was he ever on UM campus?
He’s been on campus for camps, etc. I believe he also took an unofficial in the spring or summer before he transferred to Montverde.
Michigan never prioritized him as a prospect which is a decision we can look back on at some point in the future. I can’t say I really disagreed with it at the time but you never know how it will play out.
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Seems like he probably never really reconsidered us, which I can’t blame him for
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This doesn’t seem to be true. He considered it…and decided not to.
Bummer…would be nice to pull the LQ rabbit out of a hat.
Beverly discussed his commitment with Rivals.com. “Coach L (Jim Larranaga) is a legendary coach and I have the utmost trust in him and that he will push me to be as good as I can be,” he said. “I loved the school when I visited and can’t wait to get to work.”
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You know, the young man probably wanted an offer from one or both of the home state schools a year or a year and a half ago. For whatever reason he didn’t get one. We don’t know for sure what those reasons were. He transferred to Montverde, in Florida. He blew up while there. But while in Florida he seems to have decided that’s where he wants to stay. Though the home state schools seem to be interested, especially Michigan now when we may have room, he decided to stay in Florida. I have no problem with that…at all. More power to him. I wish him well.
EDIT: And yeah, Coach L will help him to achieve his goals, I really believe that. I know Harlond is an outstanding kid and I expect him to do well.
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I think that’s just semantics lol
Harlond had a MSU offer. It was his 2nd high major offer. Baylor offered the day before MSU did in the summer of his sophomore year.
He never had a Dream school or cared to play in state. He’s been consistent about that since before he started getting high major offers. He said it’d be nice to get them because it shows the staffs see him as a equal player as the other players in state but he wasn’t super interested in committing to an in state school just because. He actually wanted to see what else was out there.
Coach Larranaga has sent quite a few perimeter players to the NBA over the last decade. And the ACC’s overall tempo that every team basically outside Virginia plays at suit his game very well.
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Thanks! Appreciate it!
Glad he did not go to anyone in conference as I think this kid is going to be a stud.
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He’s sent “quite a few” perimeter players to the NBA? I count two in last year’s draft, the 18th overall pick (Lonnie Walker), and Bruce Brown, a second rounder. And then Davon Reed in the 2017 second round, and Shane Larkin in 2013 (who would have come to Michigan if we had offered). Four guys in eight years does not scream “talent developer” to me.
Miami is a decent program, but that’s all they are. Larranaga has made the NCAA tourney 4 out of 8 years, reaching two Sweet Sixteens. In the ACC alone, as a program, they are behind at least Duke, UNC, Louisville, Syracuse, Virginia, FSU, and ND.
Obviously, I’m a Michigan fan and quite biased, but I think in every way imaginable, Michigan is a far better program than Miami - especially for a kid who probably needs some additional skill development before he sticks in the NBA. We’ll see.
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That’s 3 more than the overwhelming majority of schools nationally send to the NBA. All of them recent as well which you pointed out. All of them perimeter players. Also, they got a PG who averaged 16 and 3 assists back and a transfer from Oklahoma who is solid. Then 2 more rivals 150 freshman coming in and a top 80 6’9 kid just today announced Miami in his final 3 schools and he set up an official visit.
They liked the coaches who made him a number 1 priority from when they first started recruiting him, playing time is there and he liked the players when he was down there. Built a good chemistry with a few of the guys.
ACC tempo and style is much faster overall outside Virginia, which suits his game better as well than the slower, more physical Big Ten. And like someone pointed out, the ACC in general sends more players to the NBA than any. Seems like a decent fit from what I see.
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I really don’t think it is more than the overwhelming majority of schools send to the NBA. I’d say for any decent program from a major conference, you’ll easily see 3-4 NBA prospects over an eight year period. Miami is really the equivalent of an LSU, or Oklahoma State, or Cal. All of those schools have guys drafted from time to time.
At best, I’d say they’re a 50/50 bet to make the tourney next year, and that’s generous.
Of course their coaches made him a top priority - he’s a top 50 player. It’s like when you start applying to law school, and a bunch of third and fourth tier schools throw scholarship money at you - of course they really want you, because they know you can go to better places very easily.
I get the conference style of play argument, and it’s a decent one. Having said that, the NBA is a physical league, so the Big Ten is not bad training. In recent years, young former Big Ten perimeter players like Victor Oladipo, DeAngelo Russell, Tim Hardaway, Jr., Gary Harris, and Caris Levert have played well in the NBA.
I’m not suggesting Miami is a terrible choice, or that he can’t be very successful there, but I do think Michigan has a lot more to offer on every front - player development, team success, and academics. But I would agree the weather in South Beach is a lot nicer!
I’m curious to know the non-Duke/UNC NBA numbers in the ACC as it compares to other conferences. Most of the kids who go to those schools would be NBA draft picks regardless of where they went to school. It’s not like Duke/UNC helped them get there.
Otherwise it’s like Vanderbilt pumping their chest about the SEC because Alabama won a national title in football. Sure, they are in your conference, but their team/players having success has nothing to do with you.
Once again, the importance in these kinds of debates is what the player or prospect in question thinks. Arguing the merits of the argument ends up being a bit silly and pointless.
@BP3 is explaining the thought process that led to Miami landing Beverly. I would assume that most everyone posting here would select Michigan over Miami but that isn’t really the situation.
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Michigan also passed over Beverly or chose guys over him at least 3 different times since his sophomore year. I don’t know many kids that would want to go to school that basically plain as day said he wasn’t their top option, 2nd option, or even 3rd option. Kind of a slap in the face. The fact that he even seriously heard Michigan out again says a lot about him because idk if i would hear a school out if they did that to me if I was in that scenario. Doesn’t exactly feel like you are truly wanted by a school when they do that. And then they come back acting like they never didn’t want him yet never offered. If Michigan would’ve offered in the past I think it would’ve made things easier to reconcile the past but they never did so here they are. Still looking for a SG.
FWIW Beverly actually was thinking about setting up a OV but he got that feeling that he wanted to commit to them. And if you do get that feeling you shouldn’t wait because someone else can commit and then you are SOL.
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I don’t blame him at all for that being the reason for picking Miami. I definitely get wanting to go somewhere that you truly feel wanted.
Wanted and needed. Always good when both of those can happen.
Once again, Amen.
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