IT’s always an excuse from our fan base on how untalented our bigs are. Harvard has better bigs than us.
The difference is those guards/Wings already had god given talent GR3 ,Caris, to Manny Harris. Name one big outside of McGary you consider naturally talented or just had talent?
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I don’t think McGary, Morgan, Donnal, Wagner, etc. are untalented. Donnal was a top 100 recruit who can hit the 3 and is playing pretty well with a lot of eligibility left. Wagner seems quite talented and is only an 18-year old freshman. Wilson too, and he’s another (RS) freshman.
Again, bigs haven’t been the absolute strength of the program, but I don’t think they’ve been untalented or some kind of disaster – although there were times last year and maybe early this year that production was pretty low.
As for Harvard, this year they’ve lost to UMass, BC, Holy Cross, Northeastern, and Vermont, and I saw what Amaker did here, so I’m not sweating comparisons to the former turtlenecked-one.
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We’ll see. So often we make the mistake of thinking a kid is stuck in cement, will always be where he is now. Obviously, we’ve had some pretty nice surprises.
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In an actual update about a commitment…
Side note: Let’s try to keep this thread more on topic and not get into these rambling back-and-forth repetitive debates. They are probably best for a different thread so this one can be more of a resource.
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Great point! Maybe I shop here too much, but it’s irritating to click on a thread regarding 2016-2017 commits, and skim through comments that are totally off topic.
That all may be true, but recruiting at the Four has also been a disaster, unless you really count GRIII, Zack and Novak as “fours.” They ended up playing there but I don’t think they were recruited for those positions.
I’m going to bow out in light of Dylan’s request to keep this topic about '16 and '17 commitments…
Swanigan’s NCAA issue was not academic, but about possible improper benefits. I don’t think they amounted to anything.
It is not unusual to play 1 big and 3 wings in college basketball, and this is how NBA is trending.
Donnal was ranked in the same range as Uthoff. If his upward trend continues, it is not impossible that Donnal be a all BIG his fifth year.
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GRIII was 100% recruited as a 4. Irvin was definitely not and idk about Zach.
When Michigan landed most of its 2013 class, Austin Hatch was supposed to be that big forward type in the group. When Novak committed, Michigan was just looking for anyone that could play and was in a desperate spot.
Thanks! I think Irvin was already committed by the time I became a fan, ha.
Austin Davis is averaging a double/double this year and looks much improved. Is he going to face any good big men in the regular season?
Not every player earns out. And few are going to do so immediately, especially big men. I think that Beilein and co took a bit of a flyer on Davis, but the guy has serious upside. I look for him to be a solid contributor in year two of his stay.
Picking up Davis was a great move. A flyer as you call it. In the videos you can see that he has great footwork. He also knows how to use his body and seems to invite contact. Hex was lumbering but in a good way. In the last video he’s even lighter on his feet. Once he gets his body and conditioning on point then he’s going to be a sleeper. I’m willing to wager he’ll have a better career then teske. He reminds me of a kid who would go to izzo, which is a good thing. Just looks tough much like Simpson. They both add that attitude which we will need in time.
Just a random thought. Ive said before that coach beilein has dipped in the Rochester New York pool before and he coached at Nazareth, so I was miffed he hasn’t been coming around here lately ( Thomas Bryant would look lovely in maize). It’s been the best era of players in a while. But damn if someone could just reach him, we need to get him out here to see 2019 freshman Isaiah stewArt. Kid goes to same school he plucked Tyler Relph out of while he was at West Virginia, mcquaid Jesuit. 6 7 pf who plays in the city catholic league which was always the best league. So his competition in the area is good. Kid went for 41 points 15 boards and ten blocks the other night. Kid is really going to be a monster. https://mobile.twitter.com/News8Scores/status/687110787530276864/video/1. Not sure why that wouldn’t link but watch that gif. Just a quick video of a baseline dunk. Someone get Bacari out here.
Actually this is the play I was looking for. http://13wham.com/sports/hs-play-of-the-week/mcquaids-isaiah-stewart-gets-play-of-the-week. Skilled big man. Exactly what we need. Remember he’s only 14. And coach b already has the connection to the high school. Just an idea.
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Not according to GRIII. He never wanted to play the 4 and if that was the deal from the start I doubt he would have committed to Michigan.
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No he wasn’t He said himself he was recruited as a wing that was one of the reason’s he left early bc he was never gonna play his true position.
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