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At the start of the season, I picked up 3 18-year-olds to train. I have a solid financial situation, a good coach and youth trainer, upgraded training facilities — everything’s in place. Here are my trainees as of today.

Right now, I’m training 1v1 PG/SG. How should I continue?

🇱🇹 Ichtiandras Gaidukevičius (Lietuva)
Weekly salary: $3,123
Role: Key Player
DMI: 28,000
Age: 18
Height: 6'8" / 203 cm
Potential: Hall of Famer
Game Shape: Respectable

Jump Shot: Competent

Range: Average

Outside Defense: Respectable

Handling: Competent ↑

Driving: Prominent

Passing: Respectable

Inside Shot: Strong

Inside Defense: Atrocious

Rebounding: Mediocre

Shot Blocking: Mediocre

Stamina: Inept

Free Throws: Competent

Experience: Atrocious

TSP: 69 (49 + 20)

🇪🇸 Brillantino Abegoa (España)
Weekly salary: $2,789
Role: Starter
DMI: 40,500
Age: 18
Height: 6'4" / 193 cm
Potential: Hall of Famer
Game Shape: Strong

Jump Shot: Competent ↑

Range: Strong

Outside Defense: Average

Handling: Competent

Driving: Sensational ↑

Passing: Respectable

Inside Shot: Average ↑

Inside Defense: Atrocious

Rebounding: Inept

Shot Blocking: Strong

Stamina: Respectable

Free Throws: Respectable

Experience: Atrocious ↑

TSP: 71 (51 + 20)

🇺🇸 Octavio Brantega (USA)
Weekly salary: $2,742
Role: Starter
DMI: 72,400
Age: 18
Height: 6'1" / 185 cm
Potential: MVP
Game Shape: Competent

Jump Shot: Strong ↑

Range: Average

Outside Defense: Strong

Handling: Prominent

Driving: Prominent ↑

Passing: Respectable

Inside Shot: Inept

Inside Defense: Awful

Rebounding: Atrocious

Shot Blocking: Respectable

Stamina: Mediocre

Free Throws: Respectable

Experience: Horrible

TSP: 67 (51 + 16)

How should I train them next season? Do you think they could be NT prospects for their respective countries?
I’m aware there’s a height gap between the three, but it is what it is. Thanks in advance for any advice!

It all depends on what you want to do with them...as in what you are aiming to turn them into?

Despite their excellent potentials (2 x HOF, 1 x MVP) they aren't amazing trainees to be honest. Well, as a group of trainees anyway.

You are training 1v1 (Guards)...why? That will only really benefit the third trainee depending on what you plan to do with the first 2 bigs.

TRAINEE 1: Ichtiandras Gaidukevičius (Lietuva)
Weekly salary: $3,123
Role: Key Player
DMI: 28,000
Age: 18
Height: 6'8" / 203 cm
Potential: Hall of Famer
Game Shape: Respectable
Jump Shot: Competent
Range: Average
Outside Defense: Respectable
Handling: Competent ↑
Driving: Prominent
Passing: Respectable
Inside Shot: Strong
Inside Defense: Atrocious
Rebounding: Mediocre
Shot Blocking: Mediocre
Stamina: Inept
Free Throws: Competent
Experience: Atrocious
TSP: 69 (49 + 20)

Unless you are planning to put in a lot of hard seasons to turn this guy into an SF or PF, he is not good enough as a big if you are going to spend time training small skills now. At 6'8" the 1v1 (Guard) training won't give him many pops. Consider changing it to 1v1 (F0rwards SF/PF) so he is getting more IS training. The glaring hole is his ID and low rebounds at this stage. Yes, you can use the elastic effect to fix the ID, but when will you have time to spend a season or 2 on that as well as develop your 3rd guy (6'1" guard) who needs very different things?

I would really like to know what your plans for this guy is? If it's to make him a PF...fine...but he's going to need a lot of work on his bigs skills and you will need to use the elastic effect well to fix the holes.


EDIT: Grammar

Last edited by MrJ at 7/1/2025 1:21:38 AM

TRAINEE 2: Brillantino Abegoa (España)
Weekly salary: $2,789
Role: Starter
DMI: 40,500
Age: 18
Height: 6'4" / 193 cm
Potential: Hall of Famer
Game Shape: Strong
Jump Shot: Competent ↑
Range: Strong
Outside Defense: Average
Handling: Competent
Driving: Sensational ↑
Passing: Respectable
Inside Shot: Average ↑
Inside Defense: Atrocious
Rebounding: Inept
Shot Blocking: Strong
Stamina: Respectable
Free Throws: Respectable
Experience: Atrocious ↑
TSP: 71 (51 + 20)


It is hard to give specific training advice when:

1. You haven't said what you want to turn these guys into; and
2. You have 3 very different trainees with very different needs.


However, if I just look at this 2nd trainee, I would consider the following:

You could continue to absolutely hammer the 1v1 (Guards) and get the Handling, Driving and Jump Shot high, before switching to Outside Defense (OD). The elastic effect will train that OD fast at that point. That's assuming you are considering this trainee as a guard/small forward.

This would also be excellent training for your 3rd trainee who is most definitely a guard. 1v1 then OD would be great for him while he is still young. This with his potential will give him a great start.

Again, what your end plans with your player are is important.


My advice, after looking at all 3 trainees, their current TSPs and their potentials would be this:

1. Get onto Buzzer Manager
2. Play around with the 'Salary Calculator' to predict future builds that you like.
3. Reverse-engineer them and train them accordingly.
4. Consider selling the 6'8" big or be prepared to lose training at the expense of the other two


These are just my opinions. Would be interested to hear others' views.

My goal would be to get to first league and keep 2 out of 3 until then, prob sell one. Possibly get the legends to National team and/or U21. No idea yet about how I actually want to develop them as players. Also, Im training 1v1 forwards, not guards, sorry.

Edit: generally, my idea would be to train them as SF/SG, maybe selling the 6'1 one.
Edit: the first 2 trainees seem to be like they have very similar skills at the moment, beside, of course, the 4 inches difference.

Last edited by Jamesèforte at 7/1/2025 10:41:30 AM

My goal would be to get to first league and keep 2 out of 3 until then, prob sell one. Possibly get the legends to National team and/or U21. No idea yet about how I actually want to develop them as players. Also, Im training 1v1 forwards, not guards, sorry.

Edit: generally, my idea would be to train them as SF/SG, maybe selling the 6'1 one.
Edit: the first 2 trainees seem to be like they have very similar skills at the moment, beside, of course, the 4 inches difference.

1. 1v1 Forwards makes more sense. Good.
2. Selling off the guard also makes sense.
3. Those 4 inches of difference will matter when you are training big skills (for the 6'4" guy) and when you are training guard skills (for the 6'8" guy). So, the heights will definitely slow you down somewhat.
4. The bigger issue if you are serious about making them SF/PFs who are actually competitive in the higher divisions, is the ID (atrocious) on your 6'8" (and 'mediocre'?) and 6'4" prospect. This will need to be addressed and the sooner the better given age does factor into training too.

Well, it seems you have somewhat of a plan. Other than what I have already suggested, good luck.