@hoops4hire I saw you signed up for a subscription today! Always makes me happy to see a forum regular sign up. Makes me think that I’m doing something right! Appreciate the support.
10 Likes
It’s funny how people don’t always mentally tie what insiders/journalists deem worthy of their time to generate articles with what’s happening behind the scenes. One of the best ways to prod while protecting any potential sources.
That said, to protect against another D.J. Carton situation I’m still crossing my fingers. Would be pretty happy if Cole does commit.
I’ve been meaning to do it for a few months. Been a crazy summer and things have finally settled down. Happy to be a part of the community.
2 Likes
Uh uh. More skilled than Robinson. Has some bounce to his game too. More Caris than Robinson. More fluid than Stauskas though can’t stroke it like him.
Was really surprised he wasn’t getting more acclaim coming off the camp. Good size and wants the ball.
3 Likes
Correct. Duncan Robinson is definitely not the comparison here.
An Iowa site has an interview with Bajema from today.
No offer yet.
What is Michigan telling him? “Keep playing . . . earn it . . . might not earn it . . . keep playing hard . . . do what you do on the court.”
What does Michigan like about his game. “They like how I can come off a screen, hit the open shot, underrated passer, great length for a 2 guard, I guess . . . 6’7”, pretty long . . . need to gain a few pounds . . ."
In addition to Michigan, he mentions interest from Virginia, Utah, Northwestern, Washington, Washington State, and Oregon State.
Based on his twitter feed, it appears that Xavier just offered Bajema. His stock is going through the roof it seems.
By the way, someone tweeted yesterday that Bajema would be visiting Michigan soon, but I have no idea if that’s credible. He didn’t cite a source and didn’t seem like any kind of an insider.
The same guy who tweeted that Bajema would be visiting Michigan soon posted this a little while ago:
“looks like Cole Bajema will be commiting to michigan this week. most likely tuesday. once he gets his offer from michigan. THIS IS BREAKING NEWS”
The tweet showed up on Bajema’s verbalcommits.com profile, which has a running twitter feed. Maybe he has some kind of connection to Bajema?
2 Likes
The Des Moines Register has about a minute’s worth of Bajema highlights from Las Vegas. Not sure why there’s so much Bajema coverage from Iowa outlets unless they’re interested as well.
It’s hard not to like his game.
I must still have PTSD because it reminds me that we were getting Carton news from Iowa as well (for obvious reasons).
Thanks for the tidbits above! 
Pretty sure that DMR reporter is doing recruiting updates for other sites as well and they are syndicating his content.
2 Likes
Yes. He did a article on Harlond Beverly last week as well I believe.
watching the clip reminds me Caris Levert, a lot of potential, anyone knows his birthday?
Sadly, for me, I can’t get a video clip, only a picture, but when I click on it…nothing, just a still picture. I have been able to get clips of Bajema elsewhere, but unfortunately not particularly recent ones. I guess I’ll just have to take everyone’s word for how good he has gotten, how impressive he was in Vegas…and the fact that JB is watching him, and Tony Bennett and Travis Steele, but mostly Beilein. Definitely Beilein!
Just listened to Sam on the Recruiting Roundup discussing Bajema. Sam said he watched Bajema at the Michigan College Practice camp and Bajema was OK. He was OK. Then Sam talked of how much Cole blew up in July and the much bigger offers he has been getting. He gave Michigan credit for the interest coupled with Cole’s great play in July. Then Sam read Josh Gershon’s assessment.
The Gershon assessment just gushed over Bajema, but one thing stood out to me. Gershon said he had “impressive athleticism.” I hadn’t heard that before. I know he can shoot it with range. I know he can come off of screens with real basketball IQ and the ability to pull up or find a teammate. I know he’s a plus passer. I know he has a good handle. I hadn’t heard “impressive athleticism.”
John Beilein finds kids, or should I say in Don Brown parlance, John Beilein finds dudes. We’ll see…
1 Like
Been watching a lot of his tape granted, highlights and I’m now sold on the kid. His athleticism is certainly not on par with some other elite prospects in the class, but it’s impressive given his body type. You look at the kid and just don’t expect it. He had one play where he crosses half court on the left side of the court, dribbles at full speed to the opposite wing with defender in his hip, plants hard, one dribble back to the left-- three. It may not be a 360 dunk, but any change of speed like that with control is nice to see in a guard. His offensive package is certainly intriguing.
1 Like
Not calling anyone out in particular, but I wonder how many of you now watching Bajema’s film would be clamoring for Michigan to offer him if he hadn’t gotten the recent offers from Washington, UVA, and Xavier; if he was still an under-the-radar guy with only mid-major interest. Think there is some confirmation bias at play.
2 Likes
Or if he was only a two star! Well, WAIT, he is…but I think that’s gonna change…soon! In Beilein we trust!
I was not impressed with the old highlight videos on Youtube, but the more recent ones remind me Caris as an average three-star recruit. Bajema is at about the same level, maybe with a big more swag at this stage. I am all in because of Beilein’s track record.
2 Likes
After the way Spike, Caris and Moe panned out I don’t even worry about film anymore. Trust in Beilein. He’s right more often than he isn’t…
2 Likes
I would say that his athleticism is more of a flexible body for his size rather than straight line speed or vertical, but that gives him a quick first step and a change of directions that often surprises his defender, and should translate to his defense as well.
1 Like