Article in The Athletic, written by CJ Moore, Oct. 25th, 2022 (may require a subscription to The Athletic)
Bill Self, Head Coach at Kansas, looks for explosiveness and whether or not a prospect can shoot it. Interestingly, he says that if a player is explosive a coach can teach him how to defend. If a kid can shoot a coach should be able to teach him how to really score. Self also likes to see a kid play three times, once when he plays really well, again when he is just average, and a third time when he is awful.
John Beilein, Former Head Coach at Michigan and West Virginia looks for a high skill level with the ability to shoot it. A high skill level also shows that a kid has put the work in, according to Coach Beilein. He also puts a premium on kids who can pass. I thought he made a lot of sense by stating that a kid who can pass usually has good anticipatory skills on the defensive end. "Guys who see the game on offense also see it on defense..."
Mark Few, Head Coach at Gonzaga, looks for a "feel." If a kid has a real feel for the game, it can make up for a lack of athleticism.
Tony Bennett, Head Coach at Virginia, tries to find hidden gems that have been overlooked that can be really special at a particular skill. He mentioned Klay Thompson as an example (Washington State,
Coach Bennett's former school).