Next Gen Basketball Camp Review
I can’t even recall how I first came across the Next Gen basketball camp featuring Ryan Kalkbrenner. I recall hitting a link that took me to a site that had several Creighton women’s and men’s basketball player camps through a local Omaha organization called DVLP. I thought I saw camps for Trey Alexander and Ryan Kalkbrenner. I promptly forgot about it. Then I ran into one of the parents of one of the basketball players I coached in the winter season. She mentioned her son was going to a Kalkbrenner camp. I was looking for one more short camp for my son and looked it up. It was a 4-hour camp at a local high school. The timing worked out and $99 and a few clicks later I had my son signed up.
I won’t bury the lead. Overall, my son liked it and the camp concentrated on fun and games over hard-core teaching and drilling. And that was OK with me and my son. Although I am sure each camp is a little different around the country, I will give you a review of the camp as I saw it and some insider details that may help you make your decision. In preparation to write this, I did some digging on the Next Gen organization in general. I will discuss my finding first and then dig into the details of the camp my 10-year-old son attended.
The Rise of Next Gen Camps
Next Gen Basketball Camps have become a popular way for college athletes to capitalize on their name, image, and likeness (NIL) rights by hosting skills camps for youth athletes. These events provide a mutually beneficial opportunity for college players to monetize their NIL rights while also giving back through coaching and mentoring the next generation of players.
The concept behind Next Gen Camps emerged in 2021 shortly after the NCAA adopted an interim NIL policy that allowed athletes to profit off their fame for the first time. The model recognized the potential for current college basketball stars to host camps for youth players who idolized them.
Our Experience Attending Ryan Kalbrenner’s Camp
Here are the key points and then I will go into some detail.
- The NIL player (in our case Ryan Kalkbrenner) was there for about 3 of the 4 hours and took time to take pictures with everyone.
- The T-Shirts given out were generic to “Next Gen” and didn’t have the NIL player’s name on them.
- The basketball camp was largely put on by the high school staff of the hosting gymnasium.
- Concentrated on games and having fun.
- Individual pictures of your camper with the NIL athlete were provided about a week later via Google Drive.
- There was no snack provided and they didn’t make time to eat your own if you brought one.
This camp was more about getting an opportunity to be around a great player. In our case, Ryan Kalkbrenner. I knew going in he was a great kid but I was interested in the logistics and how they put these NIL camps together. It appears that Next Gen takes care of all of the planning legwork.
Our camp was at Millard West high school in Omaha, Nebraska. The Millard West high school staff appeared to manage the kids and set up the drills and all of the activities. At our camp, they divided kids into 10-person teams by age level. Coaches for teams ranged between high school level coaches and college-aged kids that likely played in college or at the high school varsity level.
I left before Ryan Kalkbrenner got there and returned just after he left, but my son said he had just left and was there for about 3 hours. I think that is plenty based on a 4-hour camp. He also spoke to the kids, took a picture with each camper individually, and signed anything they wanted to be signed.
I estimated around 110 campers with a 10 to 1 camper-to-coach ratio. There appeared to be about 40 in the under-10 range and most of the rest in the 10 to 14-year-old range. The age range went up to 16 but there were not a lot of older kids in the crowd.
A 4-hour camp over a dinner hour (3 to 7 pm in our case) period without a snack or eating break is a little awkward. The kids were definitely good and tired at the end from what I could see.
If you are looking for hardcore training for your money then this may not be the camp for your son or daughter. It was $99 dollars for 4 hours. As a comparison, we did a camp with AEF Academy earlier in the summer which had 12 hours of training over 4 days at $165 per basketball camper.
My son gave this camp a “thumbs up” and liked it because he loves the games but doesn’t enjoy all the repetitive drilling. They did several contests such as hot shot shooting, knock out, and one on one tournaments and honored the top 2 campers from each team. They also played 5 on 5 against other similar-aged teams at the end.
How Next Gen Camps Work
One of the first Next Gen Camps was hosted by former Duke guard Wendell Moore Jr. and involved talented youth players from North Carolina. Moore earned a six-figure payout for the one-day event, while the young athletes received instruction from their basketball hero.
Next Gen Camps expanded quickly as more college athletes and youth players nationwide realized the lucrative possibilities. Notable NCAA stars across sports like football and women’s basketball started hosting their own camps in the summer of 2021 after NIL rules were enacted.
The camps are typically one or two days and involve college athletes teaching skills, running drills, and scrimmages. The college players promote their personal brands by headlining the events, while also providing coaching and mentorship. Parents pay for their children to participate and meet the athletes.
Controversy and Criticism
While profitable for college athletes, Next Gen Camps have generated some controversy. Critics believe the events allow NCAA stars to simply get paid for their fame instead of providing meaningful instruction. However, supporters note the camps give youth athletes rare access to their heroes and role models.
Though exact revenue data is private, estimates suggest top college athletes earned significant payouts from Next Gen Camps during the first year of NIL rules. The coordinating company takes a percentage of the proceeds. Camps are strategically scheduled not to conflict with NCAA obligations.
Expansion Beyond Basketball
Beyond basketball, the Next Gen model has expanded into other college sports. The business allows current student-athletes to capitalize on their collegiate stardom through NIL before turning professional.
Final Thought On Next Gen Basketball Camps
As NIL policies and business opportunities continue to evolve, Next Gen Camps have provided a profitable structure for college athletes to benefit from their fame while also giving back through youth skills instruction. Connecting stars with their young fans provides mutual rewards for both groups. I would definitely sign my son up for another Next Gen basketball camp in the future. It seems like a win-win-win situation for the player, Next Gen (and the coaches they hire to put on the clinic), and the camper.
Who can participate in Next Gen Camps?
How much does it cost for a child to attend a Next Gen Camp?
What do the campers learn at Next Gen Camps?
Troy Wallace
Troy Wallace is Certified Basketball Speed Specialist and shares his experiences in trying to stay as healthy as possible to stay on the court. He is active in coaching youth basketball in YMCA, Team Work Sports Nebraska, and, currently, in the Jr. Warriors program in Omaha, NE. Visit Troy's Full Author Bio Page or email him directly.
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