Coaches corner: Traits coaches want

College coaches will be out the next couple months looking to add players to their rosters for next season and beyond. But when they are out looking for players, what are they looking for? What skill or trait do they desire most? That’s the question we posed to five assistant coaches.

“A lot depends on who you are working for. With my current boss, it’s all about toughness. If a kid is not tough, not mentally tough, then he’s not going to be successful. You have a kid that might be talented, but he’s not tough and those kids would struggle here.” – ACC assistant

“I’d say coach-ability. Is the player coachable? Does he listen to the AAU coach? Does he listen to the high school coach? Or is he doing his own thing, looking up into the stands? I think that’s huge. Most coaches want somebody that can do the basics, and that’s where you start, but being coachable is big for us.” – Big Ten assistant

“Toughness is big, but let’s not even say that. It’s more about competitiveness, how competitive they are. You always recognize a guy that can shoot it, but even bigger than that is how well they handle it. Can they put the ball on the floor and make a play? That’s what is big for us.” – Big 12 assistant

“How hard a kid competes, that’s the main thing for me, especially for a mid-major. If they compete hard, that means they can be coached and will develop.” – Conference USA assistant

“My personal preference is looking for guys that can put the ball in the hole. That’s the skill that is hardest to teach. For my boss, he likes to look for long, athletic, mobile guys, regardless of the position. At point guard, he’s looking for a guy with great ball skills. It’s the same for wings. For post players, he likes long, lean, athletic and mobile. For me though, I want a guy that can score because we can teach the rest.” – SEC assistant