U of M Basketball Recruiting Discussion

[WM Wolverine]

Rivals so-called insiders claim they'd take both yet Dawkins will visit Dayton next weekend...

We'll hear more about potential transfers not long after Dawkins decides. I think they'd target front-court help but Eron Harris is too good to turn away.

[WM Wolverine]

Eron Harris btw is transferring to be closer to home, he's originally from Indianapolis. Probably more likely to end up at one of M's rivals than in AA though it'll be interesting to watch his recruitment when he finishes his semester, along with a couple other potential transfers.

[WM Wolverine]

Supposedly the Nevada transfer (Cole Huff SF) is in play, he's a terrific 3-pt shooter and his offer hinged a lot on McGary's status. M is very much in play too, he'd have to sit out a year but would be a significant addition.

[Jeff Buchanan]

Just a general comment as I don't follow basketball close enough for specifics but .......

Generally, the combination of the boobbery that is the NCAA, the draw of the NBA and NFL (obviously less so than the NBA) collegiate athletics are getting hammered.

I think Hannibal commented a while back that what is going on in college sports is similar to what free agency did to pro sports. I wouldn't say it runined them. Clearly it didn't but I'm not sure it enhanced the sport in any sensible way. What free agency did do is make the business model better for athletes and owners.

Maybe college sports is headed in that direction but it's going to take a lot longer for anything coming close to restoring college athletics to what I would like them to be ...... Enjoyable to watch, kids staying for degrees and playing for four years or more, some depth on rosters that doesn't keep taking a hit with kids taking early leaps to the pros and some team continuity that helps develop winning programs.

I mean why have college sports be a farm league for the pros? It's hurting the enjoyment of the game at the collegiate level for fans while those in a position to do so are profiting handsomely from the TV revenues the college game is producing ..... even though the game itself sucks.

I'll grant I'm just pissy because right now M football in particular sucks and I don't see it getting a whole lot better over the next 5 years. But the combination of poor recruiting, losing football, and the mess that is the NCAA seems to me to be just too much to bring the program back. Couple that with the distinct lack if interest in the game among Controlling Board members and there will be a lot of peole, including me, that have better things to do than watch M football struggle.

[SeattleLionsFan]

Free agency certainly made the game better for those that play it.

[Pasadena Blue]

Supposedly the Nevada transfer (Cole Huff SF) is in play, he's a terrific 3-pt shooter and his offer hinged a lot on McGary's status. M is very much in play too, he'd have to sit out a year but would be a significant addition.

this is stupid to me. We need a big for next year. Why take up a scholly spot for the following year, when we don't know if we can find a better person to fill that spot.

[The Oracle]

Cause Huff is good.

[Pasadena Blue]

maybe, but is he the best we could do?

[WM Wolverine]

Nobody better wants to be here plus he's good.

[hack]

I don't know if this is an accurate characterisation of the choice, but if instead of chasing Devin Booker for two years and maybe only getting 2/3 years of him on the team, this guy looks great in comparison. He'll have only 2 years eligibility but will spend a year in the program before any expectation of playing time, and will be far more physically mature than any talented frosh. He went for 12/5 as a soph, 40% from 3, and is 6-8. I like the tradeoff.

[WM Wolverine]

Agree, he's a great fit and he'd ready to play on day 1 or really year 2, day 1. M sounds like the favorite despite only offering immediately after MM left. Haven't heard any reports on his defense but he sounds like the perfect JB player...

M is still also very in on Aubrey Hawkins SG. Needs for '15 will mostly be a PG and C and it's possible they'll have only LeVert's and Hatch's scholarships if they land these two.

[hack]

Hatch's? Will he move to a non-athletic scholarship? I thought it was reported he'd be on one.

[WM Wolverine]

It's been long assumed he'd end up on on a medical despite initially starting on an athletic.

[WM Wolverine]

Max Bielfeldt will also be a 5th year player in '15, I don't think he gets a 5th year.

[hack]

I thought I read otherwise recently.