My conversation with the AD was very informative. He said Colin didn’t start playing basketball until eighth. He was 6’2 and pretty raw and they didn’t know if he was going to “make it” either in school or basketball. Not in a negative sense, just that he has grown and developed so much through his four years at Father Lopez HS. He grew to 6’5 as a freshman and 6’8 as a sophomore. Of course now he is every bit of 6’11. The AD is very involved with his student athletes and talked of how much Colin has grown as a student, a young man, AND a basketball player. He said they hired a strength coach last year and Colin has put on 18 pounds since last summer. Based on my conversation with him, I think Colin may just be scratching the surface, but boy oh boy he looks good in his film.
The AD accompanied Colin on his visit to Michigan for the OSU game and the staff told him he’d put on another 20 pounds his freshman year because of nutrition and strength training. Colin was really taken with how strong B1G players are down low, and knows he’s going to have to get a lot stronger.
I’m impressed with his ability to score at all three levels. He’s good down low as you would expect. He does, after all, tower over his competition, but his mid range game is outstanding and his three point shot is very good and seemingly quite effortless. The AD said he thought it was around the rim that Colin would need the most development because of the strength factor.
When the AD talked about the kind of person Colin is he was very effusive in his praise. He said, “you guys are getting a terrific young man.” He talked about Colin’s ability to communicate. “He just doesn’t sound like other college basketball players often do,” he said. I said he’ll fit right in because our players our players are very well spoken and are exceptional in interviews and press conferences. He said the team absolutely revolved around Colin and they tried to find every way they could to get him involved, but that he is definitely a team player. He also talked of how Colin freely gives credit to others, his family, teachers, and coaches for all they have done for him.
Once again, the AD said he was so impressed with Coach B, Coach Yak, Coach Washington, and Coach Deandre. He talked about the film session they attended. He knew these guys were knowledgeable but he was “blown away” by their ability to break things down and simplify it so the players completely understood it. He also talked about the players themselves and how player greeted them by name and shook their hand when they got there, and how congenial they were. You could tell the AD really cares for Colin and is excited that he coming to Michigan, to play in THIS program for THIS coach. After talking with him I’m pretty excited about the young man, too.