I love John Beilein and believe he is a tremendous coach. I could not be happier that he is at Michigan and hope he stays a few more years.
I also believe that great Head Coaches hire Great assistants. And great assistants that are able to recruit. I was thinking about our 3 assistant coaches and what they have brought to Michigan from a recruiting stand point. Does Beilein need to look at “moving on” from some of our current staff???
First, I think Beilein has actually recruited some high level kids and has won a few of those battles. McGary was Beilein, great call on going after Caris, just couldn’t stay healthy. Beilein started the Burke process.
Meyer- I think he has been great for recruiting Indiana, got some kids I do not think we would have got without him on staff. Irvin is the obvious one.
Jordan- I know he has a hand in many of our guards, believe Hardaway was a big get for Jordan, and also helped in sealing getting Burke. Anyone else he helped get?
Alexander- This is the one I struggled with the most. Who has he really helped us get? Donnal I believe is all Alexander, possibly Horford?? I am really struggling to see who he has brought on at UM.
That’s like telling a chef, I want you to make the best pizza possible using only these ingredients and this recipe. Then firing the chef because you didn’t like the results only to hire a new chef and give him the exact same ingredients and recipe and expect a better tasting pizza.
It’s not the chef who can’t do his job, it’s his boss.
Sounds like people are inferring that Bacari could be moving on. All the guys below have expressed all the opinions below about 100 times, but my take is simpler: Doyle and Donnal have not worked out. And my hunch is that both Bacari and John collaborated on those gets. Sometimes a player doesn’t earn out, that’s all. Doesn’t make the coach an idiot, especially not when he had Morgan and Gary before them. Let’s see what happens with Teske, Davis, and Moritz. Assuming that nothing changes from such a small sample when things have changed continually isn’t smart.
These guys want a big banger and a different style of ball and aren’t getting it.
If we can get high-powered help to bring in bigger fish. . . bring 'em on.
I think Bacari was the initial contact on Xavier Simpson’s recruitment. Bacari is deeply connected and involved in the Michigan basketball scene. I can’t remember, but was there a main assistant for Walton?
It is also wise to remember John Wooden’s warning about not mistaking activity for achievement. Bacari’s six years at UM have yielded 5 tourney appearances, 2 B1G titles, a finals appearance and an Elite 8. The staff clearly like each other and continuity can be important to a program, and it wasn’t that long ago that Jordan (Butler), Meyer (Liberty), and Bacari (UW-GB) were all finalists to leave. If Beilein thought a change would help the program he’d do it, but he seems pretty happy with the program and isn’t going to do something just to do something.
Yes, I really question whether any coach in America just gives their assistants carte blanche to bring in players; doesn’t sound like a very wise move, anyway. Even if there have been differences over this or that player, so what? You would HOPE that these guys disagree sometimes.
The rumors may be well-founded. And I’m not saying there shouldn’t be changes. I also thought I heard that Bacari might get a head-coaching job. I’m just saying I don’t think Michigan or Beilein will rush into anything and will take a measured, thorough look.
Correction Burke’s Family recruited Michigan ,Benji contacted JB told him we are interested in M bc he wanted his son in the B10 at OSU rival since OSU didn’t go after him . JB was going after the Kid who was from Canada that ended up at Gonzaga Benji said if you aren’t interested we are going to commit to Cincy forcing Beilien’s hand. Levert was a decommit from the Ohio Bobcats the Burkes again assisted that recruitment vouching for him without anyone on the Staff evaluating him.
That’s correct Bacari was the initial contact with X but it had more to do with Xs dad than anything. He was the first one to make contact with Michigan by just picking up the phone and calling.
True, but this is part of how it works – people Simpson’s dad knew (like Benji Burke) knew and trusted Bacari and put them in touch. Then Bacari and Simpson talked for a while and then got JB involved. Or a former coaching friend told JB about MAAR. Connections, relationships, etc., that’s all part of recruiting.