Grantland Writer Calls Burke "the most exciting player in college basketball."
http://www.grantland.com/blog/the-triangle/post/_/id/14295/the-trey-bur…
Excerpt:
I'm coming out with the big guns today: Trey Burke is the most exciting player in college basketball.
You want caveats? OK. Trey Burke is the most electric, dynamic, breathtaking human being wearing a Division I uniform, and Tuesday night, he etched his name into Michigan lore with a 20-point virtuoso turn in a 60-59 home win over rival Michigan State. Also, he's the coolest customer on the court at any given time, and he's only a freshman.
January 18th, 2012 at 2:11 PM ^
Ok... I like that he's getting some publicity.... But... Um, did you see Thomas Robinson or Perry Jones III's dunk the other night?
January 18th, 2012 at 2:57 PM ^
Robinson is the real deal for Kansas, but Jones seems like an athletic marvel who doesn't have the mental side of the game down that well. He'll be a high draft pick because of his potential, but Burke has been at least as impressive playing against top competition and running this team.
January 18th, 2012 at 2:13 PM ^
Welll.....duh
January 18th, 2012 at 2:17 PM ^
He has all the tools. I was particularly impressed by his defense.
January 18th, 2012 at 5:57 PM ^
Honest question here, Sparty. I was looking through Spartan Tailgate (just to see the wreckage...); why is it assumed by everyone over there that MSU is going to dismantle Michigan at Breslin? Michigan was playing their 5th game in 13 days last night and DID NOT play as well as they could have (not saying that MSU did, but regardless). Any real explanation / reasoning or just frustration?
January 18th, 2012 at 6:56 PM ^
Mostly frustration (I try to avoid that place after losses). But, I don't think it seems too far fetched IMHO. Thinking a home team will win in the B1G this year is not too outrageous of a claim. We both played a hell of a game at your place, where it took a fast break with 40 seconds to go to decide the game. Many of our contributors are either freshmen or new to this rivalry (Trice, Kearney, Wood, Dawson). When you guys went up 11, I did not think we'd be able to pull back into it, but they kept cool under pressure, and played a big role in getting us back.
Is it too far fetched to assume a W at Breslin? I wouldn't think so. I'm expecting MSU to take care of business at home. Dismantle? Probably not. It will be a close game. Both teams are very talented and well coached....that hasn't happened in a while. With Amaker, you had talent, but something was off in the coaching.
January 18th, 2012 at 10:13 PM ^
It was the mock turtle necks. That's what was off with the coaching in the Amaker era.
Rule 1) Never get involved in a land war in Asia.
Rule 2) Never trust a man wearing a mock turtle neck.
January 19th, 2012 at 12:49 AM ^
MSU has a great chance at winning that game at home. But really what about that game would lead anyone to believe that UM will get dismantled? I appreciate your level headness but any Sparty claiming that is slightly delusional.
January 18th, 2012 at 2:19 PM ^
he stays in Ann Arbor for a few years
January 18th, 2012 at 2:25 PM ^
I love his three point shot the most, and that he knows when to take it. We have other shooters who are streaky and often times do not use good judgement when pulling the trigger. Burke is the only guy who I feel confident in his shot when he lets the ball go.
January 18th, 2012 at 2:44 PM ^
but we don't miss him at all on this team. Burke can dribble drive as good as Morris, he is faster, has a better outside shot, and from my personal observations, is more coachable. The only thing that is really different between the two is Morris could post up smaller guards. Burke however is the better guard.
January 18th, 2012 at 3:33 PM ^
I think Morris made everyone around him better though, especially Jordan Morgan. Morris created points with him driving the lane and finding someone open. I think Morris ultimately was involved with more points being scored if you figure in his assist totals and point totals. But I think Burke is much better in the fact that he is a freshman, and I think his assist totals are hurting because THJ is in a shooting funk right now.
January 18th, 2012 at 3:40 PM ^
I think d-mo and Morris woulda been solid together.
January 18th, 2012 at 4:08 PM ^
January 18th, 2012 at 9:21 PM ^
to take away from one player when you're praising another. Burke is tremendous--I think he CAN be better, long run, for the team than Morris. But Morris was so freaking creative, and a lot of Hardaway's struggles derive from the fact that Burke cannot yet get him the ball the way Darius could. . .
January 18th, 2012 at 2:33 PM ^
I notice that when he drives to pull in defenders that he's too out of control and often is stuck in the air, under the rim, with all passing lanes cutoff. If he can watch some Steve Nash film to get his technique down then he'll be the best PG in the B1G for a couple years.
January 18th, 2012 at 2:36 PM ^
The video of jason williams tearing up Maryland is also incredible. Watch it if you have a spare 7 minutes:
January 18th, 2012 at 9:22 PM ^
of college hoop; loved him despite his Dookiness. A very flattering comparison for Trey. . . I definitely see the likeness and the promise.
January 18th, 2012 at 2:40 PM ^
Denard 2012, Trey 2012-13?
Let the debate begin...
January 18th, 2012 at 3:22 PM ^
The developmental timeline is different for basketball than it is for a QB. Trey is already close to his ceiling (which is very high). He'll get incrementally better, but I doubt we see him dropping 25 and 10 assists every night down the road.
Denard just had to learn a brand new offense (one the OC says takes 18 months to get down) with an offensive coordinator who was also in many ways learning a new offense. With a season's full of tape for Borges to tinker with and a ton of starters returning around him, watching Denard will be like staring into the Ark of the Covenant.
January 18th, 2012 at 3:51 PM ^
Yes! Can't wait!
January 18th, 2012 at 2:45 PM ^
hm, suddenly i like grantland again.
January 18th, 2012 at 3:09 PM ^
I find it hard to dislike Grantland when Chris Brown posts on there once a week.
January 18th, 2012 at 3:03 PM ^
...is a complete freak of nature and IMO has gotta be gaining steam for the #1 overall pick in the draft. If the Pistons could grab a guy like that, they'd be relevant again overnight. Kid just set the school's single-season blocks record last night (January 17!)... 27 pts, 14 reb, 7 blks vs. Arkansas. And he was a point guard up until a few years ago, so his footwork and athleticism for a kid with that size are unreal. /mancrush
January 18th, 2012 at 4:32 PM ^
IMO Anthony Davis reminds me of a young Kevin Garnett. He would definitely look great in a Pistons uniform.
January 18th, 2012 at 5:05 PM ^
Nobody looks great sporting a unibrow
January 18th, 2012 at 3:04 PM ^
Trey Burke vs Darius Morris
Obviously Trey's freshmen year so far is exceeding Morris' but what about Darius' sophmore year? Is it safe to say Trey as a freshmen has looked as good if not better than Darius last year?
Damn close so far...
January 18th, 2012 at 3:42 PM ^
They are very different, which isn't anything you didn't know already. Where I believe Burke needs to improve is in not just driving to the lane himself, or hitting 3 point shots, but in creating assists and shots for others. When other teams double team Burke, and he is able to immediately pass to the open man for an easy shot, he will be completely better than Morris. However, Burke isn't quite there yet. Morris last year created tons of open looks for Morgan and Hardaway. When Burke does that, Michigan should be virtually unstoppable. If he is able to figure out how to do that this year, we will knock off several more teams than is currently projected.
January 18th, 2012 at 3:11 PM ^
January 18th, 2012 at 3:15 PM ^
I'm just drooling about him on the floor with the additional of Mitch McGary, GRIII and Stauskas...
January 18th, 2012 at 3:15 PM ^
January 18th, 2012 at 3:35 PM ^
The highlight video in the article is TREMENDOUS
January 18th, 2012 at 3:54 PM ^
Dude, that may be one of the best highlight video's ever! Why isn't this on the MGoBlog front page?????
January 18th, 2012 at 4:07 PM ^
Best part of the article for me!
January 18th, 2012 at 3:51 PM ^
The coaches ability to find guys like Burke and get them on the squad will be a big reason why Michigan is becoming such a powerhouse. That guy could start on ANY team in the country. He is a UNC/Duke caliber player.
January 18th, 2012 at 4:19 PM ^
He is great, of course, but at his size, wouldn't he have to be AI for it to be sensible for him to leave after one year?
January 18th, 2012 at 4:51 PM ^
How many synonyms for "exciting" did the writer use? Putting the over/under at 8 without clicking on the link.
January 18th, 2012 at 5:34 PM ^
January 18th, 2012 at 5:50 PM ^
Burke, Vogrich,Stauskas,Hardaway,Glen Robinson III, Mcgary, Morgan, Smotrycz is one hell of a 8 man rotation.
Not to mention Horford and Brundidge will probably improve a great deal over the off-season to round it out to 10 good players.
January 18th, 2012 at 6:25 PM ^
Don't do it . . . if he stays a little longer -- it could be really exciting around here!
January 18th, 2012 at 11:28 PM ^