I was tempted to reply to this NBA comment and scoff to some extent. For all of the great things Johns has done in the last three games he is still very inconsistent and hasn’t shown that NBA potential just yet…but…then I thought about DJ Wilson. He didn’t really start putting things together until about half way through his junior year and wasn’t in any way consistent until the last 5-6 games in primetime. He was able to turn that into a good draft pick and at least one good contract in the NBA…even if he has never played much there. So I guess there’s hope for Johns given the glimpses we’ve seen from him (though if he were 6’11" it would be more likely).
As for Castleton, trying to get this back on topic…I think there’s no harm in him putting his name in to learn what he needs to work on. Happy for him to have such a good season after transferring and he looked like a different player this year. He’s got enough length and athleticism to land a pro contract overseas and maybe there’s still some upside left for his jump shot and ball handling…but he’ll likely need another strong year at Florida first.
I absolutely agree with Dot and was going to say something, but Dot took care of it. For those of you who don’t know Dot, and forgive me Dot for telling your business, Dot is a law professor in Lansing and he has a LOT of connections in basketball, AND he knows a lot of people. Again, Dot forgive me for saying this, but if I’m correct, and I think I am, Dot has actually done some scouting for the Michigan Basketball team and coaching staff. I have been following Dot for a long time. He is a man of few words on messages boards, but he REALLY knows his stuff!
As for BJJ, I, too, can see him being a captain and leader of this team next year. He’s not going anywhere. I believe he loves Juwan, and Saddi, and the entire staff. As for talent, you bet he is talented. He was a top 70 recruit coming out of high school, and when he believes in himself and plays with confidence he can be REALLY good. I’m looking forward to seeing his continued development for the remainder of this ride and next year as a leader of a young and talented group.
Thanks, Dot, for your insight!
Edit: Let me just add this from Franz’s post game press conference, speaking about BJJ, “I mean he’s so talented. We tell him that everyday. He could be the best player out there every time he’s on the floor.” THIS from a guy who is going to be playing for a LOT of money next year and who knows good players when he sees them!
If Johns wants to be here next year I’m delighted to hear it. If you wanted to move on based on playing time, I would respect that and wish him all the best.
I always prefer a proven upperclassmen as my incoming starter. Especially when you have talented freshman coming in at that position. The overlap with Diabate is obvious, but as a coach you can work with that. I can see where TWill’s minutes will take the biggest hit. This is where you get into a possible transfer situation in 2022. But it’s impossible to prepare for players transfer decisions in real-time, much less 1 year out.
I was thinking about next year’s roster after Brandon killed it yesterday. I could definitely see Michigan using Diabate next year similar to Scottie Barnes off the bench minutes wise. Not role wise. They aren’t similar players at all. But he’d be a major minute guy off the bench who can be the main cover at the 4/5 spots and get 25+ minutes per game. If Johns stays, I think he’s shown/showing enough to warrant the starter spot at the 4. And with the expected turnover I really think he would be the prime candidate to become the team captain as well. He’d be the final player from the Beilein era who played under both coaches.
But if Brandon did end up hitting the portal, I think because of how he’s done since Isaiah got hurt he would be one of the hottest transfer commodities in the country.
I just read BQ’s article in The Athletic, and he highlights Brandon’s unique willingness to persevere over the years at Michigan. Worth a read as all BQ articles. Slightly verbose title says it all “They’re not going to build teams like this one from Michigan anymore”.
I thought Sam talked about a scouting trip you took out East. Not implying recruiting because we’ll, you know, but scouting of an opponent. Maybe I just misheard or misunderstood.
I’m a Brendan fan, but this piece is unsupported by comparative analysis. In fact, let’s look at who we’ve got starting beside Johns: a freshman, a sophomore who’s leaving, two guys who just walked in and melded brilliantly with the team, and Eli. I’m not sure that this is a case for continuity. It’s more like the model he describes as disrupting it. Had he given even the average ages of squads at some other schools I’d be more persuaded. Feels a little whipped out. And as Dot notes, continuity and longevity are not doing much for the likes of WI.
It is often taken for granted that winning teams have great senior leadership, and we have got it. But one could have as easily–perhaps better–made the case for Juwan’s ability to piece a coherent team together team, staff, and program on the run.
Unique, I get. Not replicable? That, too. But for me it doesn’t quite add up.
The crux of the article is that Michigan is an older team, they’re experienced and the winning formula for them in March is that they have a Brandon Johns on the roster. Now I didn’t really focus on the rest of the article at the time, I can see there’s some minimizing the coaching aspects & lack of comparison to other “experienced” teams. I just enjoyed reading the portion of the article about Brandon. His minutes this year were 50% of what they were last year during the regular season. The fact he’s finally getting consistent minutes bodes well for his future - whichever direction he chooses. I’ve been a huge Brandon Johns fan, and am just happy to see his success coincide with Michigan’s run this year.
There are a record number of kids in the transfer portal, including entire starting lineups, so it’s not crazy to see a piece about a team with some players who stayed that wonders how common that’ll be in the future. I think there’s a decent amount of comparative analysis there, if you want to call it that. He’s noted how many players like BJJ are in the portal, or how many guys like Livers came back instead of sticking it out in the draft. Maybe in the offseason you find a database and run some queries, but this is on-deadline feature writing during the tournament. Not the time and place for deep dives.
I accept that, and the idea that a certain kind of in-program stability is a thing of the past. But I don’t think that, in the end, he makes the case that what’s unique about Michigan is how old the team is or how long it’s been together. I read the piece with enthusiasm, came back and saw Dot’s couple of very pointed questions, and began to work back through the argument. . .
The weird thing about the case made in that particular article is it genuinely doesn’t add up to me. I mean, sure, Michigan has players who stuck around, and players who are older, but it seems to me this roster is more a best-case version of the new kind of roster building, and not so much a roster built the old way.
Talented guys did stick around, but talented guys also left during the offseason. Of course Chaundee and Mike are experienced, but clearly they are just great examples of the new model working out for players. As has been the case for quite some time now, the best recipe for success seems to be talented young players who develop, combined with lots of experienced, reliable players, regardless of how those players wind up together.
To me, this Michigan team doesn’t feel like something that will be impossible to replicate. It feels hard to replicate, definitely. But I think that going forward this is the kind of roster the best teams will have.
But who has stayed?
Livers, Brooks, Davis and Johns.
Brooks and Livers both guys with major minutes and in a program that wins. Neither having prior nba real interest. No fluke as to why they are here. Nothing unusual about guys hanging around when they have no reason to leave.
Davis? A guy who wouldn’t ever transfer cause he covets the degree.
Johns?
The other guys that contribute are relative newbies, stuff that happens everywhere all the time.
Just this year Wisconsin had 5 guys on social security.
Another manufactured press piece IMO if you folks description of it is accurate.
Not implying recruiting because we’ll, you know, but scouting of an opponent. Maybe I just misheard or misunderstood.