Jaylen Brown possibly down to Cal/Michigan

Submitted by WorldwideTJRob on
Paul Biancardi just said on ESPN Recruiting Nation that sources close to Jaylen Brown's family say his final decision will come down to Cal and Michigan. Just another good sign today that our Bball future is looking bright. All hail Lord Beilein!!!

PurpleStuff

April 21st, 2015 at 8:09 PM ^

Personally, my hope is that Robinson can defend the 4 well enough to start there.  Walton/Caris/Irvin/Robinson/Doyle would be an ideal first unit, IMO (shooters putting crazy pressure on opposing defenses), with Spike/Brown or Williams or MAAR/Dawkins/Wilson in the second with the best of Donnal/Wagner/Chatman as your second guy in at the 4.  That would also comply with Beilein's stated goal (a goal evidenced by recent recruiting moves as well) to get bigger/stronger as a team.

Obviously you would have a ton of flexibility and could adjust the lineup in many ways big or small (play Walton and Spike together, play Caris at the point, drop Brown to the 4 if he can defend/rebound at that spot) as match-ups dictate.

Regardless, next year is going to be a lot of fun to watch.

PurpleStuff

April 21st, 2015 at 8:37 PM ^

Caris is a consensus first round pick.  Irvin was rated very highly as well (top-25 IIRC) and just put up 14+ ppg in actual D-1 basketball and has been in the system for 2 years.  Brown does not start over those guys coming straight from high school, IMO.  And if he joins them it means Walton and Spike are on the bench (kind of awkward) or we are playing a 6'6" guy at PF again.  I don't think Beilein wants that.  He also values shooters, so I think elite ones like Dawkins (a guy who put up double digit points in 8 B1G games) and Robinson are going to have every opportunity to grab minutes (Irvin wins that comparison as well).

Can we stop acting like recruiting rankings are a direct reflection of a player's ability/value, especially after what we've seen on the gridiron the last few years?  I would love to have Brown in the mix, but a lot of his success on the offensive end comes from driving at opponents.  How often would he get to do that with Walton/Spike and Caris operating as very effective ball-handlers?  Or do you really think Caris came back to sit on the bench?  And how would a player like that impact the entire system Beilein is trying to run (and has run to great success here)?

ijohnb

April 22nd, 2015 at 9:26 AM ^

isn't taking a red shirt either, he was a starter last year, that would be nearly unprecedented.  If we are still tracking both Williams and Brown and Brown has us in his final two, somebody is transfering, maybe more than one person.

True Blue Grit

April 22nd, 2015 at 8:48 AM ^

going to start at Michigan."  That might be the biggest obstacle we have in getting him to come here.  Beilein doesn't promise things like that.  Other coaches will and do.  Also, I don't know that Cal has as crowded of a roster as we do.  Still, IMO, his talent would rise to the top if he came here and he would have a much better chance to get to the Final Four than if he went to Cal.  

NotADuck

April 21st, 2015 at 10:03 PM ^

The 2, 3, and 4 are basically the same position in Beilein's system.  The rebounding duties are spread out amongst the team.  That's why Derrick Walton averaged so many rebounds his freshman year.  The 4 in Beilein's system doesn't have to be big or powerful.  Jaylen brown can play any of the wing spots.

The word on Robinson is that he's mostly just a shooter right now.  The chances he starts are slim.  There are 4 gauranteed starters right now barring something interesting happening over the summer.

Walton, LeVert, Irvin, Doyle

Wagner is a bit raw and might require some seasoning before he gets major minutes  and Dawkins is a project on the defensive end of the floor.  Jaylen Brown is a top five recruit.  He has been projected to be a one-and-done player and a high draft pick before he has stepped on a college court.  The chances he doesn't start for ANY college team are remote.

The fact that this is a discussion in this thread (or at all) annoys me.  His playing time is not what this thread is about.

rambouhh

April 22nd, 2015 at 4:17 PM ^

People have mocked Jaylen Brown as the overall number 1 pick next year in the draft. That probably means, depending on he plays in practice, could start over caris next year. Also you could easily start both and displace someone else

Walkinman

April 21st, 2015 at 10:25 PM ^

Walton was standing in front of me at an AAU tournament this weekend sporting his Michigan garb. He sure isnt a big guy, 6'0".  He was watching his little brother and doing a little recruiting for 2016.  Walton should have a big impact coming back. Jaylen Brown would be an unbelievable addition. 

Lanknows

April 21st, 2015 at 8:04 PM ^

Lets how things play out before we go definite on anybody's RS.  The odds of Wagner red-shirting are very slim.  I think it's more likely that Chatman red-shirts than Wagner given his circumstances and soph redshirts are very rare. MAAR has little to gain from sitting the year out when he can help the team right now, even in a limited role.

Walton/Albrecht/

LeVert/MAAR/

Irvin/Robinson/Chatman/

Brown/Dawkins/Wagner/

Doyle/Wilson/Donnal

Michigan would go with a core rotation of 8 (with the primary backups being Spike, Dawkins and Wilson/Donnal) plus whoever wins the scrum between Robinson,Chatman, and Wagner for backup wing minutes.  But MAAR's going to have a role almost regardless as a late half defensive stopper as will Donnal (center depth) when foul trouble strikes or matchups warrant. PG and C are two spots where you need more than 2 guys, whereas the wings are somewhat interchangeable.

But we're getting ahead of ourselves...

BlueCheez

April 22nd, 2015 at 9:55 AM ^

Been mentioned elsewhere that Spike may redshift,if not fully healthy.I think this will happen and if Williams commits takes his minutes as backup to Walton.Donnal either redshirts or transfers.

Lanknows

April 22nd, 2015 at 12:13 PM ^

Given foul trouble, fatigue, etc. Michigan needs a third center. Especially considering we don't know how good Wilson is yet, and if he can handle the physicality of the position.

Williams would be a great addition, but the above assumes they add Brown. It's one or the other.  I really doubt Williams is coming unless Spike is red-shirting, and I don't think that decision has been made (nor is it likely IMO).

umumum

April 21st, 2015 at 10:42 PM ^

MAAR is already 1 1/2 years older than Chatman.--he's old for his grade. I don't see a red-shirt there.  And there is absolutely no chance that Wagner comes over from Europe to red-shirt.  He'd just stay there.  Further, red-shirting just limits the number of players we can add in the next few years--particularly with two big men already committed.

ST3

April 22nd, 2015 at 2:53 PM ^

Funny, I thought Duke beat Wisconsin who beat Kentucky, not the other way around.

Talent wins championships. LeBron didn't have much depth to help him in Miami, nor did MJ in Chicago. The only teams with depth that have won the NBA recently are the Spurs and Pistons. College games are 40 minutes long and have numerous timeouts to rest players. Health is more important than depth.

CHI_BLU

April 21st, 2015 at 11:20 PM ^

is that you look at Kentucky (who was loaded with C's) and no one had an issue with depth, yet when we get depth all everyone talks about is "where is the playing time going to come from?" Who CARES!! Get the talent in and let the coach sort out the rest. 

blueinIN

April 21st, 2015 at 6:52 PM ^

No way he is coming to Michigan.

 

Four months ago I also convinced myself that Harbaugh is not coming to Michigan because Oakland is still in play.

The smaller the expectation the lesser the disappointment I guess.

Erik_in_Dayton

April 21st, 2015 at 6:55 PM ^

...I'd be happiest losing out to Cal if Michigan isn't going to get him.  You couldn't say the young man was blowing smoke when he said he cared about academics.  And based on the few interviews I've seen him give, my guess is that he does.  My impression is that he's a thoughtful kid.