I’ll be honest that I hadn’t paid much attention to Wilson’s video because I thought we’d get Grantham and might not even offer Wilson. But I checked it out this morning and was pleasantly surprised. He can really put in on the floor for a big guy, is a good and willing passer, and has a great looking shot. I can see some of the worries about a lack of elite athleticism, which I agree will be more of a factor on the defensive side. However, I like that he appears interested in mixing it up and tries to be a presence inside on both ends of the court. Length and effort can go a long way on defense. I would be pretty happy if he commits and I think he’d be a great player to have in the program the next few years.
Also, I’m hesitant to do this, but while watching the Wilson video I happened to notice the following comment from MattD (who has been has been downplaying Wilson this morning):
"First off, if that guy is not a top 100 player then recruiting analysts simply have it wrong. I have to assume the ranking (or lack of) is simply a product of non-exposure due to injury. Wilson can definitely shoot the rock, even when he misses the shot is on line. Passing ability was well above average for a player that size much like grantham. Can handle the ball with either hand, he even looks to prefer going left. That being said, i prefer grantham as a combo forward. No doubt Wilson can play the 4 on offense but i’m skeptical about his ability to defend either the 3 or the 4 at the college level. "
MattD, it’s okay to be disappointed about Grantham, and I included that last bit because I think you’re viewing this as a Wilson from Grantham letdown. However, your comments this morning seem more based off disappointment than your more objective analysis.
I like Wilson a lot for the reasons you stated. I’ve liked him better than Grantham actually, due to him being three inches taller. He could grow into a stretch 4 down the road a couple of years from now. Bigger upside than Grantham - who is older, btw, having done an extra year in prep school.
While Wilson may not be as touted, I think he brings something to the table that Michigan hasn’t had since Smotrycz and that’s a true shooting big man that will mostly play the 4. I know that Donnal also has a good shot, and he may well also fill some of that role, but I think that makes Wilson’s size and skillset a bit more unique. While I’d stlil prefer Bolden over him, I will trust the coaches.
I'll be honest that I hadn't paid much attention to Wilson's video because I thought we'd get Grantham and might not even offer Wilson. But I checked it out this morning and was pleasantly surprised. He can really put in on the floor for a big guy, is a good and willing passer, and has a great looking shot. I can see some of the worries about a lack of elite athleticism, which I agree will be more of a factor on the defensive side. However, I like that he appears interested in mixing it up and tries to be a presence inside on both ends of the court. Length and effort can go a long way on defense. I would be pretty happy if he commits and I think he'd be a great player to have in the program the next few years.
Also, I’m hesitant to do this, but while watching the Wilson video I happened to notice the following comment from MattD (who has been has been downplaying Wilson this morning):
"First off, if that guy is not a top 100 player then recruiting analysts simply have it wrong. I have to assume the ranking (or lack of) is simply a product of non-exposure due to injury. Wilson can definitely shoot the rock, even when he misses the shot is on line. Passing ability was well above average for a player that size much like grantham. Can handle the ball with either hand, he even looks to prefer going left. That being said, i prefer grantham as a combo forward. No doubt Wilson can play the 4 on offense but i’m skeptical about his ability to defend either the 3 or the 4 at the college level. "
MattD, it’s okay to be disappointed about Grantham, and I included that last bit because I think you’re viewing this as a Wilson from Grantham letdown. However, your comments this morning seem more based off disappointment than your more objective analysis.
First off, thanks for the acknowledgement, I appreciate your disagreement in an objective manner.
To address your post - my opinion on Wilson is not based on comparison to Grantham, it is a valid concern regardless of who we have in the mix. I think Wilson is a top 100 player, but his problems on defense are too big a concern to warrant a scholarship in my opinion. Keep in mind, we’re not talking about a lack of elite athleticism, we’re talking about what appears to be a below average athlete at the high school level. Taking on a player like Wilson creates the modern day problem of not having 2 way players. Different level of basketball, but the Lakers are a great example - very good offense, but the inability to defend based on a lack of lateral quickness(which is exactly what Wilson lacks in a bad way) is what basically prevented them from winning a championship.
I even think Wilson is limited offensively, he can certainly handle the ball for a player that size, and I don’t think anyone questions his ability to shoot, however Wilson doesn’t have a post game, and doesn’t exhibit an inclination to go to the rim with authority. What you have left is a one trick pony that is relegated to a Smot like role of shooting open 3’s and being a detriment to the team in every way if his shot is not falling.
Well, I think we kind of agree on the premise. Wilson is a top-100 type guy whose main problem might be on defense via a lack of lateral quickness. I tend to think this is a decent problem for Michigan when we’re arguing about whether this kind of recruit should get a scholarship. I happen to think that his length and apparent desire to mix it up, combined with his smarts, gives him a good shot to be just fine on defense at the college level.
As to Smote, we won a B1G championship with him as a sophomore being the first guy off the bench and the back up 4 and 5. He was also pretty good for a freshman in the run to the tourney and was over a 40% 3 shooter over two years. I think Wilson looks longer, quicker, and perhaps most importantly more aggressive than Smote, but if another Smote’s the big concern, to me it wouldn’t be such a bad thing at all, especially when you factor in our recruiting generally.
Well, I think we kind of agree on the premise. Wilson is a top-100 type guy whose main problem might be on defense via a lack of lateral quickness. I tend to think this is a decent problem for Michigan when we're arguing about whether this kind of recruit should get a scholarship. I happen to think that his length and apparent desire to mix it up, combined with his smarts, gives him a good shot to be just fine on defense at the college level.
As to Smote, we won a B1G championship with him as a sophomore being the first guy off the bench and the back up 4 and 5. He was also pretty good for a freshman in the run to the tourney and was over a 40% 3 shooter over two years. I think Wilson looks longer, quicker, and perhaps most importantly more aggressive than Smote, but if another Smote’s the big concern, to me it wouldn’t be such a bad thing at all, especially when you factor in our recruiting generally.
This is a well prepared argument, even though I disagree with certain portions. I can respect the objectiveness.
You never want to have a player that is an obvious mismatch on defense, it forces a team to change the gameplan in order to mitigate that particular player’s weakness.
I have to say, I don’t understand the comment that Wilson is a “below average” high school athlete. From the highlights I’ve seen, the guy is dunking the ball all over the place, often in traffic. To compare him to Smote, IMO, is totally off base. Smote was absolutely a below average athlete, and consequently you never saw him make athletic plays (dunks, put back dunks, impressive blocks, etc.) As far as Wilson’s lateral quickness, I haven’t seen anything on the tape that leaves much of an impression one way or another. But, lateral quickness isn’t a huge requirement when it comes to guarding the four position. I think Wilson is a very promising guy, and I’m curious to see what our staff can do with him. I would absolutely offer him, no questions asked, though I also would like to see us offer Bolden in the spring.
I have to say, I don't understand the comment that Wilson is a "below average" high school athlete. From the highlights I've seen, the guy is dunking the ball all over the place, often in traffic. To compare him to Smote, IMO, is totally off base. Smote was absolutely a below average athlete, and consequently you never saw him make athletic plays (dunks, put back dunks, impressive blocks, etc.) As far as Wilson's lateral quickness, I haven't seen anything on the tape that leaves much of an impression one way or another. But, lateral quickness isn't a huge requirement when it comes to guarding the four position. I think Wilson is a very promising guy, and I'm curious to see what our staff can do with him. I would absolutely offer him, no questions asked, though I also would like to see us offer Bolden in the spring.
max bielfeldt's high school film also reflected his ability to dunk in high school. That being said, when is the next time you anticipate max dunking in a COLLEGE game.
Point is when you’re 6’8 you SHOULD be dunking in traffic while in high school, but that doesn’t necessarily translate to a high major college setting. Athleticism in basketball is much more pronounced in today’s game, especially on defense.
A little off topic, but I’m baffled that some people on this board are seemingly enamored with Wilson’s skillset, but were not impressed with Corey Sanders in the slightest regard.
I think Bielfeldt’s high school tape looks a lot different than Wilson’s. I’ll leave it at that. I think Corey Sanders is a silly athlete. The only questions I have are: (1) can he shoot the ball consistently from the outside - I barely saw any tape on that because he was so adept at getting to the rim; and (2) does he have good passing ability, which is so important for our point guards. I’ll be curious to see how he plays in college. There is certainly some Steve Francis/Allen Iverson to his game. At the same time, not many guys his size can translate that jumping ability to college. (See Gabe York, who had a lot of great high school highlights at 6-2).
I think Bielfeldt's high school tape looks a lot different than Wilson's. I'll leave it at that. I think Corey Sanders is a silly athlete. The only questions I have are: (1) can he shoot the ball consistently from the outside - I barely saw any tape on that because he was so adept at getting to the rim; and (2) does he have good passing ability, which is so important for our point guards. I'll be curious to see how he plays in college. There is certainly some Steve Francis/Allen Iverson to his game. At the same time, not many guys his size can translate that jumping ability to college. (See Gabe York, who had a lot of great high school highlights at 6-2).
I agree that there is certainly a discrepancy between Bielfeldt’s high school film and Wilson. I think you understand the point I’m trying to drive home though - dunking in high school at 6’8 isn’t really indicative of anything that can/will occur in a high major college setting.
I have to question your logic with Sanders as it applies to Wilson though - you say that passing ability is so important for our point guards, which I totally concur with. But given the fact that Michigan teams under Coach B, and Coach B teams in general, do not excel in rebounding, wouldn’t rebounding be an equally important attribute for a big? Wouldn’t rim protection/defense be an equally important attribute as well? I really think some board members are failing to see how critical those factors are for this team moving forward. I look at our future roster without McGary, and I really don’t see anybody on the roster that will impose their will on the glass or altering shots. Horford will be gone, Doyle certainly isn’t a shotblocker, although he looks to be a decent rebounder, the same with Donnal, but are those the type of guys you rely on to get 8-10 boards a night? In all honesty, I can’t say that I believe that as of right now.
As that applies to Wilson in particular, I don’t think anyone would project him to be a force on the glass. Taking that into account, if he gets beat to the rim(which is a legit possibility if we’re being honest), it forces other bigs to rotate, which results in either a dumpoff for a layup or an easy offensive board for the opposition. How many times did we see that with Smot. I can’t help but to envision a similar situation with Wilson.
Outside of looney and possibly bolden (who I expect we’ll continue to recruit) there aren’t many people who can replace grob and McGary. Now I keep hearing we would take Wilson’s commitment regardless of grantham committing or not. So I’m fine with taking Wilson, would it really surprise anyone if he climbs the rankings his senior season now that he’s healthy, not me.
I agree with MattD. From the limited amount of tape I’ve seen on Wilson, he does not appear to be very athletic and his decision making with the ball in his hands seems to be a step slow. He can really shoot, but I would definitely question his ability to defend and his decision making at the next level.
I like Wilson a lot for the reasons you stated. I've liked him better than Grantham actually, due to him being three inches taller.
Wilson is not 6’11’’ he is 6’8’', the same height as Grantham.
In reality, Wilson is 6’9". Grantham is a shade over 6’6". They are definitely not the same height.
I will consede the point then. I was looking on ESPN, 247, and Yahoo for that information and all those sites say 6’8’‘. If Grantham, a guy who could have played the combo forward, is only a shade over 6’6’’ I am a little glad he is with Clemson, because our shooting guards are 6’6’'.
I think your missing the point of the 4 man in our offense.
His position does not require a post game. How many times did GR3 post up this year? How about Zach Novak? Beilein is looking for a perimeter oriented big man, with length and skill. We are looking to overcome some mismatches we all witnessed when 6’4 Novak and 6’6 GR3 get picked on some in the post.
Wilson, from VERY limited tape, has an outstanding looking jump shot, form and all. He also posses the skill to take it to the basket when needed.
We have back to the basket options in Doyle, Donnal, even Chatman in mis matches. Wilson is being recruited because his skillet does indeed fit with what were looking for at that 4
Point is, just think about what we have seen our 4 man do the past 3 -4 years, then ask yourself if Wilson could fit there. The answer is yes, and the staff agrees.
Btw, idk how some of you have seen enough footage on defense to conclude he won’t make it here… Ridiculous.
It just baffles me how people are questioning his defense and decision making??? Huh?
Must have missed his game tapes on YouTube that show ANY of that
Exactly, what is this analysis based off of? Highlight tapes? Until you watch several games in their entirety I do not think you can pass judgement on decision making and defense.