I’ll be at camp today, we aren’t allowed to shoot video/photo or live tweet, but we’ll have full coverage afterward.
Looking forward to this.
Prediction - 3 campers that make biggest positive impression ?
Thornton
Guy
Goodin
Big day for Michigan basketball recruiting. I’m hoping we can land Eron Harris the transfer?
Big day for Michigan basketball recruiting. I'm hoping we can land Eron Harris the transfer?
I had the same hope, but he didn’t even make it to campus which is odd. We just can’t seem the buy a break for 2015. It could end up being JBs worst class and we are coming off a ton of on court success. Strange.
Full roster of campers posted on the main page. Morning session wasn’t too spectacular, but this afternoon should be high level.
Just some opinions and speculation on my part based on what I’ve read on a few sites:
I know Winston shot the ball well and has poise but Jamal Murray has that skill-set in a 6-5 frame. DTJR and Goodin have much higher ceilings and I think after 2 more years of development, there will be a significant gap between those 3 and Winston. Devearl Ramsey is a player who might be ahead, as well.
Battle is UM’s best target, bar-none. UK and Duke will have first dibs, I suspect, unless DTJR commits. IU, KU and Syracuse seem to be trending downward. Love UM’s chances against VILL, UVA and UL. If Josh Langford is a realistic target, he is a 1a/1b with Battle. VJ King and Jamal Murray below that. Guy, Gordon, etc in that final tier.
Do you offer a 4 year character guy in Seth Towns first or do you pursue TJ Leaf until he says no?
Jon Teske, Seth Dugan, Barrett Benson and to a lesser extent Brad Brechting and Austin Davis. Non-elite big men don’t come into their own until a few years of college imo but any of these guys sound like solid bigs for a 4/5 year plan, especially since no top tier bigmen are reciprocating interest. A Ricky Doyle every 2 years sounds ideal, no?
2015 WG Rodney Culver is highly intriguing. 6-4, shifty, long arms, quick, high motor/ nose for the ball, great ball handler… same school as LeVert. Needs to raise his release and tuck his shot in but seems like someone to keep an eye on if we miss out on 1st tier targets.
Thoughts on camp and recruiting in 2016?
Guestavo, I generally agree with all of your points in this case.
I question the PG debate though. Is it wise for the program to forsake a top 40 guy “In State” (Winston) to pursue a top 15 guy (Thorton)? I know UM doesn’t have a ton of in-state guys but when we have the interest of the top guys in Michigan (unlike Johnson and Young) what is the right call? Go national 5-star or in state high 4-star? Turn off the local high school and AAU coaches, or compete with Coach K and Coach Cal?
Guestavo, I generally agree with all of your points in this case I question the PG debate though. Is it wise for the program to forsake a top 40 guy "In State" (Winston) to pursue a top 15 guy (Thorton)? I know UM doesn't have a ton of in-state guys but when we have the interest of the top guys in Michigan (unlike Johnson and Young) what is the right call? Go national 5-star or in state high 4-star? Turn off the local high school and AAU coaches, or compete with Coach K and Coach Cal?
They probably have a better shot at actually landing Thornton than Winston.
Guestavo, I generally agree with all of your points in this case.I question the PG debate though. Is it wise for the program to forsake a top 40 guy “In State” (Winston) to pursue a top 15 guy (Thorton)? I know UM doesn’t have a ton of in-state guys but when we have the interest of the top guys in Michigan (unlike Johnson and Young) what is the right call? Go national 5-star or in state high 4-star? Turn off the local high school and AAU coaches, or compete with Coach K and Coach Cal?
I will be happy to settle on Winston but it would be crazy to prioritize him over Thornton.
First of all, Thornton will give us a good shot at Battle.
Second of all, strong mutual interests from a 5 star recruit, regardless he is local or from west coast, do not come often.
Third of all, traditionally schools recruit local kids first, and there is a merit in it. But in the age when the best kids are more and more likely to play somewhere else, it would be silly for any school not trying to open up their recruiting area.
Do you offer a 4 year character guy in Seth Towns first or do you pursue TJ Leaf until he says no?Jon Teske, Seth Dugan, Barrett Benson and to a lesser extent Brad Brechting and Austin Davis. Non-elite big men don’t come into their own until a few years of college imo but any of these guys sound like solid bigs for a 4/5 year plan, especially since no top tier bigmen are reciprocating interest. A Ricky Doyle every 2 years sounds ideal, no?
2015 WG Rodney Culver is highly intriguing. 6-4, shifty, long arms, quick, high motor/ nose for the ball, great ball handler… same school as LeVert. Needs to raise his release and tuck his shot in but seems like someone to keep an eye on if we miss out on 1st tier targets.
I think you offer both Towns and Leaf and continue to pursue both of them until both are committed.
I agree that a solid big man every couple years sounds good.
Thanks for the heads up on Culver. I just watched a couple highlights. Definitely intriguing and I like the LeVert high school connection.
I think the ultimate positive with Winston is that he is a 4 year guy and would provide stability. I just think the gap in potential between the other lead guards and Winston would make me approach him like the staff did Eric Davis. 1 of Winston’s parents is a MSU employee, too.
Geoff, you think we take 2 combo-forwards?
I would agree with Geoff on taking both Leaf and Towns. I can see a full 5 man class possibly with attrition and not having any clue what 2015 would look like. If you offer both and get both, awesome. If you miss on Leaf chances are you still get a multi year guy in Towns for the position. I stand by offering Thornton, Battle, Towns, and Leaf and taking all four to possibly play on the floor at the same time.
To me pursuing Leaf to the heartbreaking? end is a no brainer. A seldom seen talent that comes around only so often. That kind of size and ability to create in a half-court setting would allow him to explode in our system. He will be used a lot more than people think in initiating the offense. A matchup nightmare. With already shown mutual interest, you grind it out to the very end in his recruitment. Have a feeling Goodin will be highly prioritized going forward, even though Thornton is obviously the choice of the PGs.
... 1 of Winston's parents is a MSU employee, too.
This to me is not necessarily a positive factor for MSU. If they work in academics, maybe they don’t like the way MSU treats athletes, maybe they do. Just because I work for a school doesn’t mean I think my child should attend said school. I could be wrong though
TJ Leaf is not a Seldom seen talent that comes around only so often. We see it Every Year, Stop it already.
Vastly disagree, but respect your opinion. He’s the top of my wish list over all the other “supposed” elite prospects. I am very hopeful regarding his recruitment!
To me pursuing Leaf to the heartbreaking? end is a no brainer. A seldom seen talent that comes around only so often. That kind of size and ability to create in a half-court setting would allow him to explode in our system. He will be used a lot more than people think in initiating the offense. A matchup nightmare. With already shown mutual interest, you grind it out to the very end in his recruitment. Have a feeling Goodin will be highly prioritized going forward, even though Thornton is obviously the choice of the PGs.
If Goodin hits 6-4, 6-5… Um could put him in that off-guard tier with Murray and VJ King imo.
We are after 6 + top 100 PGs. My strategy would be give DTJR until the fall and if he doesn’t pull the trigger, start going after the other guys. Murray and Goodin may find offers earlier as 2 guards, if I was to go about it. I don’t see many of these guys, if any, committing before next fall.
Why all the talk & hoopla over recruits? According to most on here… We will be good regardless of who we get… B/c our staff has proven we can go far without the big recruits. Everyone chill.
Why all the talk & hoopla over recruits? According to most on here....... We will be good regardless of who we get..... B/c our staff has proven we can go far without the big recruits. Everyone chill.
Ben, I think our chances of better seasons increases with better players on the court. We are “in” on a lot of '16 recruits who have the ability to be very good/great college players without much wishful thinking/projection on our part. Recruiting is a big part of any college program.