Beilein not keen on recruiting one-and-done players

Submitted by markinmsp on

Michigan coach Beilein not keen on recruiting one-and-done players  (link)

 Interesting article taken from coach’s interview on Detroit local radio this morning.

 Basically, Beilein doesn't foresee himself pursuing a high caliber only there for a year. (Sounds like we should have a couple of years at least with the new frosh.)

“You’ve got to recruit the best players that you can get. If a guy is a Kobe Bryant (type), and he says, 'I’ve dreamed my whole life of going to Michigan, but I’m only going to be there one year,' that is a different thing for us than we’re in the top-10 list of this guy who’s a sure one-and-done."

“You can lose really good players slotted right behind him chasing that one. So we try to choose our battles very carefully, as to who we’re going to recruit that are really super prospects"

Coastal Elite

July 18th, 2012 at 4:11 PM ^

How "distinct" is this really? I'm not trying to be argumentative, but couldn't you say that every college basketball coach in America is less than thrilled about one-and-done players. Maybe Beilein is *especially* unenthused over losing a talented player after a year, but I can't imagine that he would turn down NBA-ready talent just because he suspected they wouldn't stick around to get a degree.

Leaders And Best

July 18th, 2012 at 4:18 PM ^

When Beilein was recruiting McGary last fall, many were projecting that he would be a one and done.

I don't think Beilein would turn away a one and done, but getting those elite few prospects is the hard part. Recruiting is a two way street, and I don't think we are at the level yet to be competing consistently with the UK, UNC, Kansas, UCLA, and Duke of the world on national prospects.  But no coach is ever going to say that.

Raoul

July 18th, 2012 at 4:30 PM ^

When Beilein was recruiting McGary last fall, many were projecting that he would be a one and done.

There's a huge difference between outsiders projecting that a player will be a one-and-done and what Beilein is talking about--a player who makes it clear to the coach while he's being recruited that he intends to stay in college for only one year. McGary does not fit into the latter category.

Also, there's nothing new about what Beilein said in this interview. He has said more or less the same thing about his philosophy regarding one-and-dones in the past.

lakeside

July 18th, 2012 at 4:30 PM ^

I'm not actually qualified to back up my statement regarding how "distinct" Beilein's mentality is. The OP brings up a unique (to me) point which is probably why I used "distinct". Howeva, my impression is that a program like Kentucky that just had 3 freshmen and 2 sophomores go pro has a different mentality. They seem to be pretty comfortable with being a layover stop for professional players. 

From the quotes, I don't think Beilein would say no to a one-and-done who is knocking down his door. I would assume that those types of recruits require a substantial amount of recruiting energy to land. The cost-benefit (recruiting effort vs. overall contribution to program) of one-and-dones is too costly - at least, that is what I think Beilein is saying.

redhousewolverine

July 18th, 2012 at 7:09 PM ^

Especially considering programs like Kansas, Kentucky, and north Carolina are playing with a few more chips than we are. Additionally, I love Beilein but he doesn't have the credibility a Roy Williams, caliparri, or Self has when it comes to recruiting. Ya it's fun to recruit the elite one and dones but how often are we going to win that battle and even then we have him for only one year. A huge reason we got mcgary was because Beilein was in on him before many of the elite programs were. That wont happen for every elite recruit. This is just another reason I love Beilein: he knows his/our limitations and doesn't allow them to handicap us more than they do. You can still be elite and not generally take one and dones; see MSU and duke, although duke splashes it around a bit.

MGoBender

July 18th, 2012 at 7:39 PM ^

It'll be interesting to see how this changes.  With the opening of the PDC, our limitations are dwindling and one of the few things we still can't "compete" with is recent success.  I don't know how much a recruit cares about recent success, but even that metric gap will close.

Wolverman

July 18th, 2012 at 3:50 PM ^

 I don't see how you can call yourself a college coach and be for the 1 and dones. I think some coaches pride themselves on molding young men into leaders and pillars of their community. If you are for players spending a year in your program and leaving ( which they have to do to play in the NBA) Then you tend to fall into the win at all costs mentality.

 Folks say Michigan fans are conceded and are living in the glory days of a once great program. The thing is it's how Michigan won that makes me a proud fan. We had a few bumps ( Richrod and Weber) but, all in all we won with class. Not a lot of programs can say that. I've been a Michigan fan since I was in 3rd grade and I can honestly say if there was ever a scandle like there was at Penn State , I'd be looking for a new team to cheer for.

TheJoker

July 18th, 2012 at 3:54 PM ^

Would you be looking for another team though? Don't get me wrong, I understand how heinious the crimes at PSU were but Michigan is a school we follow day in and day out. The scandal might have shaken out faith in the administration but at the end of the day I believe we would still bleed blue. 

Wolverman

July 18th, 2012 at 7:35 PM ^

 It's hard to compare the 2 because we have multiple "legendary coaches" but, nobody  who came close to coaching the team for 50 + years. It's the entire foundation of their program. If something changed the base values of the Michigan program as to where I wouldn't allow my sons to play there , then yes I would look for a different team to cheer for. I guess it would be different if you are an alum.

  I can't think of anything that could happen at Michigan that could possibly do that but, I'm just saying if it did.

turd ferguson

July 18th, 2012 at 4:15 PM ^

I don't see it as some kind of ethical wrongdoing to have kids come for one year and then go to the NBA.  Such are the rules in college basketball, and if a kid is good and mature enough to go, it's probably not a bad career decision.  Don't get me wrong - I can't stand the John Calipari types - but I don't think there's anything inherently wrong with bringing in a superstar who stays for a year before leaving.  If he's not coming to your program, he'll do the same thing somewhere else.

Now whether the rule should be changed is a different question.  I haven't thought much about it, so this could be stupid, but I wouldn't mind seeing something where a kid either goes straight from high school or commits to two years in a college program.

EDIT:  Yet another question, and the subject of Beilein's comments, is whether it's rational for a winning-interested coach to pursue these likely one-and-dones.  On that point, what Beilein said makes a lot of sense to me.

indywolverine

July 19th, 2012 at 12:59 AM ^

I understand that some coaches may not want to spend their recruiting resources on the one and done types, and that's fine. But if I'm a coach and a one and done type wants to come play for me with the intent of leaving after one year, why would I deny him the opportunity? It may even be immoral for me to deny him for the reason of "I don't want to make you a better person/player since it's not worth my time if you're just here for one year". Isn't one year of college better than no college at all?  Why put a 2-year minimum rule in place which probably has more chance of driving him away than bringing him in for 2 years (my baseless projection of probability)?

I'm of the opinion that 1/4 of college is better than no college at all. And letting a guy leave whenever he wants to leave opens up an opportunity for someone else. If you force him to stay for another year, that's 1 year of scholarship that could have gone to someone else who wants to be there so much more.

DrewGOBLUE

July 18th, 2012 at 5:36 PM ^

One of the best aspects of collegiate athletics, football in particular, is that fans usually have undying loyalty for their respective schools. My time at Michigan was by far the best four years of my life...I met tons of great people and became a much better person. I simply could not justify abandoning my love and devotion for all things Michigan if a few morally irresponsible people allowed for similar atrocities to occur. 

On the other hand, if  this sort of disgusting scandle somehow happened within an NFL franchise like the Lions for example, I might consider looking for a new team to support since I just don't feel the same sort of connection to pro teams as I do Michigan. 

 

96goblue00

July 18th, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^

You can win by building a solid team of strong/good players that fit your system and take it all the way if you know what you are doing. Sure, having a player like Lebron on your team would certainly be nice but it is not necessary to go all the way. Krzyzewski has been doing it at Duke for years without necessarily having the top 2-3 players in the class.. As a technician/coach, I think Beilein is just as good as the Krzyzewskis, Boeheims, Pitinos, etc. and with right players for his system, I can see him doing really great things in the near future.

Tater

July 18th, 2012 at 8:00 PM ^

Coach K might not have the top two or three players, but he usually has his shelf stocked with McDonald's All Americans at every position.  He is starting to feel the sting of early departures, too.  He occasionally makes up for them by recruiting "up-transfers" while bemoaning the process.  

I'm still trying to figure out how he gets that much talent to go to Duke, though.  They had no tradition before he got there.  Now, they have a bona fide shot at everyone they want.

M-Wolverine

July 19th, 2012 at 2:03 PM ^

Was 113-64, and the previous long standing coach before him, Vic Bubas was 213-67, and took them to Final Fours (and had guys like Chuck Daly on his staff). They were a very good program, and Coach K came in and took them to elite level status.

graybeaver

July 18th, 2012 at 4:05 PM ^

Hopefully he just prefers kids that want to stay for awhile. If he refuses to recruit the one and done types then he won't ever win a national title. Bob Knight refused to recruit one and done kids and it lead to his downfall. Successful coaches change with the landscape. Coach K is a great example.

Michael Scarn

July 18th, 2012 at 4:42 PM ^

Given the recent trajectories of the programs, I'd have to imagine my love for Beilein is similar to how MSU fans feel about Dantonio. Except Beilein is recruiting like a boss, doesn't proclaim a "zero tolerance" policy then play kids like Dion Sims, and he's also not a raging dickhead who hates his rival more than he loves his own team.

Jfox1020

July 18th, 2012 at 5:01 PM ^

I understand why the kids do it, but one and done's frustrate the snot out of me...You have to go for the money because it runs the world.. Which in my case, BLOWS

sandman24

July 18th, 2012 at 6:25 PM ^

The trick is to balance talent and loyalty.  So far Belein has had a fair amount of attrition to the NBA, with Manny Harris and Darius Morris and it's fairly obvious that Hardaway and Burke will more than likely go next year.

I would still rather have Beilein shoot for the top and have some attrition than recruit only consensus 3 stars.

LSAClassOf2000

July 18th, 2012 at 7:05 PM ^

"“You’re teaching them fundamentals of the college game," Beilien said in the interview. "You’re cleaning up things, things that their high school coaches have no time to do. Balance, fine-tuning the shot, all the different things that high school coaches don't necessarily have time to do." - Beilein, quoted in the AnnArbor.com article

He also warns in the article that even though the incoming freshmen possess great talent, they are still, in his words, "unfinished products". It seems to me that Beilein enjoys the mentoring aspect of coaching more than most things preferring to watch kids develop in the program, so I could see where you may be skittish about investing in the "one-and-done" type of player. It seems like you have a better handle on their chances in the pros perhaps if they do stay with the program, whereas if they leave after only a year, it's a crapshoot. I don't blame him for stating that this is not his preferred route.

I also liked his point that you can lose out on a lot of talent trying to go for these "sure bets", if you will, and when they leave, you're faced with trying to reload too soon really. You might be able to sustain that for a while, but eventually, there will be down years, and I think Beilein wanted to keep improving, and I think the smarter way to do that is to go after players that will stay for a bit anyway.