U of M Basketball Recruiting Discussion

[hack]

Jesus look at that top 5. Hard to imagine we're not filler.

[*JD*]

Jesus look at that top 5. Hard to imagine we're not filler.

We've been to the National Championship game more recently than those other 4 schools and blew out UNC last season. Maybe he's giving us some credit?

[*JD*]

Both Lance Ware (#47c) and Henry Coleman (#39c) name Michigan in their Final 5. Ware has set up an OV for September 5th. Michigan is not thought to be the favorite with either but we'll see.

[Jeff Buchanan]

I think most of us here have acknowledged that when it comes to B-Ball recruiting, bags are involved. It's not clean. Clearly, JB got tired of that. In his last years, did he not target the caliber of recruits JH is targeting and will JH learn the same lessons we think JB learned?

[Hannibal]

I don't remember Beilein ever mass targeting one-and-dones and two-and-dones like Howard is doing.

[hack]

In multiple places I've heard people say that maybe if we can't beat them on the recruiting trail that we may in a limited sense join them. I don't feel good about that. As much as the return of a respected guy from my era is a pleasing nostalgia play, the frustration of losing Beilein hasn't diminished for me. Especially since OKC just got gutted and Billy Donovan may have had a different answer if the timing were different. None of that is based on what I think Howard can or can't do, mind you. Things could still turn out wonderfully. I'd just feel better if things weren't what they now are.

[lineygoblue]

Iggy turned out to be a one and done, and Jordan Poole ended up being a two and done. If Howard brings in guys for 1 or 2 years, I guess its better than not having them at all.

[hack]

It's fine. You want to do a better job coaxing one of the two of them back -- Iggy would have been the one, since Poole was uncoachable anyways -- but if you have a nice roster of system players then you need the truly elite ones to come in and be plug-and-play stars, especially on the wing. Right now Howard's got that supporting cast, so landing one of Christopher or Burnett would be huge and put him in position to make a deep run in 2020.

[*JD*]

I don't remember Beilein ever mass targeting one-and-dones and two-and-dones like Howard is doing.

This is a totally different approach. One that some people used to lament that they wished Beilein was doing. For better or worse, it's happening now. I find it interesting and a little exciting. Maybe even necessary. Expecting Juwan to be as good at identifying and developing guys outside the top-100 as Beilein was is expecting a lot. That wasn't the Michigan way. That was the Beilein way. Beilein may have been (probably was) the best in the nation at doing that. I'd rather have Juwan try something less challenging, at least at first. Michigan used to be a blue blood when it came to recruiting. The means to get there has some shadows upon it (we still don't know when Webber took money) for some of those classes but from '91-'00, Michigan probably had the top recruiting class in the country 4 of those years. Going back even further, the Mills/Rumeal class would've ranked quite high too, as Terry was ranked #1/#2 depending on which service was rating him, and I think Rumeal was in the top-20. Gary Grant, Antoine Joubert, Richard Relford, Eric Turner, and Tim McCormick were all McDonald's All-Americans as HS Seniors.

So, can we get back to having top 5 classes every few years? Michigan is clearly out of the ashes left by the Ed Martin scandal. 15-17 year old kids know Michigan as a team that makes deep tourney runs. A team that has produced several first round picks in the last 6-7 years. They may have lost their coach but they brought in someone that has NBA clout and having the Fab 5 documentary out there certainly helped build Juwan's reputation and recognizability. I think he's probably taking the best approach by being quite visible, especially since he's playing catch up with the 2020 class. He should take advantage of whatever buzz there is around him because that, along with his character, is all he has at this point. The wins will have to follow.

And, while we're on this topic, Kennedy Chandler just got a Michigan offer. He's a 2021 PG and ranked #28c.

[Jeff Buchanan]

This.

[hack]

I don't care whether they come from undiscovered guys or the mid-four-start range, but he has to keep getting 3-4 year players as well.

[*JD*]

I don't care whether they come from undiscovered guys or the mid-four-star range, but he has to keep getting 3-4 year players as well.

Perhaps. Aside from 2012, Calipari can't seem to win it all with 1and 2 year players. However, he did get that one, though, and 6 of their top 7 players were Freshmen & Sophomores. Their top 8 (the only ones whole played more than 16 games) all were ranked in the Top-35 of their classes, so they probably all thought of themselves as 1 or 2 year players.

Then you take Coach K. On the 2015 title team, the lowest ranked of their 10 rotation players was Miles Plumlee at #61. Everyone else was ranked #34 or higher, and 3 of their top 4 players were 1 and done guys (Okafor, Winslow & Tyus Jones). Quinn Cook was a McDonald's All-American who wound up staying 4 years.

[*JD*]

Word from mgoblog is that Nimari Burnett will be making his OV on 9/5 as well.

[hack]

Yeah -- most of those youngster teams that won had a major contributor that was a senior, like Quinn Cook. I think the model that's working the best is the Jay Wright approach, in which there's a better balance of youth and upperclassmen. Brunson, Arcidiacono, Kris Jenkins, etc. etc. -- those seniors and jrs were the ones making the huge plays in their championships. Same goes for Virginia this year, and UNC the year before. I think Juwan is absolutely doing the right thing for the roster as it stands. In a few years though, when Beilein's system guys are gone, I hope Juwan isn't striving to remake the team with one-and-dones year-in/year-out. Mind you there will be less of those players given the NBA may allow high-schoolers in again.

[*JD*]

Virginia's best player was a Sophomore, Guy was a McDonald's AA who stuck around for his Junior year.

I want balance too but not every kid that looks like a 1-and-done turns out to be that. Quinn Cook Example.