Grad transfer Justin Pierce picks North Carolina

Bummer for Michigan but hopefully we get Wagner. Eli is starting to look more appealing haha

This is the guy who’s shooting dropped off this past year, right? So the last thing Michigan needs is another guy who can’t shoot very well. I don’t see this as a loss.

1 Like

i know we cant land EVERY recruit and the top 5 recruits in every class, but its amazing to me that our development track record still doesn’t speak louder

the fact that pierce mentions business school and off the court as advantage carolina is also laughable

prestige? playing for unc? that i get

3 Likes

I wouldn’t sweat the drop off much. Wrist injury. We really needed the offense. This sucks. Please Franz!

1 Like

Here’s a possibility based on no info…

Is it possible he didn’t get accepted into Michigan’s MBA program? Awfully hard for anyone to get that done without professional experience.

5 Likes

Would have loved him coming to Michigan, that said Beilein will find a player, he always has in my opinion.

But your perspective is apparently only right when the recruit actually comes. When they don’t, then he sucks., I guess.

If Pierce coming here would have in any way dissuaded Wagner or another recruit from coming here then I don’t view this as a loss. Pierce would have been a nice consolation prize if we don’t get Wagner but I think his presence could have caused a bit of a log jam at the 3-4 spots if Wagner comes. If we can get both Wagner and Hyland I would be very happy with that outcome. If we don’t get Franz that is going to be a tougher pill for me to swallow now that I know we don’t have Pierce.

3 Likes

I’m now seeing Hyland may not be an option. Oakland was pretty terrible last year but I think Cumberland and Brooks would bring different skill sets to the 2 spot that could compliment each other very well. If we can get Franz and Cumberland I think that would be a good situation.

1 Like

OT as often is the case most insider info is pure speculation. Not specific to this case necessarily but in general

I think it’s more laughable to act like Kenan-Flagler isn’t a top level business school. Not quite as highly ranked as Ross? Sure. Able to provide education and connections on a similar level? Yeah.

https://www.usnews.com/best-graduate-schools/top-business-schools/mba-rankings

4 Likes

Cumberland’ stats make him look like just a shooter, but that’s not the worst idea in the world considering Bajema could presumably use a year before competing at the 2. Maybe something like this:

Teske 30 Castleton 10
Livers 20 Johns 20
Wilson 30 Livers 10
(Cumberland) 20 DeJulius 20
Simpson 30 Brooks 10

as a workable rotation. We’re really counting on Johns, Wilson and one of the guards to step up at the moment, but rankings suggest we should be bullish on the forwards but less so on the guards.

Ironically the other UNC transfer they brought in, Keeling, looks like the guy who would have fit us perfectly next year. A 2 guard like that and I think we’re a top 10-15 team considering we’re great at the 5, very solid at the 1 and 4 and have an exciting highly ranked freshman at the 3 with Livers able to be the backup 3 and solidify that spot as long as Johns can become a good bench player.

Happy for the guys who would have lost PT to Pierce (Johns, Nunez, Wilson). Those guys have been committed to the program for a while and it would have been tough for a grad transfer to come in at the last second and steal their minutes. I know they could still add someone (fingers crossed on Franz), but I like this team as is.

6 Likes

Cumberland is less dynamic of a player than Pierce to be sure, but given the gaping hole at two (I too think Eli is serviceable… but as a guy off the bench) I actually like the fit better.

He had a higher assist rate than every non-Simpson player on the team last year FWIW. Not that that’s saying a lot, but ya know.

2 Likes

Any thought to giving DDJ time at the 2? He’s not going to have many minutes behind X at the 1.

Once Pierce scheduled UNC right after UM you could kind of see where his thinking was going. Just can’t have an 0 for on the remaining targets.

I forget to include him in my projections a lot. He could definitely jump ahead of Eli if he starts translating that great off the dribble ability that he showed in high school.

I haven’t been a fan of what Eli has brought to M since he’s been here.

But man if he could just get some confidence and not be looking over his shoulder, he could potentially really surprise next year.

Confidence is an intoxicating elixir.

2 Likes

At least it makes more sense than citing DePaul’s track record of developing pros.