Didn’t spend a ton of time on Charles and Eli in this write up because I hit on them yesterday. We’ll also be going in-depth player by player this week.
Like I said previously these 3 games were played like AAU games. With only 10 practices with split squad teams I can understand that they were a long way from a finished product especially with zero practices on the trip. Curious if the practice schedule was the same for the previous foreign trip. I’m confident JB and Michigan will be alright once Nov 6 arrives.
What do you mean by split squad teams?
I believe this is always how they’ve done practice in the past. Makes sense to have the best practices at home with more focus and focus on touring the country you are visiting when you are abroad. In Italy in 2014, Michigan played four games against teams similar to the Madrid Generals. They didn’t play any legit pro teams like they did on this trip. That was by design this time around.
Interested to see how Iggy’s game expands during the season. He’s used to being a high volume usage player that is prone to bad decisions, knowing he can shoot it any time he wants.
That’ll change drastically at this level and he’ll need to get more out of less.
Still curious to see how his bully ball translates after scouting report is circulated on his perimeter shortcomings.
Opponents are going to clog the lane and limit his driving effectiveness eventually.
Still, he has a scoring mentality on a team lacking bucket getters.
I personally think Iggy will be alright come the season. I do think he must make improvements in a few areas (shooting & defense), but he will make plays nonetheless. When he’s playing at the 2 he will still be able to bully ball opposing SGs to an extent, and his two hand finishing will help him to get shots off inside.
I honestly think as of now, Ignas or Romeo Langford will be my pick to win BIG Freshman of the year. Michigan needs offense and Iggy looks like one of the few who can create their own on this squad. He’s going to get opportunities and will produce. Hopefully efficiently rather than by sheer volume.
I really like Iggy as a player, but after getting to watch him a bit I’m curious why all of the recruiting sites talked about him as “an ideal player for Beilein’s system”. A big guard who can attack the rim at will but is still developing his shooting and passing doesn’t seem like the platonic ideal of a Beilein player (not attacking Iggy at all, I think he’s a great player who would do well in a lot of systems. I’m knocking the recruiting scouts who I think stereotyped Iggy a bit).
I think he was a good fit for Michigan because of his skill set as a 6-8 kid. He’s basically an ideal four for Michigan’s offense with his ability to attack mismatches there.
I don’t think he’s a non shooter either. He has the tools there, he just is always compared to someone like Nik because they are white and from the same town.
Any comparison of Iggy to Nik is absurd imo. Outside being a Canadian from the same town, their styles are damn near completely opposite on the perimeter. Never said Iggy was a bad shooter I just believe he needs to become a little more reliable out there to the point that opponents will have to cover him out there. If they do, it opens up to his true strength, which is getting to the rim.
Defensively he looked pretty sub par to put it nicely from the film I’ve seen in Spain. He’s a freshman so I’m not going to write him off and nobody should. Yaklich and Beilein will have him at least adequate out there come season. Duncan was a serviceable defender this year. Yaklich will get it done.
100% agree, but I’m sure you can find them out there.
How about Deshaun Thomas for a comparison?
We all watch b-ball differently but I just don’t get Brazdeikis/Thomas comparison. They play nothing alike. Thomas rarely used more than two dribbles on any “move” he made. Brazdeikis game is predicated on taking people off the dribble.
I just went and watched a couple clips of Thomas at OSU and nothing reminded me of the way Brazdeikis attacks with the dribble.
Maybe there are parts of their games that are similar but someone is going to have to point them out to me because I ain’t seeing them.
Not gonna lie I didn’t watch Thomas film before I posted that. Both just combo forward type of “lefties” wired to score but aren’t “shooters”. Both aren’t great defenders.
I generally loathe comparisons for reasons like this 
Who would you compare Iggy’s game to?
You gonna tell me I’m a fool and that’s cool but I find his rugged, use your body, create contact , aggressively attack the basket, closer to Miles Bridges than Thomas, also his proclivity to use either hand around the rim is very Bridges like. Doesn’t have the explosion, so that’s where things get dicey. However… I’m backing off that because Brazdeikis is looking so much leaner now than he did in HS. I guess I want to see what Sanderson ends up trying to accomplish, as for now Brazdeikis looks like he’s shedding weight, and I’m not sure what to make of it.
I guess my opinion of who Brazdeikis reminds me of is on hold. Certainly not Stauskas. He’s a unique dude that’s for sure.
His style of using his body to protect his shot reminds me of Bonzi Wells, another guy who got most of his shots off around the basket.
Thanks! This year will be another adventure as everyone works to find a winning approach after losing three key players. That’s what I love about college basketball nowadays.
Your not a fool that’s a great comparison minus the hops and ignas has more crafty to his game. The rest is very similar. Mind set and offensive game is very similar otherwise
That’s an interesting one. Bridges is obviously a way better athlete. I also thought most of his offense was residual (catch and shoot threes, lobs, etc.) and Iggy will handle it a lot more than he did, especially as a freshman.
Spain Rewind on Iggy should be coming next so should give us some good discussion fodder.
Here’s a weird one - Michael Beasley.
Beasley was 6’9" 235 (Iggy is listed as 6’8" 220 from what I saw) and Beasley was utilized as a small ball center in the post, but he was a pure lefty college scorer who did the majority of his work at the rim finishing with both hands. Not an elite athlete, willing to shoot the three but not knock-down by any means.
How about David Lee
How about Bernard Robinson? Oh wait, am I doing it wrong? Are we not just naming left handed basketball players?