Michigan Players in the NBA

And strangely enough there is reliably decent ‘Champage’ vinted each year in New Mexico (Gruet), but I can’t honestly recommend the Aggies to Moussa or anybody else at the moment, I’m afraid.

The thing with Diabate is that he isn’t playing in games. At all. I am sure he’s getting better in practice and he couldn’t get NIL (legally) so it made sense. But I would love to see NIL at least make the decision to go in the second round a difficult one.

I know…some kids hate school and want to just work at basketball even if it is in empty G League arenas. But I think you get a pretty small window to make a mark and get your “big” contract. I am sure overseas is an option and we have seen guys do well there…but I just hate seeing guys give up the college game to be buried as a DNP-CD.

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Troy Weaver loves trying to find a diamond in the rough on other teams. The 2024-25 season seems like when he’d leap at Moussa.

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JP is on a bit of a heater. 12 in the 4th quarter. The game’s on NBATV.

Now with 18 in the 4th, including a huge 3 to our the Warriors up 5 with 1:18 to go. 33 for the game for Poole.

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Being #12 on a roster still means getting access to world-class coaches, staff and facilities while getting to practice with the likes of Kawhi/PG. The nba is a different ballgame in terms of schemes, play style, etc. and my hunch is the sooner you get into that environment the better, playing time or not.

It’s impossible to ever prove the counter factual but I’d bet 9/10 times players are better off making the leap as early as they can get onto an nba roster.

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Maybe if you’re talking getting access to the benefits of being a full time basketball player instead of part time. But I think there’s a financial consideration if you are a second round pick that could have played himself into the first round. I also think there’s still a lot of value in playing 30-35 games in packed arenas where every outcome matters and you are a starter versus playing in empty G League gyms or barely playing at all.

It is very situational and there are a lot of factors. Hard to argue with Jetts decision if he’s a lottery pick and can get a good contract. Even if he is likely to need more time to develop.

I think there is a marked financial and opportunity difference between, say, Houstan and Diabate’s situations

The team is going to pay Houstan for 3 years at a minimum and thus has more incentive to do best in him

The Clippers can drop Diabate tomorrow with no financial penalty

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Beilein Interview covering pistons and basketball

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I think Diabate’s situation is relatively unique

Most players that occupy his role in American pro basketball played 35+ G League games as a starter this year

He didn’t because the Clippers constantly had a revolving door of healthy scratches all year that meant they were constantly keeping him around as the 12th active body despite being, like, their 14th guy

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Great stuff from Beilein here. Doesn’t surprise me that Wisconsin uses a ball (probably crappy) that no one else uses. Probably do something to their rims too

If I remember correctly, Beilein used a ball at Michigan (The Rock) with specs few other teams were using.

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Yeah, he had a deal with The Rock for a while but Michigan started using a Nike ball after the Jordan deal I believe.

Yes, he mentions this. But doesn’t change my tinfoil beliefs regarding the Kohl Center.

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With teams like Wisconsin it’s smart to be as paranoid as possible. This whole business of balls wants some investigative work. If we start to see photos of Dylan being expelled from B1G gyms–in a deerstalker with pipe–we’ll know he’s taken up the cudgels.

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2nd round picks still make plenty of money. Yeah maybe waiting a year and getting 1st round money might get them more, but in the other hand, they can get to that second contract sooner by leaving earlier. I think the calculus is still very much in favor of leaving as long as you can definitely stick on an nba roster.

If you have an nba contract, even if you get sent down the g-league, the coaches/front office will be keeping a close eye on you.

The clippers have plenty of incentive to invest in Diabate. nba teams get a rofr on the second contract for any rookies, so if Diabate does well, they get first dibs on keeping him.

Anyways, Diabate looked pretty good in the brief minutes he was given this year at the nba level. If he was cut tomorrow I’m sure another team would scoop him up

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Teske made a jump with Juwan too. And, I don’t know how much of Livers turning into an NBA player would’ve happened without Juwan. I could look at Duncan Robinson and assume it would’ve happened, but I could also look at Zak Irvin and Cam Chatman and think, maybe not?

I’ll go 60/40 Beilein/Juwan with Livers.

Honestly Livers looks to me like he has added more to his game in the past 2 years than he did in the 2 years under Juwan.

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Feel like Livers got a lot more freedom in Juwan’s offense compared to what Beilein would have wanted him to do.

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