Alstork will be fine.
While I generally agree with you, and avoiding TOs are clearly a focus of JBās coaching and practices, I think the results are in part because of the personnel. So while I would be surprised if Michigan turns the ball over a lot next year, I would also be surprised if Michigan plays personnel that lends itself to being turned over a lot.
Which makes me confident in Alstork. I think Michigan showing interest in Alstork despite the 4 TO per game shows the Beilein isnāt too worried about that. Maybe Beilein thinks 4 TO per game was more a result of trying to do too much on a crappy team than being unable to take care of the ball on a solid team.
I donāt think JB would show interest in a grad transfer that he was worried about coming in and being a turnover machine.
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Bingo. What type of turnovers were they? From the two highlight years of film Iāve seen it seems teams really keyed on him and that he was caught trying to Will a team to victory. 3 turnovers a game with that high of usage/ workload and with average talent around you and defenses can really cheat over to try and contain.
If Wilson comes back teams couldnāt do that here. Imagine him running the pick and roll with Wilson or Wagner and then say Duncan spreading the floor. Heād be very very tough to stop. I love MAar and Mathews but this guy is more polished then either and could carry the load of primary creator/ scorer. With Wagner and Wilson as his options I think alstorks could average 1-2 more assists a game easy. His efficiency with that space would rise dramatically.
X, MAar, Mathews is a underrated trio and I think would be successful but those three havenāt shown the ability to create consistently and hit tough shots particularly from deep. Lots of people are echoing the concern of who is going to create buckets when things fall apart or whoās gonn create shots for others. He checks all those boxes. Whoās gonna pull up And hit a tough three off the bounce with a guy in his face? Maar is a much better shooter then heās given credit for and hes hit some tough ones but heās mostly wide open looks. Alstork can just pull up or catch and shoot 24 feet away with a hand up and finish.
Weāre basically adding a 5th year NBA level caliber talent here. I donāt think people realize how big of a boost this would be. He could be all big ten good.
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Junior year highlights with donlon. Again this guy is very good. Remember how for a lot of zaks career he was like two people? Good zak and bad zak. Alstork reminds me of good zak but thatās who he is most the time.
Wait, Sly, better than Maar? Coming from you? Thatās high praise:slight_smile:
Iād cool the jets a bit here. Remember Brandon Woodāgrad transfer to MSU after a career as a star in, wait for it, the Horizon League, some telltale warning signs (mediocre when playing against good teams, as was Alstark), got to MSU and was fine (MAAR level stats from last year) but certainly not an All Big Ten level player or anything other than a complimentary guy. That happens in the vast majority of cases where kids transfer for a fifth year from a lower level to a much higher level. There are certainly exceptionsāDamion Lee at Louisville in '15-'16 after transferring from Drexel is oneābut they are the exceptions, not the rule. Competition level mattersāif it doesnāt, Eli Brooks is a surefire All Big Ten guy, right? And so was Duncan Robinson.
Iād be very happy with AlstarkāI think heād help us, and depending on how others progress, could help us a lot. That said, I wouldnāt expect him to come in and be a star simply because he was one at Wright State, or simply because you can pick out a highlight film showing all of his plus plays with none of his minus ones. Youāre suggesting that a guy who played 7 games against kenpom top 100 teams over the last 2 seasons, with an average offensive rating of just under 86 in those games (100 is average) is suddenly going to become a superstar just because there are other good players playing alongside him? Maybe, and if we get him, Iād be thrilled if that occurs. However, itās not consistent with what has happened in the past for most similar players.
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We got to slow down on this hype man. Dude wasnāt āgreatā in a bad conference. I understand he can get his own shot. Well his own shot only goes is at a 40% clip. He turns the ball over A TON. Kids donāt just make competition level jumps and thrive.
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I know it burns me to say that but a spades a spade. I wonder though could Maar or Mathews handle not starting? Alstork seems like if heās staying in college, heās starting I think Maar sitting might make the most sense. Still playing 28 minutes a night.
I think Maar is going to work hard here and come out a much more aggressive player then expected. Alstork or no alstork I still see Maar taking on a bigger scorer/ usage role. I expect to see more of what we saw late in his sophomore year. Teams have caught on to his drive and pivot game. Now guys arenāt buying on the headfakes and he gets stuck just pivoting trying to find an Opening or kick out. If he works on his handle and pull ups and gets serious improvement in those two areas he could really be good. 12-14 ppg. Iām going with About 11 or 12 a game next year.
Adding Mathews is an odd fit for maar. Your doubling down on very similar styles. I kinda like it cause we never have slashers/ fastbreakers. The defensive trio of x, Maar, mathews will be their best pereimeter defensive unit in this era. Iām looking forward to that. Keep dj and an improved Wagner ( he showed signs of being a nice defender, shifty hands, creates turnovers , just more strength and not letting his guy get positioning and he will be a nice college defender) with those three and defense could be a strength for once and win games that wAy.
Yep.
And to clarify, I do think Alstork has some potential value. The program would be stronger with him than with an āemptyā 13th scholarship slot ā at least as a strong practice player/injury insurance. But among the options being publicly mentioned, heād be at the bottom of my list ā actually 2nd from bottom; Barrett would be bottom (I donāt see locking in a 4-year scholarship slot for the depth Barrett might be able provide next season).
I like the other options better for Michigan. I think they provide more value and would make the team stronger next season w/o sacrificing long-term flexibility in the programās roster.
The horizon isnāt terrible. Wright st was a decent mid major. Much better then most of these teams / conferences. Ive watched highlights back to high school now of him. This isnāt a kid just picking on bums. Heās fallen through the cracks over and over. He should have been in a power 5 out of high school. Boston college and two others wanted him. The kid looks to be a baller dating. A k to high school but man has he improved to in 4 years.
The degree of difficulty a lot of those moves and shots are very high. Heās not a super athlete and thatās why heās slept on. He really understands how to score though and has it all shot making wise. . When you watch his film it makes sense heās at least on the nbas radar. Heās not gonna make it because heās not athletic enough or big enough. That said heās very very skilled. If you put his film on next to maars and itās easy to tell heās a better player all around as much as it pains me to say that. Same with Mathews thus far. I think heās a real game changer if you find a way to assimilate him quickly.
I need to see more film of Simmons I canāt find a good highlight reel of him. I could see if you want more of the ball handler/ pg in those grad spot but x really put my mind at ease lAte. Now I think itās important to make sure you have a guy who can create and shoot the three ball and thatās alstork to me. I also could see him and MAar as a back court for 15 or so minutes a game and I think theyād be good. He could bring it up some and handle.
How would MAAR look in the Horizon league?
Not picking on your posts but have you watched this kidās games or just highlights? I think we could come up with a hell of lot of good Zak moments to make a nice video.
Well Zak was all conference, so that would make some sense.
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Iām watching Highlights and pieces of games dating back to his high school year. Heās legit.
I love MAar but MAar is not making moves or hittting shots at this kids level. Heās just not. You canāt come Up with film that compares.
K
Guy is getting feedback about being drafted for a good reason. Not like how Duncan or maar are either. Will he get drafted? I donāt think so but if he was a second round pick I wouldnāt be shocked. Heās very good. I expect him to be in college and I hope itās with us if bamba passes.
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Cool. I have not invested that much time but have been much less enthusiastic from what Iāve seen.
This is so funny coming from you as you have portrayed MAAR as having near NBA potential at times. Look I like Alstorkās film but if he is as good as your proposing he will be staying in the draft. If he does not and we by chance can pick him up, he just like others will have to go through an adjustment when he gets to the BIG season, where the athletes are more bigger, stronger and skilled. Would his numbers be close to what he has done in the horizon I doubt it very seriously but he would have a chance to make an impact with the team I think.
I donāt think he will stay in the draft. I donāt think heās athletic enough to get a garunteed selection. I think he comes back. You can be a very good college player and have no NBA future or at least be projected to have one.
I love Maar, but Iām not gonna say MAar is better just cause I like him. Watching them side by side alstork has the edge imo at this point. No reason to deny what Iām seeing jump out at me. I think Mathews has more upside but is he a better scorer/ creator then mark ? I think alstork would be the most ready option of the three and could contribute a lot. Being that guy late in the clock. Being a blend of Walton and Irvin as stated in the article is how I forsee his role.