U of M Basketball Recruiting Discussion

[Hannibal]

No, it didn't. It was a stupid decision at the time and looks even stupider now. But he listened to the sycophants who couldn't stop telling him how great he was and how nothing but the absolute best scenario could occur for him.

Ditto what Jamie said. I can't speak for anyone else here, but I was really surprised when he left for the draft. I couldn't stop asking myself "what the fuck is he thinking? Hello? Donovan Warren? Manny Harris?" In basketball, you don't leave early unless you are more than likely a lottery pick. Otherwise, you stick around an extra year and hopefully get into the Top 5 draft slots.

[Mackenzie]

Good for him! I thot JD had just posted a week or two ago that he was still in a coma...

Home and recuperating, rehabbing, and trying to move forward.

[Jamie H]

While I hope Austin can return to a normal life of some sort, is there really any hope that he can play major college hoops still? I had read that a full recovery for him was unlikely.

[hack]

You leave if you think you are gonna be a first-round pick.

Go tell Manny Harris. I'm sure he really regrets it...

[Mackenzie]

While I hope Austin can return to a normal life of some sort, is there really any hope that he can play major college hoops still? I had read that a full recovery for him was unlikely.

As we all know, AH's injury's were substantial. But, dream's are powerful stuff.

[lineygoblue]

He's going to go to Michigan no matter what. Even if he never plays another game of basketball, Michigan is standing by its commitment to him. If he doesn't come to Michigan on an athletic scholarship, he will get an academic scholly.

[Jamie H]

You leave if you think you are gonna be a first-round pick.

Go tell Manny Harris. I'm sure he really regrets it...

Manny Harris got unbelievably lucky. He got drafted by a D-League quality team where he actually was able to make the starting lineup.

What are the odds of a non-drafted player making the starting lineup of an NBA team? 1%? Less? Manny Harris lucked out. He made an unbelievably stupid decision. Just because he lucked out and it worked for him doesn't mean it wasn't an unbelievably stupid decision.

Drunk drivers make the unbelievably stupid decision to drive home every night. Just because they make it back home doesn't mean they didn't make a idiotic decision.

[hack]

Conversely, those with breathalyzers, to continue this analogy, tend to overuse them. I once ran over a newly installed curb, pulled into a gas station and found 4 other people who had done the same. While we were all waiting for tow trucks, a few other people flopped over the thing. A cop came out and gave everybody breathalyzer tests, because of course its logical to assume that if 10 people in a half hour run over something, than it must be the people and not the thing.

You dig?

[Hannibal]

Harris was still really stupid to leave early. If he was good enough to make a team undrafted, he should have waited a year and then gotten drafted. His rookie salary is peanuts compared to what an early first rounder makes.

[WM Wolverine]

Its a possibility Hatch ends up in the '14 recruiting class rather than the class of '13.

[Jamie H]

I would say it is likely. He will probably need the time to rebuild strength if he really can still play Div 1-A basketball. Plus, he's missed tons of school--I don't see how he could possibly graduate on time.

[Jamie H]

Harris was still really stupid to leave early. If he was good enough to make a team undrafted, he should have waited a year and then gotten drafted. His rookie salary is peanuts compared to what an early first rounder makes.

Yep. I mean, it wasn't like he was CLOSE to being a first rounder. No one even wanted him as scrap metal. Coming back, I don't see how he doesn't at least get drafted in the 2nd by someone.

Just because he completed a hail mary and managed to make Cleveland's roster doesn't mean it was a smart way to go. Kurt Warner ended up in the Pro-Bowl by being a grocery-store worker and playing in the Arena League. I doubt any NFL prospects are lining up to emulate his career path.

[Jamie H]

Kids who have no business leaving early but do anyway is a big pet peeve of mine, so don't take any of my arguments personally. I just get pissed when kids get surrounded by people giving them bad advice and end up making bad decisions. I'm personally happy for Manny that he made it, and I hope Morris does the same. I just don't think anyone should hold up their experiences as a reason for any other kid to leave early. If anything, it shoud be the opposite. If you are good enough to make it (and aren't a superstar guaranteed top pick type), take out an insurance policy on yourself (companies will usually do this for players projected as pros) and stay in school for the extra year. It's better for you (you'll develop more and likely get more money), it's better for the school, and it's better for the fans. Everyone wins.

[hack]

Well in a lot of cases it comes off more as self-interested frustration because the player would have been really useful, more than it does concern about posses and hangers-on.

IIRC in the case of Morris it's his older brother that he listens to. The older brother encouraged him to go to UM in the first place as well as urging him to consider his options this offseason.

[Hannibal]

Well in a lot of cases it comes off more as self-interested frustration because the player would have been really useful, more than it does concern about posses and hangers-on.

I'm guilty as charged there. I absolutely want to see every great athlete at Michigan for four years. But I will always grudgingly acknowledge when a guy is ready to go. It has been incredibly frustrating watching, on average, one guy ever two years from either football or basketball leave the program early and not even make themselves better off. I mean -- I could live with Donovan Warren leaving behind an already devastated defensive backfield or Henson sticking us with John Navarre if they had been good career decisions. Warren got nothing and Henson got a 4-year baseball contract that was worth less than his signing bonus would have been as the first pick in the draft.