Austin Davis Is Coming Back
Breaking news buried in an MGoBlue article:
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Quality seniors are a rare commodity these days in college basketball, but the University of Michigan has three of them in point guard Zavier Simpson and centers Jon Teske and Austin Davis.
However, prior to Tuesday's (March 3) practice here, Wolverine head coach Juwan Howard invited Davis back for 2020-21 as a fifth-year senior. The framed jersey he was to receive at Thursday night's home finale with Nebraska will need to be stored for another year.
Davis has emerged into a 10 MPG backup in Big Ten play, almost precisely offsetting his defensive limitations by shooting 68% from the floor.
[After THE JUMP: Davis on/off]
Since January 1st:
The big defensive dropoff is part real (dips in TOs forced and two-point D offset by better rebounding) and part opponent three point shooting. We constantly note that three pointers are pretty random; it is true that Davis's mobility issues were a problem in Michigan's two most recent games. Some portion of that is real, but not 12 points of it. Worth noting that these minutes are relatively sheltered, with Teske logging most of the minutes against starting Cs.
Michigan faces uncertainty at the 5 next year, as Jon Teske leaves and Colin Castleton has been relegated to a bit player. Hunter Dickinson is in the recruiting class and should be able to log some minutes. How many is unknown. Michigan should expect Davis to reprise his current role. Matchup issues will probably keep him from expanding it much. Never give up on a big!
Davis's return means Michigan will be two over on scholarships if Josh Christopher ends up in Ann Arbor, as is widely expected. Announcing his return now implies that Michigan knows how they're going to resolve it.
I really hope this doesn't mean something negative in regard to Castleton. I really like his upside and we're going to need him next year until Dickinson starts to become a force. But it will be interesting to see how the two scholarship overage plays out.
Something negative in regard to Castleton or something negative in regard to recruiting...
?♂️
Or 2 of the following 3 happens: Jace becomes a walk-on, Nunez exits, Livers goes to the NBA
Or Todd goes overseas.
I don't get the Livers --> NBA chatter. It makes no sense for a variety of reasons. If Livers leaves early he would be lucky to get drafted late in the second round.
If he's leaving early to get a G-League contract and try to play his way up, sure. But unless he plays the best basketball of his career to close out the year, he's not getting drafted.
Everyone was saying same thing about JP last year. It’s a weak draft and there’s a tournament run and workouts still to come... he’s a wing that can shoot, he’s definitely got a shot to work his way into round one this summer.
I didn’t get the Charles Matthews —-> NBA thing either. But sometimes college kids do weird things.
Matthews, after four years of school, was draftable until his ill-timed injury, as sadly appears to be his fate anytime he looks at the NBA. His departure was the least head scratching last year.
Have seen posts like this about four or five Michigan guys over the last decade. Often, we have been surprised.
Really? Some hung around the NBA longer than I expected, others I felt were given up on too soon, but most wound up more or less where I thought they'd be. Beilein's mostly recruited guys who are really, really good at basketball but generally lack the athleticism to be difference-makers at the next level. So they're generally reserves or role-playing starters, with the occasional breakout game.
I think the only guy who genuinely shocked me is Duncan Robinson. He wasn't even on the level of a Burke or Walton when he was here, and he's hardly the only sharpshooter to pass through Michigan, let alone college basketball. WTF is he doing setting NBA records?!
I assume it's not about recruiting as much as realizing the depth chart gets pretty shallow next year and Davis wants to come back. I do assume there will some attrition this off-season, but likely won't have a negative impact on the class beyond Todd, I guess, deciding to go overseas.
Welcome back, Big Country!
I am delighted with this news. I love Davis and what he brings to the team. We will be better next year for having him on the team.
We should not jump to conclusions about Castleton due to this announcement. It is not unusual to have 3 true centers on the team, in fact, I think it is desirable. And I hope it is the case next year.
Davis indeed brings experience which could be vital for a team that will be quite young next year. However, I unfortunately do not share your optimism in regards to the trajectory of the team. During Big Ten play he has shown to be quite a liability on defense (particularly on 3pt defense). In addition his rebound and foul rate during Big Ten play have been very disappointing. I sincerely hope he improves under Juwan, but this is not an encouraging sign for me.
Edit: This is also in no way meant to demean the player at all just my personal criticism of his play during this season and potential contribution next year. I appreciate the time and effort he has given this University so far and will continue to give next year.
Spoiler alert: he's not going to play any better than he is now. He literally almost doesn't miss shots so that is more likely to revert to the mean than get better. And he's not going to suddenly become quicker or longer so his defensive limitations aren't going to change.
He's a perfectly acceptable backup/matchup center though. He has a role.
I don't know how any person who has watched UM basketball over the last few years could make that comment. How did Moe and Duncan go from absolute defensive liabilities to average to good defenders? You are correct that his length is unlikely to change. But agility, quickness, instincts and positioning are all things that can (and have) been successfully taught and help mitigate "defensive limitations"
Yes, but... not usually that late in a career
Caris Levert scored 51 yesterday. You don't usually become Jordan in your mid-20's either...
So I was right when I thought I saw Caris's face on the TV when I turned it on right at the end of the sports report! Sounded like something good had happened. [OK. So I didn't see the series of posts in the right column. +1 for the verification anyway.]
Ever heard the phrase 'the exception proves the rule'? Wagner & Robinson are both playing in the NBA now, and were both involved in All-Star weekend.
Davis has already experienced his improvement, which is why he's serviceable and being offered a fifth year.
If you attack each day with an enthusiasm unknown to mankind you can keep improving. Maybe he’ll add a sky hook for next year.
This! Bring back Z as a big man coach!
Great news! Love how hard he works and the effort he gives on the court. I am very proud that he represents the Maize and Blue!
?
Congrats country! Well earned.
Edit: I just texted one of my Austin sources (yes, I have a couple) and it was indicated he may need off-season shoulder surgery; sounds like it’s not in great shape and he’s playing in lots of pain.
Thanks for the update. That makes it all the more surprising they would bring him back. Shoulder surgeries are no joke. Hope it all goes well.
Yes, now both of my sources have texted me back and they were both surprised he was invited back due to the shoulder injury. My sources do not know the specific injury but I would guess that if he’s able to play through it the injury would not take 6+ months to recover from after surgery. I hope so anyways.
My sources cannot stress enough what Juwan has done for Austin. Everyone loves Beilein, but I can tell you for a fact that Juwan was the best thing that ever happened to Austin.
Take this with a grain of salt as this is very much in the realm of "armchair physician," but I believe based on watching Davis that he has a partially or fully torn labrum in his shoulder. Only reason I know this is because I have torn mine, and the exact movements that cause Davis to wince (exerting force upwards / physical contact when the arm is up) caused me pain as well. Surgery for a torn labrum is typically easy enough (in the scheme of things), but the recovery is a bitch. Requires immobilization for several months. My guess is that the tear is partial and Michigan feels good about his chances to heal quickly enough to be ready for next season.
With all of that having been said, I could be completely wrong here!
If I had to guess, I would say the same. Luckily he will have world class medical care to help him rehab.
Then maybe he's coming back so he can get the surgery and follow up care from UM doctors and completely paid for (I'm assuming) then take a medical. He gets what he needs and UM gets a scholarship.
Very interesting. I think he’s been a great backup and maybe will develop even more over the year.
The two over scholarships is with Jace Howard getting a scholarship or not getting a scholarship?
Also, I think this means the writing is on the wall for Nunez.
Two over includes a scholarship for Jace and Josh Christopher signing
Jace walks on and Nunez transfers. Boom, two scholarships
I have no clue how Nunez got any playing time this year, let alone see any role for him in the future. Feel like he is more like to miss the backboard entirely than he is of making a shot.
He'll probably transfer to a MAC school and become a 3-point wizard.
Backup bigs are good to have. Even if they're not always dominant, and not great matchups, having a 5th year center can bring stability and system knowledge even if in practice. Next year's team will be young, with up to 6 rotation freshmen.
Davis is graduating with a Movement Science degree and hoping to go to grad school for Physical Therapy, so he seems to be maximizing his education in Ann Arbor. Even if he doesn't provide a ton of on-floor production in every game, it seems having him around will be a benefit.
Could be something negative regarding Bajema or Nunez. Or something negative involving Juwan Howard's wallet since he would have to pay Jace's tuiton.
Juwan could pay for the entire team to walk on and not even have a dent in his bank account. I'm sure he'll be fine
Seems someone in administration would find some way for Juwan not to pay out of pocket for his son's schooling, a bonus perhaps?
Huzzah!! He has obviously put in a lot of work. It would have been a shame for the team to tell him to take a hike as his reward.
i'ma choose to be happy that he's coming back, and happy that juwan howard has the coaching chops to turn austin davis from message-board scapegoat into functional big ten player.
i'll worry about how scholarships resolve later - speculation at this point is pure, unadulterated imagination.
Interesting...Does this mean there's no room for Greg Brown now?
I forgot about that guy. Probably not. Unless 2 guys leave, which is possible. It says a lot that we'll probably miss out on a top 10 recruit and I'm fine with that.
Good for him, I was wrong
What the hell are you doing? This is the Internet. There are manners and rules to follow. You're supposed to double down and hurl insults to distract from your mistake, maybe throw in a few slurs that'd get you banned on non-moderated forums, then say you meant it all and we're all fools 'cuz we just got trolled, then finally leave in a huff that unlike the rest of us you have a real job so you're not going to read any of the rebuttals, then show up again fifteen minutes later.
Something like that, anyway.
To be able to announce now that Davis is staying means only thing... That at least one player has told JH he won't be here, either due to early NBA or transfer. If I had to guess, Livers is declaring along with Jace taking one for the team. Before anyone flips out, I don't want him to leave,I but think Livers is ready. And Franz probably is too, but I think he stays.
I think a big part of Isaiah's decision is where people think he'd go in the draft. A healthy Isaiah this year probably would go in the first round; right now, I think he's second round at best. He may not even be that if he doesn't begin to show more than potential; I've perused the mock drafts and his name is nowhere to be found, and in one mock (SI) not even in the top 80.
Why does every Michigan player go pro early?
MSU has 2 guys rated higher in top 100s (Tillman & Henry) and nobody is talking about them going pro.
Let me see if I'm reading the board right, Jace walks on, Nunez possibly transfers and Livers goes to the NBA and becomes the next Levert. That leaves room for Christopher, and Greg Brown?
I think Jace walks on and Nunez transfers. I don't see Livers leaving early.
Comments