Basketball Recruiting Update from Sam Webb
On today's recruiting roundup (podcast), Sam Webb provided a good overview of where Michigan's basketball recruiting stands in regard to late 2014 signings and possible transfers. Here are the highlights:
- Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman and Aubrey Dawkins (both of whom Sam talked to) are scheduled to be on campus this weekend at the same time, setting up an interesting dynamic because Sam believes that Michigan would want just one of them, not both.
- Abdur-Rahkman has Michigan at the top of his list; he has no other visits scheduled and won't decide on taking any other visits until after his Michigan visit.
- Dawkins has Michigan and Dayton at the top of his list; he has a visit to Dayton scheduled for next week.
- Input from Michigan players will play a key role in Michigan's process of vetting the two players for possible offers.
- In terms of ranking Michigan's interest in the various players who have been mentioned as possible late additions, Sam says Abdur-Rahkman and Dawkins are at the top given their pending visits.
- Next in terms of interest from Michigan are two transfers—6-9 power forward Sean Obi (Rice) and 6-9 forward Cole Huff (Nevada)—plus 6-5 wing Tavarius Shine (Fork Union Military Academy). Further down the list are two possible late 2014 signees: 6-5 wing Ryan Taylor (St. John's Northwest Military Academy) and 6-7 wing Marial Shayok (Blair Academy; Marquette decommit).
- Sam believes that 6-5 guard Byron Wesley (USC transfer) might be expressing interest in Michigan, but he hasn't heard that Michigan has any interest in him.
One other note: Sam talked about Huff being a good fit for Michigan as a stretch forward, but as was noted in yesterday's thread on him, apparently a major reason he's transferring is because he wants to play the 3, not the 4, in preparation for the position he'd potentially play in the NBA.
Below is the latest word from Huff's AAU coach, posted after Nevada agreed to relax their restrictions on the schools Huff could transfer to. I'm a bit puzzled as to why he went through the appeals process if he's not actually interested in any of the SoCal schools he's now allowed to transfer to. Or is he waiting for some of those schools to ask for a release before publicly declaring his interest in them?
No visit dates have been set yet for Cole Huff but Dayton Iowa creighton Vanderbilt Michigan are the schools he's most interested in
— clint parks (@Brotherhood05) April 18, 2014
So one of the SoCal schools has now expressed in Huff—probably not good news for Michigan and the others from the Midwest.
UCLA has requested and received Cole Huff release
— clint parks (@Brotherhood05) April 19, 2014
Bolden and Looney?
USC has requested and received Cole Huff release according to @stevewachs1
— clint parks (@Brotherhood05) April 19, 2014
Need to get Huff's first and hopefully only OV and lock him in.
Sam seemed to imply that the prospects would play some hoops with the players. You reminded me that I left out an important part of what he said. During visits, the Michigan coaches want the current players to evaluate how the prospects would fit in with the team both on and off the court—how well they would mesh with the team culture. That's part of the staff's vetting process.
player input is a little known reason why michigan didn't end up with nate lubick. the players hated him and it isn't clear if we wouldn't taken him if he wanted to come to michigan.
I just pulled up his stats and I'm kind of surprised by his limited productivity (and development), at least statistically. He never really became more than a 5 ppg, 5 rpg guy. In 2013-14, his senior year, he averaged 5.1 points and 5.4 rebounds per game in 33 games.
I like that the player input is a factor.
I know very little about most of these names, anyone who can play big in the middle?
have games that are focused around the hoop. Neither has attempted a three in their four combined years of play.
Michigan may be interested in him, but is the interest reciprocal? This article from yesterday says he visited Vanderbilt last weekend and is visiting Duke this weekend, and it also notes interest from Northwestern and Virginia, but there's no mention of Michigan.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
And now there's word of a Northwestern visit:
Top #Northwestern transfer priority Sean Obi plans to visit NU on May 10. Obi has Duke, Vandy interest among others.
— Nick Medline (@NickMedline) April 18, 2014
April 18th, 2014 at 10:38 AM ^
Very strange. When it was just Duke earlier it was one thing but if he is seriously considering NU over UM makes me wonder if he read Horford's quotes. Another reason a great year by Mitch would have helped quiet this nonsense about a 5 cannot thrive in this system.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:44 AM ^
Maybe basketball isn't his primary criteria. No shame in saying we don't measure up academically to those schools.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:49 AM ^
April 18th, 2014 at 11:11 AM ^
I think we measure up well against all of those schools, possibly better depending on what he's studying.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:46 AM ^
I don't understand your point. The main distinguishing characteristic between Duke, Vandy and NU is not overall academic prominence. Three of those schools are private schools and all are significantly smaller than UofM.
But as others have pointed out, Michigan is better than the other three in many, many disciplines. The distinguishing factor in my mind is that Michigan is a full-fledged public university with a much different feel than the others (esp. Duke and Vandy).
April 18th, 2014 at 10:07 AM ^
ESPN list us :
"Sean Obi, 6-9, F, Fr., Rice -- Michigan, Duke, Vanderbilt"
http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/10702122/tracking…
I tell Huff that our 4 is on track to get drafted in the first round of the NBA Draft as a SF and see what he thinks about that.
As far as the NBA goes for big men...
April 18th, 2014 at 11:11 AM ^
April 18th, 2014 at 10:36 AM ^
He doesn't want to play the 2. He wants to play the 3.
And for all those offering advice about NBA players - again, he is transferring to avoid playing the 4 at Nevada. It is sort of difficult to have a conversation some of you are offering:
"So Mr. Huff why are you transferring?"
"They are asking me to play the 4 sir, I really think my position is the 3, and that is why I am leaving, Coach."
"Let me tell you about playing the 4 at Michigan."
I am on the Huff train and have no idea why everyone wants him to play the 4. I want a 6'8 guy at the 3. We have a stretch 4 who will be a RS SO in 2015-2016 already. Having a front line of 6'10 Doyle, 6'9 Donnal and 6'8 Huff? Yes please - size and rebounding for once?? No more NCAA tourney game previews offering how UM will lack size versus its opponent? Interior length across the board? Yes yes and yes.
Sure he would play 4 maybe 6-8 minutes a game perhaps when Donnal sits but having 3 trees like that out there at once would be great.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:56 AM ^
Nevada fans thinks their coach has as much to do with it as playing out of position. Huff said he wanted to play close to home but his list is all Midwest schools. Likewise, think Huff would jump to play at UM regardless of position. Go look at his AAU coaches twitter, it is full of Sanderson, Stauskas and UM player development stuff in April. Wilson's. Chatman's and Donnal's versatility also make the 3 spot viable for him for large stretches, but everyone plays multiple positions so he'd play 4, too.
http://mbd.scout.com/mb.aspx?s=351&f=1258&t=12824727
Notable:
"I doubt Huff's reasons had much do with anything other than wanting to go to a big time school I wish him well but I don't have much respect for him now.."
"I disagree, I think Huff just wanted to play for a good team. When he committed we had just made the NIT semifinals and returned 3 starters, things were looking up.
I can't blame him, now he gets to compete for a national title rather than a winning record in the MW."
"I think its interesting that we may have Michigan caliber players on the roster........
And still can't win many games"
April 18th, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
Sure - that front line you list would be great, but then we don't have any back ups. The more likely scenario is that both Donnal and Doyle at at the 5, unless we pick up a young big man in the meantime, either by transfer or in the 2015 recruiting class. If we get one of the 2014 wings who are visiting this weekend (which is likely) I don't think we want Huff if he wants to be a wing player here. In 2015 we'll have Irvin (most likely), Chatman, Wilson and that last 2014 guy, plus any 2015 recruits. At this point, the only 4/5 guys we will have is Donnal and Doyle, plus 2015 recruits, but bigs have a harder time producing right away than guards.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^
I expect Max to be a solid rotation guy at the 4/5 his senior year. Chatman, Irvin, Donnal, Wilson and Huff would offer plenty of options at the 4. Grab a big in 2016.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:33 AM ^
Why do people keep talking about Chatman at the four? Or Irvin, for that matter? Those guys are wings all the way. Would you have played THJr or Stauskas at the 4?
April 18th, 2014 at 11:42 AM ^
Except Chatman (at least 6'7'') and Irvin have near 7ft wingspans and can handle 220 lbs on their frame. Tim and Nik have 6'6'' wingspans and are slight of frame.
Chatman also has an advanced post game and is an elite rebounder in EYBL
Also, have you watched Beilein basketball? Irvin has played th 4 and will continue in 3 point shooting lineups. Recruiting also seems to infer that the staff views Donnal as an adequate 5 along w/ Doyle and Max.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:47 AM ^
I completely agree with you that Donnal will be a 5 moving forward. Also, I didn't mean guys couldn't play a particular spot at times when we go with a different line up. I was referring to what a guy will play primarily. Sure, sometimes Spike and Walton are on the floor together, but you wouldn't list either of them as an option at SG.
Chatman is 30 pounds lighter than GRIII, so he'll have a really tough time with anyone of decent size down low. I agree we could slide one of those guys to the 4 at certain times when we're playing small, or when the opposing team has a starting big on the bench, but not as a standard line up.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
ehhh Chatman is a HS kid who hasn't seen a weight room. His frame is filling out via the clips I've seen, too. I think he gets to 220 his sophomore yr no problem. A southpaw at th 4 makes a ton of sense.
April 18th, 2014 at 12:00 PM ^
I just think his skill set would be a waste there. He's a terrific ball handler and shooter. He's more like LeVert than GRIII. Like I said, he could slide there is we wanted a line-up with a PG and three wings, but I don't see that happening often.
If LeVert goes pro a year from now, Chatman and Irvin will be our two starting wings anyway, and they'd probably slot Bielfeldt or Wilson at the 4.
April 18th, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
The 4 can bring the ball up and run PnR, ya know?
And Chatman is nothing like Levert. Levert has great lateral quickness to stick guards while Chatman has a post game. Kyle Anderson, Hedo Turkgolu, Draymond Green, Lamar Odom and Tayshaun Prince come to mind when I watch his footage.
April 18th, 2014 at 12:57 PM ^
Consider that he's playing at an exceptionally low level of competition in Portland. A lot of the scouting was from before that but the highlight videos might not tell you a whole lot. Dribbling is kind of like a QB running - doing it at the HS level it might not translate to a higher level of athleticism
He has also played at a high level in Cali played EYBL and went to PG, KD and Lebron camps. His skills will translate.
April 18th, 2014 at 12:12 PM ^
I am of mind the 2 thru 4 are pretty interchangeable on OFFENSE for Beilein's system. Obviously its different on defense. That said right now I do see Chatman more as a 3. And I dont care about "heights", I do care about "weights" and bulk (and hey skill set) as to where these people should be playing. For Huff, if he can put the ball on the floor which from the story I posted yesterday from Reno newspaper said he can, and take 3s, he seems like a more natural 3 but could in theory play 10 minutes at 2 or 4 in the Beilein system (on offense)
Just curious if anyone knows GR3s weight as a freshman. He is around 210 now - so I assume he was 195-200ish as a freshman.
April 18th, 2014 at 10:58 AM ^
Most teams nowadays play a point guard, two big guards, one forward and one center, or two forwards. There will be very few teams for which a 6-8/6-9 guy is going to be the third biggest on the floor, and Michigan isn't likely to be one of them.
Huff looks like a fairly productive player who could fit into a Beilein offense nicely with his 3 point shooting, but maybe not in the role he has in mind for himself (somewhat like Robinson). With Donnal, Wilson and Chatman in the mix too, there's a question of how many minutes he could grab after sitting out a year.
April 18th, 2014 at 11:07 AM ^
Donnal is a center due to roster necessity and Huff is a better player than Wilson, who I expect to start as an upperclassman. Chatman can bulk of his minutes as a natural 3.
Ill guess a class of McQuaid and the Jalens for 15'
April 18th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
If we got both Jalens in 2015, and in any case, I'm not sure that a point guard, a combo guard and a wing would be the best mix for that class. It will depend somewhat on how Donnal, Doyle and Wilson develop, but I would tend more towards grabbing a true big next year, along with a PG and SG/W, unless both Doyle and Wilson look like they'll be effective inside.
April 18th, 2014 at 12:03 PM ^
I agree with that, also pending transfers. We need at least one big in 2015 if we don't pull another one in this year.
April 18th, 2014 at 12:19 PM ^
The staff doesn't seem to be going after or in good standing with any 2015 big.
Once again, there is no evidence of a 2015 big.