The State of UM Basketball

Looks like the lack of minutes has Ibi working hard.

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About right what I think too. Start in the 20-25 range but I can imagine an optimistic take in all the preview magazines.

The ā€œif Xavier Simpson can be solid or if Charles Matthews can step in to form a three headed monster 3 through 5, this has the makings of a top 15 team/second weekend talent.ā€

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I think Watson knew the depth chart he was signing up to compete against. If he works hard next season, with MAAR & Robinson playing out Senior year eligibility, Watson has a path to playing time in '18-19 as a 3rd year player in the system and (at that point) a 2x Camp Sanderson summer training participant.

Canā€™t see that. MAAR just does not have the vision or handle to play the point.

Letā€™s see what Watson looks like next fall before we count him out.

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Watson will be fine. I thinking him and Davis will be much better then people realize.,that said Poole and Ibi have no shit to supplant MAar. Your completely undervaluing him. I expect him to be very good next year on a whole. I actually think Poole is the one who might not play much.

MAar will go up in value even more if we start to fastbreak more with x which would be wise as thatā€™s our strength

Yea I wouldnā€™t be surprised if Ibi moved on. Not saying it will happen, but Attrition is more and more common these days and Michigan has been no stranger to it under JB.
It also wouldnā€™t be a surprise if Ibi made a huge leap forward and earned more PT.

I donā€™t think itā€™s this year if he does if ever. Ibi will be fine. He needs to get comfy like x did late. Also I think x is a perfect pg for him. Ibi looks to me like he will shine in a fast breaking style offense. Something I expect for the next three years with x at pg.

Everyone seems to be overlooking him for Jordan and I think thatā€™s a mistake. Also seeing that picture of him getting right to work has me very excited. This run obviously taught him something. Glad to see he took it all in and is ready to get better and make his mark.

If Poole plays over Ibi which I fully anticipate, I could see Ibi being unhappy with his role at the end of next year and potentially looking elsewhere. Ibi could definitely earn the spot and I hope the best for him, love that he is already working, but Iā€™m curious what anyone sees in Ibi that would make them think heā€™s a better option over Poole next year? I see a + handle, passing ability and shot over Ibi from JP.

Ha I just added to my post. First Ibi appears to be good in transition to me. He shot horribly this year but that was just nerves to me. Heā€™s obviously a much better shooter. In high school he appeared to be a nice slasher and good at getting his own shot. Heā€™s also a much better athlete imo. Obviously vertically. I think if he works at it he has the athletic tools to become a good defender even if heā€™s not now.

I think Jordan is going to struggle more then people realize next year. Iā€™m not expecting him to do much besides play 10-15 minutes as a shooter off the bench. Which we need by the way so Iā€™m not knocking that. He will fit well in that facet. Iā€™m very worried he will be a defensive liability though. Much like Duncan last year.

I really loved ibis last high school film. He played well against good competition and looked as if he could create, shoot, pass and fly. I just think itā€™s foolish to write him off because he looked so lost. I say let him get settled and calm down and we will see a kid who looks much different. I hope he doesnā€™t leave because he could at least be a good wing off the bench his junior and senior year of Poole dies pass him as people expect

Thatā€™s fair. Yeah Iā€™m sure Ibi has it in him to be much better than he was this year, at least I doubt he could play much worse. As far as Poole goes, I definitely can see him struggling defensively. But I also think thereā€™s an argument he has the best combo of handle, shot and passing ability on the roster next year. He just seems like the perfect pick and roll 2 guard for JB to work with. Needs to get a lot stronger but if X and Ibi donā€™t make really significant strides and MAAR gives us pretty much what he has been, I donā€™t think itā€™s too hard to imagine JB utilizing Poole as more than just a shooter off the bench role. At least I hope lol

If Watson has a spot in the rotation next season, where are Pooleā€™s 10-15 minutes a game going to come?

8 man rotation imo as of 3-25-17
Wagner
Wilson
Matthews
MAAR
Simpson
Davis
Robinson
Brooks.

if Watson is 9th man in an 8 man rotation, minutes will be sparse for Poole. I guess I could see a small possibility of Watson playing and Poole backing up Simpson at pg, but I donā€™t expect this to be the case. There is also the unlikely imo scenario of MAAR as backup pg.

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Donā€™t forget Livers.

Iā€™m not forgetting Livers. I was commenting on a scenario of Watson have a role and Poole playing 10-15 minutes as well.

I think it is more likely Livers is the 9th man in the rotation over Watson or Poole

This may sound crazy but with X and Brooks being big questions at PG do you guys think JB may give Dakich a pitch to stay as someone experienced with the system?

I give that a possibility of zero. Mostly because Coach Beilein already has said Dakich will be taking a 5th year elsewhere, plus Dakich just isnā€™t on the same level as the two young pgā€™s. Unlike Bielfeldt and Spike, I donā€™t think Dakich will be taking a 5th year at a BIG rival

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At this point it is hard for me to see minutes for Ibi. Is he a 2 or 3. His handle is suspect. And his shot at this point is missing and lets not mention defense.

MAAR is in no way a point guard. Not slick enough with the ball and vision non existent. I see Poole backing him up at the 2.

X and Brooks will have to do a lot of growing up at the point or the team will struggle to get into its offense.

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You never know where minutes are going to pop up. I was just thinking today that I couldnā€™t remember a Michigan basketball season where the team was more healthy than this one. We didnā€™t have a single rotation player miss a game for injury that I can remember. It feels like our most significant injuries were Waltonā€™s stitches and Duncanā€™s black eye.

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We were very fortunate injury wise this year as opposed to past years. Our top 8 guys played in all 38 games. Canā€™t count on that every year.

If Beilein plays his usual 8 man rotation then you would expect the bench to be a backup PG (presumably Brooks), a backup forward (Robinson) and backup Big (presumably Davis). This of course assumes the return of Wilson and Wagner and that Matthews starts at the 3. However, that would leave our two best recruits in Poole and Livers out of the mix so Iā€™m not sure.

Maybe Beilein goes deeper next season but his MO has been to play at most 8 guys and ride his starters for heavy minutes.

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