colton christian

Tim Hardaway is not the only Michigan basketball player gaining experience playing overseas this off-season. Colton Christian—living up to his name—recently returned from a trip to East Asia with Athletes in Action. He and other Division 1 athletes played a number of games against professional teams. From a Free Press article:

What struck Christian the most was China's passion for basketball, from fans rushing the court after the games, to seeing parks with 15 courts throughout the country.

On the court, Christian played the small forward/wing spot. He said he scored in double figures a few times on the trip, including one game in which he said he put up 24 points.

A "Checking In with" item at mgoblue.com has more about his basketball experience and his off-season workouts:

On AIA experience helping in the future ... "When I was over there, the team that I was playing on forced me to play the three and I played some four also. It helped me improve my perimeter game. I think going into this next year, having played the three in East Asia will help me a lot for playing between a three or four for our team here at Michigan."

On summer preparations for upcoming season ... "Before I went to East Asia I worked out with a coach at home named Pete Knoll. I workout with him when I'm at home. I was only at home for a month before I left for training for the AIA trip -- we trained for a week before East Asia in Ohio just outside of Dayton. Now that I'm back, I'm getting on weightlifting programs and improving on other skills, like shooting."

The mgoblue.com interview makes it clear that despite his limited impact on the court so far, Christian plays a key role in maintaining team chemistry.

Tons of MBB coverage of the pre-European tour practice sessions and Coach Beilein's press availability is out there for your consumption.  Click away...

• MGoBlue.com All-Access video
• GBW.com Beilein presser transcript
• UMHoops.com video of presser
• UMHoops.com practice impressions
• UMHoops.com Practice Video Part 1
• UMHoops.com Practice Video Part 2
• UMHoops.com player quotes (Morris, Christian, Smotrycz, Hardaway, Horford and Morgan) 

The Michigan Basketball Facebook page has an album of photos from today's practice session.  Several photos of the new guys and one of Stu's blue shoes.

Stu Douglass

Metrics

Tim Hardaway, Jr.

Jordan Dumars and Asst Coach Bacari Alexander

Jon Horford and Asst Coach Bacari Alexander

Colton Christian

bacari34 John Beilein is very intense on the practice floor! I see how he was able to get Michigan back to the NCAA's in 2009.

JohnBeilein What a great attitude we had today for a 7:30 a.m. practice......... No pillow heads in the gym!!! Go Blue!