The days when elite athletes measure their success in newspaper clippings, scrapbooks filled with pictures, and handwritten notes from college coaches are long gone. Although all of these assets still exist for today's hoopers, you will probably find these mementos in a dusty pile on a windowsill.

"Honestly, I don't read them all," said Findlay Prep unsigned senior forward Donnie Tillman, who is leaning toward a decision between Utah and Cal but still sees his mailbox overflowing. "I think Creighton sends a letter every time they win a game."

It's not that athletes don't appreciate this part of recruiting. As mailboxes continue to fill up, letters (or at least pictures of them) have proved to withstand the times and the technology. It's that with the times, technology has proven to provide something of more value. Social media gives athletes a visual archive of photos and videos available the second they step off the court.

The social networking app Overtime is finding itself courtside at every game with video technology that allows anyone to create and edit a quick highlight right from his or her iPhone. With a quick retweet, share or post, fans are instantly treated to an action-packed, visual update. In the case of elite hoopers, that reach is in the hundreds of thousands, while views surpass millions.


 




So who's watching? Um, everyone.

NBA All-Star Steph Curry was the latest to give a shoutout to the youth when he posted an Overtime highlight of Gray Collegiate (SC) and Flo40 combo guard Jalek Felton.

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Felton, nephew of current Los Angeles Clippers point guard Raymond Felton, attended Curry's Select Camp this summer. Thanks to Overtime, Curry is able to check in on the Felton's progress and give credit when credit is due.

Prior to Curry, Drake was the latest celebrity showing love to high school hoopers. After several viral videos lit up social media, Drake donned 2018's No. 2 prospect Zion Williamson's Spartanburg Day jersey for one of the most high-profile shoutouts to date.

Williamson said it best in his Instagram caption, "If you ain't been a part of it, at least you got to witness." And With Drake's 32.7 million followers, there's a good chance you did.

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While letters might politely knock at the door of recruits, today's media landscape is storming through and bringing down the house.

This is the new way memories are made and success is measured.