Yeah I’m definitely being delusionally optimistic. But I find that swings of delusional optimism are needed every now and then to offset the reality we find ourselves. Sipping a cocktail, watching JC’s highlights, refreshing UMhoops and convincing myself he’s coming next year just so happens to be one of my favorite outlets at the moment lol
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“Wow” to an edit of him catching an oop from his brother over a Michigan player that may or may not be Zavier Simpson
Wow
Also his brother didn’t play last year so presumptuous to think he’ll get much PT
Totally theoretical but if people had to choose between landing Josh Christopher or keeping Isaiah Livers, what would you guys choose? They aren’t correlated in either way i’m just throwing this scenario out there.
You’d be appalled at how often coaches lie to land players or keep players.
Christopher, and it’s not close. I love Livers, but Christopher is a next level athlete, and additionally would be a symbolic addition for the caliber of future recruit that should be considering/committing to Mich.
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Pains me to say it because I love Isaiah, but JC. Most importantly because of roster fit and our desperate need for a shot creator at the guard spot. I think we’re actually well-positioned to survive the loss of Livers, as long as Johns stays on along with Isaiah Todd.
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Beilein’s honesty probably cost him numerous recruits.
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Yup if Todd comes (and all signs say he will) then Michigan is much more equipped to replace Livers than they will be if JC goes to ASU and they have zero shot creators in the backcourt
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Agreed, even though in isolation a senior Livers is probably the better player.
My best guesses: Livers stays, Wagner stays, we get Christopher, Bajema is gone, DDJ is likely gone but it’s fluid, Castleton 50/50, Johns stays, no grad transfers.
Bajema shot 76.9% from the floor this year. Whatever his defensive issues may be, it seems so odd for a guy who shot that well to be moving on, especially since we lose Livers for sure after 2021,
Christopher for sure (barring something really unforeseen), and probably Franz.
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He took 13 shots. Just too small of a sample size. I like Cole’s potential. But he’d most likely be buried on the depth chart.
It’s hard to evaluate Bajema because he basically played against table scraps. I have to believe his lack of strength has held him back offensively and defensively.
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That’s somewhat true, but: (1) his numbers in those appearances were certainly way better than say Nunez’s last year in the same situation; and (2) just watching him, he looks like he’s got some skills - made some threes, had a really nice step back three once, had a couple nice drives. It would not surprise me at all to see him transfer and be a good player somewhere else. It would surprise me if Nunez ever averaged more than 4-5 points a game.
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I agree 100% about Cole’s ceiling being much higher than Nunez. I just think that Cole might not want to wait until his Junior year to get significant minutes. I do believe he may end up a plus player either here or somewhere else.
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I get how some feel that Cole’s sample size is small, and that it came in minutes that typically did not determine the outcome of the game. But we also must recognize the size of the ball or hoop do not change, meaning he at least showed he could shoot, that is more than some others could say.
Now would that translate when more closely guarded? Playing against better players? Fair questions for sure but at least when he did get a few minutes he shot the ball well.
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I don’t disagree. Cole’s movement on the court just looks like he knows how to play. I’m not one to want to throw players away but my hope would’ve been that Bajema would’ve stuck around and some others might have decided to move on. In the future we’re going to see him come off curls and using dribble stepbacks to knock down multiple 3’s a game. Defense I just don’t know.
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Agreed.
I feel like if he’s patient, we’ll be losing a lot of wings and forwards after 2021 (Livers, likely Wagner, likely Christopher if we get him, Brooks), so the playing time will be there.
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No Livers, Yes Christopher:
200 Mins Per Game available -->
Best 5:
Franz 30+
Christopher 30+
Eli 30+
Johns 30
Todd 25
Rotation Players:
DDJ 20
Dickinson 15
Davis 10
10 mins per game either up for grabs in a 9-man rotation or soaked up extra in an 8-man rotation
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What do you mean?
I don’t think ever Beilein promised players anything. I am pretty confident other coaches make promises that ensure the commitment, but might not be true.