Should a GM use Twitter accounts to evaluate a draft prospect character?

[Global Celtic]

We all know that a GM has a lot of statistic tools, videos, human resources and personal contacts to get to know a prospect’s game and character. But I think the way a player expresses himself and his ideas through Twitter can give you some valuable info about his character, maturity and mindset. I suggest we compare two similar players who can get drafted in late first/early second round: Missouri’s Marcus Denmon and Washington’s Tony Wroten Jr. If you look at the general part of Denmon’s comments he really breathes and lives basketball, understanding what it takes to succeed in this environment.

@MizzouMonster12
Leaving Boston enjoyed my workout here
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Them cool dudes don't get the job done , you gotta b hungry  (he would love KG…)
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Ive learned when you do right by yourself and others good things happen
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Wasn't feeling this 7 hour flight from Boston to Santa Barbara Cali until I google map'd it driving lol...  (sense of humor)
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Getting ready to head to the Nets facilities, ready to grind, another opportunity!!   (hungry)
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On the other hand, if you look at Wroten's account there are little references about basketball. He even had troubles in the past with his Twitter comments and seemed an head case the way he dealed with it.
http://blog.seattlepi.com/huskies/2011/05/05/tony-wroten-incident-another-reminder-of-why-twitter-only-causes-trouble/

http://www.sportsandtimes.com/2011/05/11/star-uw-basketball-recruit-tony-wroten-cheats-and-deletes-twitter-account/
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@TWroten_LOE
Shutup boyyyy. RT @KingMac_LOE: #Oomfs is thick and cute but she b beefn lowkey lol
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Especially when u in that perfect spot. Lol. RT @30dezz: I hate gettin up to turn my light off
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No. U can't tell. U tell every1 u got no tats cause u can't see them. RT@RealDealBeal23: Should I get more ink? Time to start drawing !
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I’m not saying this examples are representative of Denmon’s and Wroten’s entire personalities, or that one is more mature, focused and smart than the other. Wroten is even 3 years younger so that should be considered in the way he sees life and basketball. But since we know that a GM like Danny Ainge really takes in consideration a player’s character and mindset, shouldn’t he use this kind of insight to form a judgment about a young man that he’s adding to the team and the organization?

[Boris Badenov]

Teams in the NFL use textual analysis of draft prospects' interviews to analyze them psychologically. As I understand it, such analysis has been shown to predict later events (like crimes, DUI, etc.). I don't know whether it also predicts on-field success.

I think twitter would be informative too.

[indeedproceed]

In my bleeding liberal heart, I think the notion that prospective employers can use (often demand) access to your facebook profile/messages, twitter account, credit scores, etc... to be invasive and ridiculous, bordering on unconstitutional.

I also think the benefits they hope to learn about character, associates, work ethic, should be pretty evident from interviews with coaches, trainers, and teammates. If a team knows how do scout properly and devotes the proper resources to this critical service, they shouldn't need twitter or facespace or mybook.

That said, everyone is doing it now, and with the unceasing march to any kind of slim advantage you can get over your rivals, teams will use any and every avenue they can to obtain information that is pertinent to any investment they'll make.

[wdleehi]

Anything you make public is fair game.

[banty19]

I think Twitter and social media should definitely be used with one caveat...

How many of their twitter accounts are run by agents/PR people? If they look legit, they could be a valuable resource. But it could just be an indication of which prospect has the best PR team.

[bdm860]

I also think the benefits they hope to learn about character, associates, work ethic, should be pretty evident from interviews with coaches, trainers, and teammates. If a team knows how do scout properly and devotes the proper resources to this critical service, they shouldn't need twitter or facespace or mybook.

You really think so?  How many coaches, trainers, teammates, etc. are going to tell the real unsugar-coated truth about somebody? Coaches and trainers know the more kids their programs get in the pros, the better off they are.  I feel like coaches/trainers are only going to say a few basic things (basically the same thing most people say about others):

He's the greatest [fill in the blank] I've ever had in X years. 

Or

He's good kid and has a great chance to make it in the pros if he continues to work hard and stays focus.

Is the coach/trainer really going to say things like: the kid doesn't have a good work ethic, I'm pretty sure he's using steriods and recreational drugs, he was a nightmare when he was here, I'm just glad he's leaving my program.

As for teammates, I don't see the majority of them saying negative things, unless there's a real grudge.


When it comes down to it for sports, teams are investing millions, and probably tens of millions, and potentially hundreds of million dollars in a player.  When you're doing that, I would want all the info I can possible have about someone.  Not saying I'd give it much weight, but the character profile you could draw up from tweets might be able to help tell you if the kid will re-sign after his rookie deal, or will demand to be traded in a few years, or only wants to live in NYC, LA, or Miami.

[bbd24]

In my bleeding liberal heart, I think the notion that prospective employers can use (often demand) access to your facebook profile/messages, twitter account, credit scores, etc... to be invasive and ridiculous, bordering on unconstitutional.

I also think the benefits they hope to learn about character, associates, work ethic, should be pretty evident from interviews with coaches, trainers, and teammates. If a team knows how do scout properly and devotes the proper resources to this critical service, they shouldn't need twitter or facespace or mybook.

That said, everyone is doing it now, and with the unceasing march to any kind of slim advantage you can get over your rivals, teams will use any and every avenue they can to obtain information that is pertinent to any investment they'll make.

I think you should leave your liberal bleeding heart out of this.  We don't need the government digging in & getting there feet wet on this issue as well.  Let Stern take care of it.

 

[indeedproceed]

I also think the benefits they hope to learn about character, associates, work ethic, should be pretty evident from interviews with coaches, trainers, and teammates. If a team knows how do scout properly and devotes the proper resources to this critical service, they shouldn't need twitter or facespace or mybook.

You really think so?  How many coaches, trainers, teammates, etc. are going to tell the real unsugar-coated truth about somebody? Coaches and trainers know the more kids their programs get in the pros, the better off they are.  I feel like coaches/trainers are only going to say a few basic things (basically the same thing most people say about others):

He's the greatest [fill in the blank] I've ever had in X years.  

Or

He's good kid and has a great chance to make it in the pros if he continues to work hard and stays focus.

Is the coach/trainer really going to say things like: the kid doesn't have a good work ethic, I'm pretty sure he's using steriods and recreational drugs, he was a nightmare when he was here, I'm just glad he's leaving my program.

As for teammates, I don't see the majority of them saying negative things, unless there's a real grudge.

I think you need to look at it from another angle. These coaches field these questions from NBA scouts all the time. They're very likely friends, or at least associates. The guys who work with probable draftees are pretty typically the same trainers who work with prospects every year getting them ready for the draft.

Sure, 50% of the people you talk to are going to try to schmooze you outright and offer nothing useful. 70% of people are going to spin it positively.

Thats why you've got to thoroughly vet your prospects, and know your sources. If you or I just started doing this, we'd probably suck..but professional scouts should be half basketball mind/half PI.

[guava_wrench]

Use everything that can give you insight. Teams will have to deal with a player's lack of professionalism and that can come through in their use of social media.

[ManUp]

Anything you make public is fair game.

I gotta agree with this.

[bdm860]

I also think the benefits they hope to learn about character, associates, work ethic, should be pretty evident from interviews with coaches, trainers, and teammates. If a team knows how do scout properly and devotes the proper resources to this critical service, they shouldn't need twitter or facespace or mybook.

You really think so?  How many coaches, trainers, teammates, etc. are going to tell the real unsugar-coated truth about somebody? Coaches and trainers know the more kids their programs get in the pros, the better off they are.  I feel like coaches/trainers are only going to say a few basic things (basically the same thing most people say about others):

He's the greatest [fill in the blank] I've ever had in X years.  

Or

He's good kid and has a great chance to make it in the pros if he continues to work hard and stays focus.

Is the coach/trainer really going to say things like: the kid doesn't have a good work ethic, I'm pretty sure he's using steriods and recreational drugs, he was a nightmare when he was here, I'm just glad he's leaving my program.

As for teammates, I don't see the majority of them saying negative things, unless there's a real grudge.

I think you need to look at it from another angle. These coaches field these questions from NBA scouts all the time. They're very likely friends, or at least associates. The guys who work with probable draftees are pretty typically the same trainers who work with prospects every year getting them ready for the draft.

Sure, 50% of the people you talk to are going to try to schmooze you outright and offer nothing useful. 70% of people are going to spin it positively.

Thats why you've got to thoroughly vet your prospects, and know your sources. If you or I just started doing this, we'd probably suck..but professional scouts should be half basketball mind/half PI.

Eh, professional scouts should be a lot of things.

Maybe we expect too much from scouts.  Kwame Brown, Stromile Swift, Darko Milicic, Adam Morrison, really?

I wonder how accurate that scene from Moneyball is, where Brad Pitt is sitting around the table and all his scouts are these old guys that have been in the game for 50 years, just looking at the same old things: size, athleticism, potential.  Where they're only considered a good scout because they've doing it for 30 years and made the obvious observations that guys like Shaq and Duncan were going to be good pros.

Sadly I think most hardcore basketball fans, could do as good a job as at least 50% of the scouts out there.

But still to get back to the point, most people know when they're in a job interview, and know when to give the "proper" answer.  Where do you see yourself in 5 years?  Oh, I plan on being right here working hard for the company.  Why do you want to work here?  Because I think this is a great organization where I can really thrive and make the most of my abilities. Blah, blah, blah.  I think a look into how you've presented yourself in social media, (when most assume they're not on a job interview, or the cameras aren't rolling) can sometimes give just as good a view, or even better view into a person's true character then you can get from a high paid scout.

[indeedproceed]

I think a look into how you've presented yourself in social media, (when most assume they're not on a job interview, or the cameras aren't rolling) can sometimes give just as good a view, or even better view into a person's true character then you can get from a high paid scout.

Yeah, but I mean (and this applies to all prospective employees, not just NBA prospects) I'm sure there a lot of things employers can do to get a whole and complete picture of you. Asking to read you most immediate texts and go through your photo albums on your phone for instance should give a pretty unfiltered view of your life too.

[Chris]

I don't think it counts for anything if they have positive things in their social networking sites (twitter, facebook, etc), but like interviewing for any jobs, I think they could absolutely get a red flag if they come off as immature or a loose cannon on them.

Shouldn't play a big role, but can be the kind of thing, when combined with interviews and of course evaluations of them as a player, that can sway a team to stay away.

Although I will say, if a prospect coming out of college has really immature tweets/facebook posts, it comes across just as poorly on their college/college coach for not teaching them that stuff DOES matter, just like it comes across badly for a kid applying for a job out of college, and their school didn't teach them this.

I am always shocked when I meet college kids who don't realize just how public all of that stuff is, and how it can be the difference between getting a job or not.

[clover]

I think Twitter and social media should definitely be used with one caveat...

How many of their twitter accounts are run by agents/PR people? If they look legit, they could be a valuable resource. But it could just be an indication of which prospect has the best PR team.

What I was thinking.  Probably would be remiss not to check and find any red flags on it, but not useful to go much further than that.

[mqtcelticsfan]

I've seen plenty of intelligent people act like jackasses on twitter. I wouldn't read too much into it unless something glaring stuck out like he was discussing criminal behavior or something that would harm his ability to play at a high level.