going to try to provide great value. And then we're going to be honest. We're going to be honest with the players. We're going to be honest with the parents. And I think that social media following. is there because of those two things. People see like, whoa, there's value in this. And it's honest.

But for the most part, we're going to try to provide great value. And then we're going to be honest. We're going to be honest with the players. We're going to be honest with the parents. And I think that social media following. is there because of those two things. People see like, whoa, there's value in this. And it's honest.