Jon Horford to return for 2014/2015 season
Jon Horford, who graduates this spring, confirms that he intends to come back for his final year of eligibility at Michigan.
— Brendan F. Quinn (@BFQuinn) March 3, 2014
Very glad to hear that. Horford, as shown during the MSU game, provides an excellent defensive presence along with solid zen-like leadership.This isn't unexpected, but makes me happy all the same.
Yeah, I wouldn't mind snagging a Masters degree at UM for free, either.
Please be the start of everyone announcing they will return...
Jeff Goodman's guess:
RT @GoodmanESPN I think Stauskas leaves, GR3 returns, no clue on Mitch. RT @laura_eli13: what about Mich trio?
— Dylan Burkhardt (@umhoops) March 3, 2014
It will be strange if, atfer all the worrying about GRIII and McGary leaving early, that Nik swoops in and goes to the draft before both of them
this is my thought. though GRIII's play has picked up, and i think it could take off, we have a great run, and he'll be gone. if so, great for everyone.
nik might be in a spot where if he came back he'd just be opening himself up for nit picking. better to go too early than too late. i think he goes if he gets a 1st round promise, and that seems likely.
I love me some Nik, but who is he going to guard in the NBA?
Guy needs another year to shore up that D, ad a bit more bulk, then be NBA ready. JMO. Though being a late first round pick may put him on a contender now.
Tom Thibodeau hybrid zone principles has made it so defensive liabilities like Nik are no longer liabilities.
Does anyone know what the scholarship situation becomes if no players leave? Or 1, or 2, etc?
If Michigan is one (or more) scholarships short, what happens? Does someone get forcibly shunted to preferred walk-on status?
They would only be one over if everyone comes back and if Austin Hatch* is healthy enough to play. I'm not sure what they'd do if that happened, but Coach Beilein obviously believes it's not very likely.
*I love and admire the young man, but he has a long way to go to be able to play D1 basketball.
You should not have to put that asterisk on there. The people who jump down throats when anything is said that might intimate Austin Hatch will not be here on a basketball scholarship are providing the most irrational content on the site ATM.
Michigan will get a medical waiver for Hatch and he won't thereby count against our scholarship limit. It will take another miracle for Austin to ever get Division I able---though if anyone can pull off another miracle, I suspect its Austin.
Sam Webb talked about this recently. If everyone comes back, then the most likely situation is Hatch getting a medical scholly. His second most likely scenario was Horford not coming back...
One of two things would have to happen:
1) Austin Hatch gets some other type of scholarship (a la Ben Cronin, where he gets to go to school, part of the team but he doesn't count)
or 2) Horford doesn't get a fifth year.
Since it seems Horford wants to come back, 1 seems more likely.
HOWEVER:
None of this matters because at least 1 of our players will go to the NBA. All 3 are not coming back.
Stauskas is almost a sure thing. He's a lottery pick.
GR3 and McGary who knows, but if either left, I certainly wouldn't be shocked.
It has been discussed, but going over the scholarship limit will not be a problem.
I wouldn't be shocked to see someone transfer a la Smotrycz. With the incoming freshman and those guys back, someone may decide that he'd rather go somewhere where he can play something other than garbage minutes.
What picks in the first round are considered lottery picks?
16 teams (8 from each conference) make the playoffs and if you don't, you're in the lottery for the top 3 picks - to discourage tanking.
1-14, all 14 teams that don't make the playoffs enter the ping pong ball lottery. Each with different percentages to get the highest pick based on final standings. Which is why there is so much tanking.
Really? I would say not at this point.
Stauskas is staying...
I don't think he's a lottery pick, but I might actually have to start watching the NBA if he fell to the Utah Jazz...
This is CRITICAL for next year. With McGary's future uncertain we need to know that Horford will be back to provide a consistent presence in the middle. Bielfeldt will probably get more play, but he's woefully undersized for the center position. The only other option is incoming freshman Ricky Doyle, who will be forced to play if McGary leaves. The only other option I could see the coaches trying is to play Bielfeldt alongside Mark Donnal. On D they could switch roles with Donnal guarding the other team's center and on O they can let Bielfeldt set the perimeter screens while Donnal operates as the stretch four.
I think Donnal is going to surprise a lot of people. He is a good shooter, very smart on the court, and has strength to go along with a bit of a mean streak. I think he'll be next years' breakout player.
He can shoot outside or come inside with finesse or bang if he has to do so. I agree there is a very positive future for Donnal
becomes Horfeldt? or Bielford?
... I like it.
Hornal.
And if they both play smart basketball, we will have Hornal Knowledge.
Hordonfeldt?
He adds some stability and senior leadership in the middle.
Thank you Jon!!!
I'm very happy about this, but was it really in doubt?
but there were talks by some people about not letting Horford take his 5th year at Michigan.
There were talks that Horford might not want to return, not that Michigan might not "let Horford take his 5th year". I still believe Horford has a very high ceiling and if it all clicks I could see him making a living playing basketball somewhere.
That's not as big of an accomplishment as you might think. I know a kid who could barely crack the Northwestern rotation as a senior who plays professionally in Scotland.
The wages obviously vary based on talent, but most D1 players could at least get a contract for a shitty team in Europe.
We will need his experience and size next year in the paint. Donnal and Doyle will be new players and still learning. I'd be amazed if McGary doesn't come back. I'm really hoping everyone comes back with the goal of a 2nd Big Ten title and NC. Maybe I'm dreaming a bit. But, I'm not sure Stauskas or GRIII are ready for the NBA quite yet. At least, I don't see either has high to mid first round picks.
But given his age, and the injury this year, I would be surprised to see McGary return as long as he is healthy and can work out for the NBA clubs before the draft. He has enormous upside, and surely there is a team that would take a shot at a healthy McGary in the 11-24 draft pick range.
just yesterday. It occured to me that even though this is our second title in 3 years, only 3 players on this year's team had ever won a B1G title. That made me think of Jon being a 5th year senior and possibly not returning for that 5th year. I didn't think that he would leave, but it is good that he confirms it. Unless McGary returns, we will most definately need him. Even with Mitch, it would be nice to have Jon also.
Still not sure why people think Donnal is a 4? Seems perfect a the 5 spot as a PnR and PnP player and he isn't exactly capable of handling the ball and coming off of ball screens.
preferably a 4 who has size and can shoot. Donnal fits that mold for a big lineup.
Can you direct me to a link where JB stated he wants a bigger lineup?
is not exactly the same as Cronin. Technically we can not rule of the possibility of him returning to court at some capacity, and I hope that awarding him the medical scholarship does not take away this possibility, even it is very small at this point.
However, given the type of tragety he went through, I think that even NCAA will make some exception for him.
Good to hear! I was starting to get concerned that he may be testing his draft chances.