What NBA teams look for goes beyond talent. Former Denver Nugget Bill Hanzlik joins PREP Athletics to talk about player potential, work ethic, character, and why he chose a prep school post-grad year for his son.

Bill shares how defense helped him become a first-round NBA Draft pick, what young players need to understand about making it to the next level, and how NBA teams evaluate more than just scoring. He also explains how he researched prep schools, why New Hampton became the right fit for his son Rob, and what families should consider when looking at the prep school path.

We also talk about Nikola Jokic, what makes him special, Bill’s Denver Nuggets perspective, and Stomp’s basketball traction product after appearing on Shark Tank.

⏰ Timestamps:
00:00 - Bill Hanzlik, Denver Nuggets, Prep School, and Stomp
03:07 - Bill’s NBA Career and Defensive Identity
05:50 - What NBA Teams Look For in Young Players
09:12 - Why Bill Sent His Son to Prep School
12:43 - What Makes Nikola Jokic Special
15:31 - Stomp, Shark Tank, and Basketball Traction
18:22 - Final Advice for Families

📌 Key Topics:
• What NBA teams look for in young basketball players
• Bill Hanzlik’s NBA and Denver Nuggets experience
• Why defense helped Bill become a first-round draft pick
• Work ethic, character, shooting, and being a good teammate
• Why Bill chose prep school for his son Rob
• New Hampton and the post-grad basketball path
• Nikola Jokic’s development and competitiveness
• Stomp basketball traction mats and Shark Tank

👤 About the Guest:
Bill Hanzlik is a former NBA player, former Denver Nuggets head coach, and longtime Nuggets broadcaster. He played college basketball at Notre Dame, was selected in the first round of the 1980 NBA Draft, and later sent his son Rob to New Hampton for a post-grad prep school year before Rob went on to play Division I basketball.

🎙️ About PREP Athletics:
At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it can create better opportunities in the classroom, on the court, and in the college recruiting process. We talk about prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, NCAA updates, and the decisions families need to understand before choosing a path.

Our goal is to help players find the right fit, not just any placement. We share honest, experience-based guidance for families trying to navigate prep school basketball, college recruiting, exposure, development, and the steps that can help student-athletes move closer to their goals.

#PREPAthletics #BillHanzlik #DenverNuggets #BasketballRecruiting #PrepSchoolBasketball #PostGradBasketball #NBADraft #NikolaJokic

🔗 Connect with Cory:

Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
Email | coryheitz@gmail.com
Phone | 859-317-1166

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:

iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbXFiIOhoHinzsReYbJ
Amazon | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c37179d-3371-47f9-9d97-fd569e8802a7/prep-athletics-basketball-podcast #AmazonMusic

Discover how multi-sport athlete prep can transform your development with Garvin McAlister, head basketball coach at Millbrook School. In this episode of PREP Athletics, Garvin shares his insights on student-athlete development tips, multi-sport training, and preparing high school athletes for success both on and off the court.

We cover:

• Developing skills across multiple sports
• Lessons from college and prep school coaching
• Millbrook School’s community and athletic philosophy
• Balancing academics and athletics
• Preparing for post-grad opportunities

⏰ Timestamps:
01:29 - Early Life & Basketball Beginnings
02:07 - Coaching Experience Across Levels
03:17 - Key Mentorship Lessons
04:30 - Lessons from College Women’s Basketball
05:07 - Millbrook School Overview
06:40 - Athletics & Campus Resources
10:36 - Multi-Sport Requirement & Athletic Philosophy
15:36 - Practice & Development Philosophy
22:35 - Playing Time & Family Communication
30:33 - D1 Guard Skills & IQ in Basketball
34:50 - Rapid-Fire / Fun Segment
37:17 - Closing Thoughts & Appreciation

📌 Key Topics:
• Multi-sport athlete prep
• Student-athlete development tips
• High school athlete development
• Basketball coaching philosophy
• Millbrook School athletic program
• Prep school recruiting strategies

👤 About the Guest:
Garvin McAlister is the head basketball coach at Millbrook School, with experience coaching high school and college athletes, emphasizing holistic athletic development, multi-sport training, and player growth on and off the court.

🎙️ About PREP Athletics:
At PREP Athletics, we help young athletes and their families understand the prep school path and how it creates better academic, athletic, and college recruiting opportunities. We provide honest, experience-based guidance on prep schools, post-grad years, reclassing, recruiting, academics, AAU, and NCAA updates to help players find the right fit.

#multi-sportathleteprep #PrepAthletics #HighSchoolBasketball #StudentAthleteDevelopment #BasketballCoaching #GarvinMcAlister #PrepSchoolBasketball

🔗 Connect with Cory:

Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
Email | coryheitz@gmail.com
Phone | 859-317-1166

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:

iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbXFiIOhoHinzsReYbJ
Amazon | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c37179d-3371-47f9-9d97-fd569e8802a7/prep-athletics-basketball-podcast #AmazonMusic

Join Cory Heitz and Paul Biancardi—ESPN’s National Director of Recruiting, former D1 head coach, and a walk-on turned basketball insider—as they pull back the curtain on college basketball recruiting, player evaluation, and the intangibles that separate good players from great ones. Paul shares hard truths about rankings, the myth of "exposure", and why character, efficiency, and coachability matter more than points per game. Discover why 94% of high school players won’t play college ball, how to avoid the "D1 Herpes" trap, and the one game every athlete should never play (hint: it’s the comparison game). This episode is packed with actionable advice for players, parents, and coaches navigating the prep-to-college pipeline.

💡 Key Topics:
📌 Recruiting realities: How college coaches really evaluate players (and why scoring isn’t everything)
📌 The exposure myth: Why showcases ≠ development and what to do instead
📌 Prep school pros/cons: When a fifth year helps—and when it doesn’t
📌 Parenting pitfalls: How well-meaning parents sabotage their kids’ recruitment
📌 D1 guard blueprint: The non-negotiable skills for modern college guards
📌 Rankings decoded: What they mean, what they don’t, and how to use them wisely

🏀 About Paul Biancardi:
Paul Biancardi is a basketball lifer—from walking on at Salem State under Tom Thibodeau to coaching at Boston College, Ohio State, and Wright State, to his current role as ESPN’s National Director of Recruiting. As a McDonald’s All-American Game selector and rankings architect, Paul has spent decades evaluating, coaching, and mentoring the next generation of basketball talent. His no-nonsense approach to player development and recruiting makes him one of the most trusted voices in the game.

🔗 Connect with Paul Biancardi:
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/paulbiancardi/
Twitter | https://x.com/PaulBiancardi
LinkedIn | https://www.linkedin.com/in/paul-biancardi-331113a9/
Website | https://www.coachbiancardi.com/

🔗 Connect with Cory:

Website | https://www.prepathletics.com
Twitter | https://twitter.com/PREP_Athletics
Instagram | https://www.instagram.com/prep.athletics/
Facebook | https://www.facebook.com/PrepAthletics
Email | coryheitz@gmail.com
Phone | 859-317-1166

🔖 Subscribe to the PREP Athletics Podcast:

iTunes | https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/prep-athletics-podcast/id1546265809?uo=4
Spotify | https://open.spotify.com/show/6CAKbXFiIOhoHinzsReYbJ
Amazon | https://music.amazon.com/podcasts/3c37179d-3371-47f9-9d97-fd569e8802a7/prep-athletics-basketball-podcast #AmazonMusic