Yeah, but this also kind of speaks to the silliness in recruiting sometimes. Hypothetically, Michigan could have “offered” knowing that Beverly wasn’t planning to decide until late but Michigan only offers people that it really wants and will take a commitment from at that time.
Michigan offered Bajema over Beverly at the time. Michigan didn’t want to over-sign at that point and so it didn’t offer players just to keep fires hot for April (note Quinones also no offer) even though the potential for attrition was always there.
They chose Carton over Beverly in the past, and offered/prioritized Watts and Weems in state when he was the only one without one. They had skills/strengths that Michigan preferred at the time and that’s obviously a reason for them going for those guys but knowing you are a high level player as well from the state that’s gotta be a eyebrow raiser. Then they decided to offer Bajema when it seemed like he was going to get an offer. Obviously Bajema was more ready to commit so they went that route but from the player’s POV I’m sure they see that a bit differently.
I don’t literally mean they should offer just for the sake of it. It’d be easier to verbalize what I mean than write this.
And to be fair, if Bevelry had committed to Miami in November would people have been that worried about it? Feels like a lot of the intrigue stems from the fact that he’s available late.
I like his game and think he’ll be a solid player but I’m also not really sure what his ceiling is as a freshman.
I totally agree with what you say and don’t think there’s anything wrong with Beverly’s line of thinking in this one. Michigan didn’t prioritize him and I agree they had plenty of chances.
No offense, but that’s a rather immature way of looking at things.
First off, there’s only a certain number of scholarships any school can offer. Michigan is in a position of recruiting Beverly right now because Poole unexpectedly declared for the NBA draft. Before that, they didn’t have room for him. We know they have followed him all along, and you don’t do that if you have no interest in a kid. Would you have them offer without a scholarship to give?
Second, Beverly obviously improved over time. Logically, I don’t know why it would be a “slap in the face” for a kid to understand that with all his hard work, he’s now a better player, and his offer list reflects that. Was it a slap in the face for Kansas to only recently offer?
See this is what I mean it is easier to verbalize I knew people would see this differently. It’s not exactly what I mean but whatever. The end of the day is I think Michigan and MSU has chances to really have good shots at him and they didn’t take those opportunities.
Kansas also never gets to see Michigan kids often because the MHSAA restricts traveling. Almost all these offers he decided on were because of the exposure he got for Montverde traveling everywhere. Only schools he really considered from pre-Montverde was Michigan and Baylor. It’s comparing apples to oranges imo.
They offered Weems and Watts and if I recall back then Michigan couldn’t take 2 guys in that class at the time they offered. Yet they offered them two. I’m not bitter cuz I hope/believe Beilein and staff will figure it out. Hopefully we land Quinones or a good GT. I’m just saying they’ve had a lot of chances to go two feet in for him and chose not to so you can’t blame him for not wanting to look at Michigan. And yet he still gave them a look.
I don’t understand why we have to decide what “the importance” of the discussion is?
To me, kids (and not just kids, but people) make what seem to be objectively bad decisions all the time.
Beverly is the type of kid who the Michigan staff has generally done a great job of developing. Thus, when I hear he picked Miami, in part, because of its track record for putting guys in the draft, I like to critique that statement because, in reality, Michigan under John Beilein has done a way better job of developing wing players into pros than Miami has.
Similarly, kids always talk about “feeling like a priority,” or “school X recruited me from day one.” Yet, that criteria probably has very little to do with whether a certain kid will achieve the basketball related goals he probably wants to achieve (be part of a winning college team, get positive exposure, become a first round NBA pick, have a long NBA career).
Really, what we’re talking about is people making decisions based on emotion, not logic. If you have $1 million to invest, you pick the company with the best track record, not the company whose salesman calls you the most. At least, that’s what you probably should do.
I’m not saying a kid should pick Michigan even if he really doesn’t like fit for whatever reason. And I’m not saying Miami is terrible, or that no one should go there. But I am saying that in terms of development, I’ll bet Jamal Cain wishes he had picked Michigan. And Casey Prather, too.
And that’s OK. I like the kid a lot, but it’s OK that he’s going to Miami. Frankly, I think he’s going where he wants to go. Good for him. He’s happy. We’ll be fine.
Beverly’s decision was not on emotion. It was well thought out and he had people who had been through this stuff helping him out. If you knew how they handled it behind the scenes it’d be easier to understand. From what I know, they were very patient and handled it better than most people I know who have gone through a D1 recruiting process.
Ego is never really a good reason for making a decision.
It really has nothing to do with whether a particular school is the best choice for achieving your goals.
Again, I’ll draw a law school analogy. He was, in essence, the equivalent of being on a “wait list” for a top law school. Michigan basketball may not be the equivalent of Yale or Harvard law school, but it’s a top 10 program right now IMO. So let’s call it the equivalent of Michigan law school.
Miami basketball is, at best, probably a top 40 program. Makes the tourney every other year, has never gone beyond the Sweet Sixteen, has a few players drafted but not many. It’s maybe the equivalent of Indiana law school.
No one in their right mind would say, “Well, even though I eventually got into Michigan, they did put me on their wait list to start with, and they accepted some people who I think I’m as smart as without putting those people on the wait list. Indiana, on the other hand, accepted me right away, so I’m going there.” But in sports, people make those type of decisions all the time.
Miami finished 11th in the ACC this year. He’s not going there because they’re really successful on the court. Michigan was 30-7.
Larranaga has had four draft picks in eight years, two of them second round picks. That’s a far cry from Michigan.
Playing time? Obviously there’s a great shot to see minutes at Michigan.
And we haven’t even talked academics. It’s not a foregone conclusion that everything will work out for him (or any other player) in basketball. A Michigan degree versus a Miami degree is a no-brainer.
Michigan has a culture and seeks those that fit…I assume the college athletes feel the same way when they opt for a school! I’m guessing the culture at Miami is a bit different than AA.
No worries, trust the culture…trust the process!
GO BLUE!
Law school is not an apt comparison. The dean of the law school and a cadre of professors aren’t calling, texting and visiting you regularly. You won’t be spending every day learning side by side with them. Law school is about reputation and prestige. Recruiting is about relationships. Do you want to be in a relationship with someone who feels “meh” about you?
Yeah, I agree with this. If I was advising a prospect, one of the first things that I would emphasize would be to try to think about where you are on the school’s priority list.
You don’t just go to the best school or the best program, you have to go to where is best for you. A lot of players bite off more than they can chew by going up a level – this especially happens late in the process – and think that the new shiny thing is better than the school that has prioritized you.
We should all set our expectations to a late fill that we hope is the next maar, and giving a walk on a scholarship for next season. That’s what my Michigan fandom has taught me. Sometimes I’m pleasantly surprised this way.
Sure, if a school like Duke needs to fill a last minute bench spot, that doesn’t mean every kid should jump at that opportunity.
I don’t think “school that has prioritized you” necessarily equates to “school that is best for you.”
Again, of course a school like Miami or Georgia is going to “prioritize” a kid like Beverly - those schools don’t land many top 50 recruits. That doesn’t mean those schools are the best place to develop your skills.
Fact: John Beilein has taken more kids ranked in the 50-150 range (or, in some cases, lower than 150) and turned them into NBA talents than any coach in the country. That’s what a kid in that range would be smart to look at, first and foremost.
The analogy is this: which situation gives the kid the best opportunity to achieve his dreams? For a basketball player, one would assume those dreams include competing for championships in college, getting exposure, and making the NBA.
Again, of course a coach at a lesser tier school is going to “prioritize” a kid like Beverly from day one. That has nothing to do with what situation will provide the kid with the best basketball opportunity.
That sounds horribly anticlimactic after seeing these guys that were considering Michigan. I’d much prefer taking a stab at a GT. Worst case scenario Is they are a 1 year benchwarmer. Low risk high reward. Could turn out to have a Mooney-like impact and lead us. Or they become a Simmons-type who has a small role but doesn’t really hurt us.