The madness of another kind begins Thursday.
Throughout July, college coaches with their school logos splashed across their chests will be scurrying through airports, cruising highways and checking into chain hotels from coast to coast as they try to catch as much prep talent as possible in person during two separate 10-day evaluation periods.
Some coaches love this month. Others hate it because of the exhaustive travel and the countless hours in gyms, some sweatier than others. Try zigzagging through Las Vegas countless times, covering three different sneaker-sponsored tournaments in 100-plus degree "dry" heat, and you'll understand.
Nike, Adidas and Reebok dominate the month, with pickup ball much more prevalent than the skill stations run only at more instructional camps. This is a month when everyone wants to be seen -- and the NCAA is fine with that, as long as no one is heard from. Players cannot talk to coaches and vice versa.
From a college hoops standpoint, there are numerous subplots that should be intriguing to follow as coaches descend on the camps and tournaments. Here are 10 of the bigger ones to follow:
1. How visible will IU assistants be this month?
Indiana head coach Kelvin Sampson is banned from recruiting off-campus for a year, but his assistants can roam freely. Ray McCallum and Jeff Meyer aren't national faces, but they'll need to have that Indiana crest in the sight of plenty of players as they draw attention to the school, with Sampson unable to make a cameo. This is a significant recruiting summer for the Hoosiers, with D.J. White likely gone to the NBA after this upcoming season.
2. How ready will White be for competition?
As a counselor, White is scheduled to play at the Nike camp. He said he's ready for full action after missing all but five games for the Hoosiers with foot injuries this past season. If he has a good run at Nike, he could help elevate the perception of his game as well as the projections of where the Hoosiers will finish in the Big Ten.
3. How cut is Glen Davis?
LSU coach John Brady says Davis is down to 290, shaving some 20-odd pounds from his playing weight of this past season. The rising junior center also is scheduled to play at Nike later this week during the counselor pickup games. NBA scouts usually are courtside, and if Davis is thinner and even more nimble, he could be playing himself into a higher money slot in the 2007 draft and positioning LSU to hang with Florida in the SEC.
4. How strong is Eric Gordon's verbal commitment to Illinois?
On the surface, it should be a lock. The guard out of North Central High in Indianapolis verbally committed to the Illini in November. There is an unwritten rule that a verbal commitment shouldn't be touched by any other school, especially a league rival. There are plenty of exceptions, though -- such as point guard Doug Wiggins of East Hartford (Conn.) High School, who backed out of his verbal commitment to St. John's to go to UConn. So no one should be shocked if Indiana makes a play this summer.
5. Where will Kevin Love land?
The most talented big man in the class of 2007 -- and rated No. 1 overall by some -- is down to UCLA and North Carolina. Notice there's no mention of Oregon for the prep out of the Beaver State. The Ducks flew south long ago in this recruitment, with Love looking for one of the game's true blue-blooded programs. He could make his announcement in the next week.
6. What kind of buzz will O.J. Mayo create?
Forget about his college destination. Mayo should create a scene whenever he plays this summer -- akin to the LeBron buzz the summer prior to his senior season. Everyone will want to see Mayo play.
7. Which headline coach will be the last to leave a gym?
Having covered recruiting the past 17 years, I've witnessed many a scene, but few rival seeing coaches like North Carolina's Roy Williams and Arizona's Lute Olson sitting in some high school gym in Vegas past midnight. They are two of the hardest-working recruiters in the land. Since they lead such power programs as North Carolina and Arizona, the assumption is that they don't have to work hard, but Williams and Olson are hands-on the whole month.
8. Will Greg Oden participate at the USA Basketball trials?
Not likely, but Oden is expected to watch the trials in Las Vegas at the end of the month. Oden can be on the 2008 Olympic team even if he doesn't play or make the World Championships team this summer. His presence, even if he only watches, should create a story line for training camp.
9. How noticeable will Bobby Cremins (College of Charleston), Bob Huggins (Kansas State) and Sidney Lowe (N.C. State) be on the road?
Cremins hasn't done recruiting since 2000, but this should still feel familiar to him. Still, the grind could wear on him as he must make his presence felt on the road. Huggins is iconic and likely will choose his spots wisely. Lowe must get out to familiarize himself with the system, since the current setup wasn't around in the early '80s.
10. Will Jim Larranaga be a familiar face?
The George Mason coach was a memorable name in March, but will he resonate in July? Larranaga needs to capitalize on the popularity of his Final Four darlings. The question is whether recruits were paying enough attention in March to be able to pick out his face.
Andy Katz is a senior writer for ESPN.com.