Caris could be 5th 1st rounder in 3 years.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:18 PM ^
This season is evidence that Michigan is already hurting from sending guys to the league faster than they can add NBA-quality players.
January 27th, 2015 at 2:27 PM ^
I think McGary and Horford leaving early is more of the problem for this year's team, which McGary would be back this year if not for afwul NCAA rules. So not just direct NBA attrition.
January 27th, 2015 at 2:48 PM ^
... not that it could be prevented since he graduated. But his leadership & knowledge of the system would really help this team.
January 27th, 2015 at 3:38 PM ^
This is how being successful in NCAA bball works. Have to expect attrition and recruit to address it.
This season's struggles are the direct results of poor recruiting in the '14 class. The '15 class, so far, is in even worse shape.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:19 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 1:24 PM ^
Give it time. A lot of our early entrees are still trying to carve out roles on some of these teams.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:25 PM ^
None of them are franchise changing players and all are on terrible teams. Could take them 2 or 3 stops before they reach the right team.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:53 PM ^
perplexed by Burke. He was very close to literally unstoppable in 2013 and the tournament, specifically. To me, he looked like an NBA ready point guard if I had ever saw one. I thought he would be an all-star within 3 years when he left.
January 27th, 2015 at 2:01 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 2:05 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 2:12 PM ^
for sure. I never saw "slow" while he was at Michigan. I am not disagreeing with you, but that word would have never been anywhere close a description I would have given of him while he was here.
January 27th, 2015 at 2:26 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 3:05 PM ^
^ this
I agree, Trey was perhaps the most accomplished PG to ever play here. But his peers in the NBA - athletic freaks like Westbrook, offensively skilled guys like Curry and big-time performers like Lillard - set the standard in the NBA.
January 27th, 2015 at 2:18 PM ^
Point Guard might be the deepest position in the NBA. Not sure if its his size or release or something else but his 3 point shooting just hasn't been there in the NBA. if he could hit 35% 3PA consistently he would defintely be a starter.
January 27th, 2015 at 2:23 PM ^
This is also the golden age for point guards. Trey is a solid player but he is probably not a top 20 player at his position. In the West alone, he has to go against guys like CP3, Steph Curry, Russel Westbrook, Damian Lilliard, Mike Conley etc.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:30 PM ^
you're spot on. Even THJ is down a bit this year; not even shooting 40% from the field. Stauskas doesn't get minutes because he hasn't been very good and Burke is losing his time to Exum for the same reason. It's certainly too early to say they're all busts, but it isn't looking good at the moment. Rookies generally struggle to hit outside shots, so I think Nik has a decent chance of bouncing back down the road. I think Mitch will be a decent to good NBA player if he ever stays healthy long enough to prove it.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:50 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 2:41 PM ^
The problem is the NBA caliber talent (top 50) doesn't come to him all the time. They go to Duke, Arizona, UK etc... He has to make them into NBA talents.
Hopefully that changes with Langford, Brown or someone else.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:50 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 2:04 PM ^
Trey Burke and Nik Stauskas were overdrafted. As lottery picks, one might expect them to be superstars. They won't be. But I'll bet on both becoming valuable members of NBA teams throughout their careers. Jameer Nelson for Trey Burke, and JJ Redick for Nik Stauskas (I know, I know). And those are both fine NBA careers.
Meanwhile Hardaway was drafted mid-20s and seems like he's doing great when you compare to the other two. He'll have a similar career to Burke and Nik, but get more credit because he doesn't have the "Lottery" pick tag.
McGary is a wildcard. If he's healthy I think the sky is the limit, Marc Gasol style. But these injuries keep happening.
GRIII knew the risk he was taking. He made an NBA roster and earned a guaranteed contact. I don't think he expected 20 mpg as a rookie. But he is practicing with an NBA team and coaches, and working on his game every day. It's way to early to judge whether he left "too soon," because I think his career is probably on par with any reasonable expectation so far.
Darius Morris is on an NBA roster for the 4th consecutive season. He didn't leave "too early," because it's tough to argue that he would have developed more in school than he would have playing basketball 24/7 with NBA tutors. I think he just is what he is, and NBA journeyman at best. As a second round pick he would have been easy to just discard his contact. But he's still around, and he's a millionaire.
Manny Harris did leave too early. Guy played in the NBA, and played decently. But he can't seem to find a job in the league for whatever reason. A successful senior season could have at least given him a chance with a different path.
January 27th, 2015 at 2:20 PM ^
never saw JJ Redick just load up and dunk on somebody's head when he was in college though. He was never the "token white guy" who could shoot but had no athleticism, but neither did he go baseline, dunk on some fool, kick the ball on his way down to draw a delay of game and then stare at the crowd when he finally landed. That was the difference I saw between Stauskus and Redick, Nik has an explosiveness that Redick did not. I don't think we have enough of a sample size to declare Stauskus "serviceable but not special" yet. I think he probably has another gear that we will see in due course. He is a really cerebral player that stays one step ahead of the defense and I believe he will make the adjustment with time. I just think the NBA is a learning process to him just as his first year at Michigan was.
January 27th, 2015 at 2:22 PM ^
You're right and it's possible. But I think his most likely trajectory is Redick, not Adam Morrison and not Ray Allen.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:22 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 1:27 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 1:53 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 1:25 PM ^
Look back at that title game team from just 2 years ago. Your top 6 are probably going to consist of five 1st rounders and a 2nd rounder. It's bonkers. Especially considering where Michigan basketball was for the decade before that
January 27th, 2015 at 1:32 PM ^
when you think that the Louisville team that beat them is only going to have two 1st round picks (Dieng, Harrell) and three or four NBA players (Siva, Smith).
January 27th, 2015 at 1:49 PM ^
Louisville are more experienced than Michigan and has couple key players who were good college players like Hancock.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:50 PM ^
think he would be a sure Top 10 pick if he came back. I think he should go, ASAP. I don't think this year did a lot for his stock before the injury and I don't think he should risk re-injury. I think it is time for Caris to make the move after this season.
January 27th, 2015 at 2:00 PM ^
Sadly, I think this is absolutely right, assuming Caris gets a first-round grade from in-the-know scouts.
January 27th, 2015 at 2:12 PM ^
I assume they can, but can BB players buy insurance against future income like they do in Football?
January 27th, 2015 at 2:12 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 2:22 PM ^
Caris, if you're reading this, the headline is wrong. It should have said first 5th rounder. So, come back for your senior season. Thanks!
January 27th, 2015 at 3:16 PM ^
Mock drafts tend to be a lagging indicator. Expect to see his stock drop in the coming weeks. Now, he may still get a 1st round grade (in which case he should jump), but I wouldn't make any conclusions based on what you're seeing now.
January 27th, 2015 at 3:18 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 4:32 PM ^
he's 6'7" SG who can shoot, handle and pass. He's very good at iso, catch and shoot and has size advantage over most SG. He's 20 and still has room to grow which means he still has untapped potential to be an even better player down the road. He also has the athleticism to be an elite defensive stopper at SG.
Throw in the fact that SG is weak overall in the NBA and players like Caris don't grow on trees. That's why he's considered to be a 1st round pick.
January 27th, 2015 at 5:13 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 7:47 PM ^