U of M Basketball Recruiting Discussion

[lineygoblue]

Sumbitch can recruit. Really need to get into the tourney though to cement Howard's reputation and keep that goodwill train rolling. It's depressing to be saying that. We seemed like a lock for a 4 or better seed then.

He's going to have to deal with some negativity from this year (he can't win on the road!!), but I think if he can pull things back together next season, and start getting some big road wins, he'll continue to be one of the best in the country in recruiting. It will be interesting to see what happens if the NBA changes the "one and done" rule. If players have the choice to enter the NBA directly from HS, I think even some of the best recruiters will take a hit.

I'd like to see the NBA change the one and done rule to a "In, or wait 2 years" policy. If you want to enter the NBA immediately after HS, that's fine, go for it. But, if you accept a scholarship for college ball, then you're ineligible for the NBA Draft for 2 years. I think that would be fairer to everyone.

[*JD*]

I just saw this post regarding Michigan and the Class of 2022:

Early notables:
#1 - Emoni Bates (offer)
#7 - Amari Bailey
#17 - Skyy Clark (offer)
#22 - Justice WIlliams (offer)
#28 - Chance Westry (offer)
#29 - Dug McDaniel
#38 - Gregg Glenn (offer)
#49 - Eric Dailey Jr. (offer)
#56 - Ty Rodgers
#57 - Colin Smith (visiting 2/8)
#58 - Jett Howard (offer)

[*JD*]

Greg Brown, along with several 2021 & '22 recruits (and Hunter Dickenson) were on campus yesterday. It was an OV for Brown. Here's a good article regarding his recruitment:
https://247sports.com/college/michig...cky-143519373/

[hack]

Greg Brown's options aren't enviable. He's more of a wing 4 than an interior one. Even if he comes here, and even if Todd is here and he's readier than Todd, is he gonna beat out Livers or Wagner? Both are going to be NBA players.

[*JD*]

Greg Brown's options aren't enviable. He's more of a wing 4 than an interior one. Even if he comes here, and even if Todd is here and he's readier than Todd, is he gonna beat out Livers or Wagner? Both are going to be NBA players.

Brown might be better than Livers and Wagner right now. He's certainly more athletic. It's hard to say what would happen and why Michigan would appeal to him, from a perspective of getting minutes, but maybe Juwan is putting together something comparable to the Fab 5. The '90-'91 team had some okay players (Riley made it to the NBA, Talley was a Mr. Basketball, Sam Mitchell has a solid freshman year, and Voskuil was fairly athletic and could shoot) but they all quickly got surpassed. I'd say Livers and Wagner are better than most of those guys but the point is that talent often wins out over experience.

[hack]

Very well could be, but both Brown and Todd is a heck of a situation, unless Howard sees Brown as a 3, which he very well could.

I'm projecting for Wagner, but man he's got some tools in the kit, and you can see how the game is slowing down for him on both ends. In a month's time Livers as a senior, if he's here next year? I think that's a lock for 30 mpg. For all I know the team goes on a tear and Livers gets enough NBA interest. I think he should be receiving some.

[WM Wolverine]

Livers I'm expecting to leave... I think he has a niche in the NBA and isn't going to improve his stock with his senior season. That makes room for someone else.... Todd also could play overseas, he hasn't signed yet.

?

[hack]

There's almost no draft buzz about livers, which makes no sense to me. If they go on a run from here though, I imagine that whatever the mock sites might be thinking, surely there are a few NBA GMs who will see it. either way, it's definitely in his own best interest to at least get feedback in the league's formal process for that.

[WM Wolverine]

Livers NBA celling isn't high but his skills will translate, unlike alot of guys who will get drafted before him.

[hack]

Fully agree. Here's, roughly, a Duncan Robinson-sized guy with better athleticism and a better shooting percentage in college, and a chance to be more than a net negative on D. His skillset is the one the NBA hungers for the most from role players. Maybe he's not on the radar according to the mock-draft sites, but I refuse to believe he's not on the radar of scouts. At the very least, If I'm Ed Stefanski I give him a second-round guarantee on a three-year minimum-salary deal.

All that said, he's exactly the kind of player you want to have when you're slotting in five-star freshmen. If he's back, and assuming there aren't other major losses, I expect this to be an extremely good team next year. If Christopher comes, I'd expect to be a legit contender.

[*JD*]

Very well could be, but both Brown and Todd is a heck of a situation, unless Howard sees Brown as a 3, which he very well could.

I'm projecting for Wagner, but man he's got some tools in the kit, and you can see how the game is slowing down for him on both ends. In a month's time Livers as a senior, if he's here next year? I think that's a lock for 30 mpg. For all I know the team goes on a tear and Livers gets enough NBA interest. I think he should be receiving some.

I forget what radio show it was but somebody was speculating that Johns could have a run like DJ Wilson did at the end of '17, which might launch him towards leaving early.

[hack]

Different players but very good comparison, and reasonable to speculate. I don't know that he's going to take minutes from either of the other forwards though. If Juwan gets comfy with a Johns at 5 lineup though, and if they get to the second weekend in March, you can see how Johns might get enough exposure to make that leap. A lot would have to happen, and at this point in the year Wilson had been a thing for two months, but Johns is awfully talented.

[*JD*]

Different players but very good comparison, and reasonable to speculate. I don't know that he's going to take minutes from either of the other forwards though. If Juwan gets comfy with a Johns at 5 lineup though, and if they get to the second weekend in March, you can see how Johns might get enough exposure to make that leap. A lot would have to happen, and at this point in the year Wilson had been a thing for two months, but Johns is awfully talented.

Yeah. It would take many games like his Nebraska/Rutgers week.

[WM Wolverine]

Sam Webb puts in his crystal ball for Joshua Christopher SG.

[*JD*]

Sam Webb puts in his crystal ball for Joshua Christopher SG.

A few more people have followed suit. There are now 8 CB's in and 7 are for Michigan. A couple of UCLA ones have disappeared. Word is that since Shareef O'Neal left, they've dropped contact with UCLA. Sam is not calling this a "gut feeling" just yet, though.