Seen Livers multiple times last season. Barring catastrophic injuries he will come NOWHERE close to 20+ minutes a game as a Frosh, especially in the B1G.
He has a ways to go for sure. Upside yes. Instant first year impact no.
A lot of this depends on what, if anything, is done with the final 2017 scholarship. If it gets used on a 4, it could change the potential PT for several players.
Yeah, Livers being a good rebounder isn’t a great take at all.
I thought JB described Livers as a good rebounder but needs to be better which would make since when he gets to the college game. But I can see JB not letting Livers do to much early in his UM career but set up in the corner or on the 3 line and make open shots on offense and be a quick study on defense.
I got out of Beilein’s recent comments that Livers has a lot of great skills but needs to work on rebounding. He basically said freshmen minutes are based on toughness and defense. Livers will know the mission so we will see how quickly he can absorb and execute.
Based on what? He averaged 14 rebounds a game this year, that’s hardly bad.
We’ll see. I feel pretty confident he’ll be a far better rebounder and shot blocker than Duncan. If he can make shots, I think he’s going to be hard to keep off the court.
That could open up the door for Livers. That is, if he can overcome the same defensive and rebounding issues Robinson has.
“That would be the biggest thing,” Beilein said of Livers’ post presence and rebounding. “Every freshman that we’ve had that did not play was (because) there was a lot of depth at that position, or he did not play tough enough or understand defense. It comes down to that.”
On paper, Livers would seem like a natural in the post after averaging 17.5 points, 14 rebounds and 2.4 blocks per game in Kalamazoo Central’s regular season this winter. But at 6-foot-8, 220 pounds and playing a combination of wing and forward, it’s unclear how many of Livers’ rebounds were due to a unquestionable size advantage against high school competition.
Instead, Beilein sees a player that could use his size and athleticism more to work inside on both ends of the court.
“He’s got to rebound at a higher level,” Beilein said. "Sometimes it seems like we can’t recruit guys that can rebound, and then they become rebounders. and that is something that he’s got to rebound better, and he knows it.
“He (also) may prefer the jump shot over the drive, probably too much for his size. So that’s something he’s going to work at.”
Zach Shaw
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Somebody who gets 14 rebounds a game tells me he can rebound outside of his area and go get the ball. Not all 14 rebounds are because they fell in his lap or he was the bigger player all the time. Livers is going to have to adjust to tangling with players with as much athleticism as he has but are stronger. He needs to be attached to Sanderson’s hip this summer. Matter of fact all the freshman should be.
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Hopefully song of these young guys get an opportunity. I fear we’re going to lose all 5 starters going into 2018/2019.
Almost definitely losing 3 and then there’s a good chance at Wagner after testing the waters this year. If Matthews plays well enough to go to the league after this year then I think that means the season went very well.
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I could definitely see us losing the whole starting 5 if we have a successful year, which is… obviously not ideal.
Successful years are ideal though, right?
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Another Fresh-5 could be pretty fun
Well, no matter what, we’re going to lose Simmons, MAAR, and Duncan if he happens to be the starting four man (which I doubt, but that’s a different issue entirely).
So what we’re really talking about is Mathews and Wagner. As Dylan says, if Mathews is good enough to turn pro after next year, we’ve probably had a great year. Wagner? You almost have to expect it, given how close he came this time around.
With that said, I’m excited about a lot of the young talent arriving. I think Poole’s upside over the next 2-3 years is way higher than MAAR’s, Brooks is interesting, I have high hopes for Livers, and if we can land 2 of Johns, Iggy, Nance, and Hunter for 2018 (I really want Hunter, personally), along with a two guard (any of Watson, Carmody, Tyson), we should be pretty stocked for the near future.
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Usually for the summer term which starts on June 28th, I believe.
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Zach Shaw 247sports article on I Livers:
Nice article, probably better than anything he wrote during his UM Hoops days. It does explain the “weak rebounder” issue.
I hope you are right about Livers being college ready because we may really need him to be.
Very interested to see how Simpson responds; his toes have certainly been stepped on. Hope this motivates rather than discourages. His say will come if he keeps working on his game