Northview High School junior-to-be Calvin Hyde picked up his first college offer for basketball on Friday from Great Lakes Christian College.
"I don't know what to say," Hyde said. "I'm really excited. I'm kind of shaking."
The six-foot, nine-inch Hyde received the offer via a phone call, that is not uncommon but it will be the only way that's going to happen for at least the next two months as the NCAA has extended the ban on in-person recruiting through the end of August because of COVID-19.
"It would probably be easier if you could travel around and meet them in person, obviously," Hyde added.
Hyde's high school teammate, Kyler VanderJagt, is very highly sought after. VanderJagt was getting texts and calls at midnight the first day that contact was allowed.
"I was not expecting it right at midnight that's for sure," VanderJagt said. "I was kind of expecting it early in the morning when I wake up. I was really surprised as soon as it hit midnight."
VanderJagt has heard from multiple division one schools including Michigan and Ohio State.
Jalen Charity is another Wildcat that has caught the interest of colleges. His phone was also lighting up on June 15th at midnight, hearing from the Air Force Academy, Central Michigan and Western Michigan among others.
"Going into my junior year I feel is the biggest time for college coaches to see what you can do," Charity says. "During AAU season it helps a lot playing in front of the coaches."
Normally these guys would have already played two months of AAU basketball in front of college coaches.
While some AAU circuits started back up last weekend, there were no college coaches there and won't be for awhile.
"It takes a huge toll," VanderJagt said. "I think this summer would have been really beneficial for myself but I just got to keep moving forward it is kind of a little road block that I just got to get over."
It's a hurdle that every high schooler with dreams of playing in college is currently trying to leap.
