What is the Collegiate Basketball Invitational and how did this new national basketball event come about?

A Brief History

For many years, the Portsmouth Invitational and the Chicago Pre-Draft Camp (which is now held in Orlando) has provided the top senior basketball players in the country to show their skills and talents to the NBA scouts prior to the NBA Draft.  In the past number of years, the culture and environment has been altered for professional basketball.  While the NBA draft has been limited to two rounds, the influx of foreign talent and (formerly) the availability of high school players entering the NBA draft has limited the opportunities for American collegiate players, the actual number of professional basketball positions has increased over the years – and will continue to increase in the coming years. 

With the growth of basketball as a worldwide phenomenon, the opportunities for players has grown exponentially.  Not only are many professional basketball opportunities available in Europe, but Australia, South America and countries throughout the world now support professional basketball.  On the home front, the NBA currently has 30 teams and has recently created the National Basketball Development League (NBDL).  The NBDL is finishing up its first season (2005-06) with eight teams and has already announced six expansion teams for the 2006-07 season.  This past year (2005-06) saw the resurgence of the American Basketball Association (ABA) spread from coast to coast.  In fact, 34 teams are listed currently, and an astonishing 23 are slated as expansion teams within the ABA for the 2006-07 season.  With the recent NBA age minimum restriction going into effect, this not only prevents high schools seniors from jumping right to the NBA, but it also slows the young foreign players from entering the draft.  This fact, along with the addition of the NBDL, ABA and additional foreign professional leagues and teams, creates a need for additional professional basketball players.  In addition, the CBA and USBL have now been sustained in the United States for many years.

While this has happened NCAA Division II men’s basketball was celebrating the 50^th anniversary of Division II championships and has seen a resurgence of interest.  The first-ever Division II All Star Game occurred on March 24 in Springfield, MA, at the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame and was a rousing success.  Not only was the talent level astonishing to many who witnessed the game, but 12 NBA teams requested a copy of the tape before the game was even played. 

This information did not go unnoticed by John McCarthy, a former college basketball coach who was, at the time, the Athletic Director at Lynn University in Boca Raton, FL.  McCarthy had just completed his second year on the NCAA Division II Men’s Basketball Committee and had – and has - a genuine passion for the game of basketball – and he saw a niche that was beginning to develop, and saw a window of opportunity for someone with great enthusiasm, knowledge and an entrepreneurial spirit.      

The Concept

With more opportunities both within the United States and abroad, the concept is to create additional visibility for the top senior basketball players among the NCAA Division II, III and NAIA ranks.  The concept is simple: give these players an opportunity to display their talents and abilities to the members of the NBA, NBDL, ABA, CBA, USBL, foreign scouts and agents. 

There will be 60 players chosen for the event and it will be a three day event.  This will be a huge opportunity not only for the players, but also for the various scouts in attendance.  Between the three levels, there are approximately 1,000 schools.  This event will be the top seniors among them all to one site for three days.

The Collegiate Basketball Invitational is Born

John McCarthy left his position as Athletic Director at Lynn University to create McCarthy Sports, Inc. and the Collegiate Basketball Invitational on June 23, 2006.  Among other ventures, McCarthy set to work to make a dream become a reality.

A press conference will be set in the very near future to announce the location and date of the inaugural Collegiate Basketball Invitational.  The date, time and location of this press conference will be listed on this web site (www.mccarthysports.com) and information will be sent out to media throughout the country.