U of M Basketball Recruiting Discussion

[Da Geezer]

Are there any theories on why Smot left? I read his "interview" but it didn't say anything. Seems to me he got PT and national exposure. We will certainly miss him

[hack]

He talked about being happy. Impossible to tell from a player's on-court demeanor, but Smot never looked enthused about much.

[*JD*]

I just assume he knew there was going to be a lot of talent coming in and that there was a good shot his minutes would be cut.

[hack]

Well you'd think that he would perceive himself as well positioned to compete for 4 minutes with McGary at 5. Unless McGary's seen as the 4...

[Da Geezer]

I wish him well. He hit arguably the most important shot of the year, a 3 to put the MN game into overtime. Cold blooded shooter, and I think he led the nation in 3 pt % for those actually taking multiple threes each game. There has to be more to this story.

[*JD*]

Well you'd think that he would perceive himself as well positioned to compete for 4 minutes with McGary at 5. Unless McGary's seen as the 4...

I think Mitch is seen as the PF since Morgan hasn't shown that he can play anywhere else on the floor.

[*JD*]

2013 verbal commit Mark Donnal's Junior season highlights. Maybe not the most fluid player but this is more impressive than I thought it would be.
One thing's for sure, the kid likes to tip-jam! [ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-pfp39l3Jo&feature=player_embedded"]Mark Donnal - Anthony Wayne High School - Highlights - YouTube[/ame]

He kind of reminds me of a spartie type of player or Gene Keady's Purdue Centers.

[*JD*]

I have to say, it's nice to have talented bigs coming in back-to-back classes.

If Mitch is a one and done, we'll still have Morgan, Horford, Bielfeldt and Donnal. If Mitch returns, we can consider redshirting Donnal.


We're also still in the hunt for a couple of other bigs in the 2013 class.

[Niffla]

http://www.freep.com/sportsnews

Michigan basketball’s worst fear might be coming to fruition.
Freshman point guard Trey Burke is inquiring about his NBA draft status.
The Big Ten's co-freshman of the year and Michigan’s leading scorer and assist man is seriously considering leaving, his father, Benji, told the Free Press today.

“I think that, for the most part, when you have a season as a freshman like he did, the NBA, they like them young. They think their ceiling is higher when they’re young,” Benji Burke said today. “Trey had some good games and a solid season for a freshman. It’s going to be one of the weaker point guard drafts in years.

"The second thing is he was considered high. He does have some juice right now. It didn’t end well, but he ended up having some great games. He’s got to be one of the top five freshman guards in the country. He got a hold of some information, and you at least need to inquire.

“I can’t say he’s coming back, can’t saying he’s leaving. If it had my way, he’d be coming back.”

• Related: Evan Smotrycz, two others transferring
The deadline to declare for the draft is April 29, but the deadline to pull out of the draft and return to school is April 10.
U-M coach John Beilein was unavailable for comment today.

If Burke left, it would be the third straight season U-M lost a backcourt star to early entry. Manny Harris left two years ago, and Darius Morris departed last season. Both are playing in the NBA. Harris went undrafted, and Morris was a second-round pick.
Benji Burke wants Trey to return because he’s a Michigan fan. But what does Trey think?

“Trey, he would love to come back, because he thinks they’re going to have a good team,” Benji said. “In the same breath, how do I pass up the opportunity of a lifetime, and risk injury? There’s risk on both sides. Anytime there’s risk on both and the NBA is one side, I don’t know if I’ll ever be as hot as I am now. If I had to guess, Trey would love to go to the NBA. There’s a lot of uncertainties there, as far as getting drafted first round.

Those are the things we’re trying to weigh.”

Burke is listed at 5-feet-11. Benji Burke said he expects the family to make a decision in “1-2 weeks.”

He called the whole process “a little nerve-wracking” and said “I can’t confirm he’s leaving. He’s at least trying to get information.”
It’s a difficult situation for the Burke family. Benji said Trey likes the coaches, loves the school and was pleased that he got to play so much this season.

U-M assistant coach LaVall Jordan is trying to help Burke make an informed decision, and Trey has spoken to Beilein about his future.

Though few NBA draft analysts have projected Burke as a first-round pick, his family is getting different information.

“From some of the information that’s been gathered… 90% of what we’ve gathered is he should be a first-round pick,” Benji said. “He should be to late first, early second, and we would love for him to know he’s in the first. But why go if you’re not going to be guaranteed? Get another year of your education. We’re really shocked about all this and trying to find out information.”

Benji Burke is an AAU coach and is tied in with many coaches around the country. The Burke family is extremely close to the Sullingers, whose son Jared, a center at Ohio State, is expected to be mid-first-round pick if he declares this season.

If there’s any hope for U-M fans, it’s that Sullinger decided to stay in school for his sophomore season this year. Draft projections indicate that he might not be taken as high as he would have been last year.

“We don’t want to hide anything, because Michigan has been good to us,” Benji said. “If it’s not right, and we feel it’s not right, he’ll come back. We’ve been doing this thing for a couple days, and it seems like he should come back. But we’re still talking. … As of now, he’s still part of the Michigan men’s basketball team, until he decides.”

If Burke left following Harris and Morris in successive years, it will raise questions at U-M.

“It’s not a problem at Kentucky,” Benji Burke countered. “We’ve always been short a guard. Trey is the only true point guard, and he’s considering leaving, which is going to leave nothing, and they’re going to have to have somebody come in. That’s the issue.
If Burke departed, U-M would be without six scholarship players from this year’s team — Burke, the three transfers and graduating seniors Zack Novak and Stu Douglass — and would have no one to play point guard. The only current roster players with any ballhandling experience are Tim Hardaway Jr., who is much better on the wing, and Matt Vogrich, a natural shooting guard who has never started a game.

Walk-on Eso Akunne has played some point, but he is coming off foot surgery and has never played a prolonged stretch. Incoming freshman guard Nick Stauskas was expected to back up Burke.

Stauskas is one of three signed recruits for next season. According to umhoops.com, the Wolverines are aggressively recruiting senior guard Amedeo Della Valle from Findlay Prep in Henderson, Nev. The site said Beilein plans to watch the Italian play Thursday.
Even if Burke returns, the transfers indicate U-M has more scholarships to use in the class.

So what’s Burke's bottom line?

“There’s no right answer,” Benji Burke said. “I think he does need another year, but will another year keep him as high, or will there be an injury? The selfish Michigan fans will say, 'What are you doing?' I’m the selfish Michigan fan. I want to come to Crisler and see the new arena. But how do I tell my son not to go in the first round if he wants to?”

Burke tried to offer some levity, too.

“Maybe he shouldn’t have had as good a year,” he said, chuckling.
Contact Mark Snyder: msnyder@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @freepwolverines.

[Niffla]

Every time we think we're taking a step forward.

[lineygoblue]

I think he'll be back. He had a great year, but I don't think he's good enough to crack the starting lineup of any NBA team. To me, it wouldn't make sense to leave this early, unless he has the skills to immediately compete for a starting job in the NBA.

But, I'm not the one advising him, so who knows ...

[WM Wolverine]

If what I've heard about other potential NBA draftees is true Trey has tons of agents talking to him, offering him free vacations, large sums of money and countless other benefits. All these guys are telling him he's a first rounder and they can guarantee they can negotiate a deal with an NBA so that he's drafted in the first round.

[amaizenblue]

So, I completely understand a player's desire to get to the NBA ASAP. Honestly, after Burke's year, I would do the same thing.

As a fan...I hope to god he decides he needs another year of development.

My guess...he's gone.

The reason? People are going to be in his ear about how light the draft will be on PG this year. That's the only fact that matters at this point, imo.

[amaizenblue]

*sigh*

If Darius had stayed another year, we would have been just as good, or probably better this year.

Burke, would not have had the year he did this year, and would therefore be back next year for sure....

I hate kids leaving early. But I'm also all for it. I believe a person should begin his career as soon as he is ready, not when somebody else places a timetable on it.

I also believe it is the right of every person to decide if and when he/she is ready for his/her career. Said person should, of course, listen to counsel, but ultimately, should be encouraged when making the decision. Whether we think it is right or wrong.

[*JD*]

I'm all for them making a living for themselves too but there isn't any publicly noted indication that he's being thought of as even close to a 1st round pick.

Since that's the case, I think Burke would be making a huge mistake if he left now.

You go when your stock is high and your game is ready. I think he could probably make an NBA team but that isn't the issue. If he stays, he's almost assuredly going to have better PG numbers next year and the team will most likely be more prominent nationally. Plus, next year's draft shouldn't be quite as deep.

That could/should be enough to get him into the Top 20. Sure, injury is always a possibility but not a likelihood. I think college players can also get insurance to address that possibility.