MBB: 2014 Detroit Pershing PF Justin Tillman (reportedly) offered
Per a Detroit News article, Michigan has offered 2014 Justin Tillman, a 6'7" (per Rivals) PF out of Detroit Pershing (may be a bit taller now per the article). Rivals doesn't list any offers, only interest from Xavier. 247 lists offers from Oakland, Indiana St, BGSU, and Detroit, and interest from a handful of other, higher ranked schools.
Not sure I believe that this is a committable offer, but it'll be interesting to see how this plays out. I assume he's visited, a Beilein pre-requisite to an offer, since he's from Detroit but I'm not sure I believe they're ready to move on from Vince Edwards and/or Trevon Bluiett yet.
No offense to Mr. Tillman, or John Beilein's scouting ability...but I was hoping for some real high recruits after the run we made this year. If this is a commitable offer, it seems Beilein is comfortable taking players in his mold and continuing to develop them rather than going for the 5 stars. I hope this doesn't mean we are giving up on Blueitt, Booker, etc.
Assuming that, like me, you aren't a scout, it's easiest (and probably most fun) when our program goes after guys universally rated highly by scouting services and/or have offers from programs we consider "big time." But it is so evident that Beilein knows what he's doing -- from Stu, to Zack, to Darius (highly rated recruit, but essentially came down to Wash St. and us), to THJ, to Trey, to GRIII before he blew up on the rating services, etc.... I mean, really, with Beilein, this is just sit back and let the man do his work, time for me.
Agreed, though many times highly ranked recruits are just that...highly skilled. Beilein has made a career at finding and developing talent. It just seems like this would be the perfect year to land TOP talent and not have to worry about developing as much. Look at the offer list of some of these other kids (by most accounts are are in contention for many of them):
http://www.umhoops.com/recruiting/2014-recruits-2/
Tilman looks like LeVert to me. A long, super skinny kid who needs to get into the S&C program before he can compete in the Big Ten.
I have followed Beilein's career closely since he came to UofM. I knew Darius Morris and Trey Burke would be special from their high school videos. I was amazed when we landed Mitch McGary when he was highly ranked. Others like GR3 and Stauskas flew under the radar a bit.
This just feels like "settling" to me. Maybe we aren't really in contention for Looney, Booker, Blueitt, Edwards, etc like I thought we were.
There is nothing about Tillman or his game that reminds me of LeVert. Two entirely different players and I say this as a compliment to both.
Look at someone like Lavert who will be a 4 year player and who is going to be someone is going to be a contributor. We're going to continue to want guys like that and then mix in the McGary types.
And also John Beilen has a pretty freak track record when it comes to identifying under the radar guys.
But you never want to recruit "Developmental guys" unless you don't have anyone else to fill the scholarahip. If you can get give top shelf guys, go get five top shelf guys and win some championships now. Worry about later later.
Booker is a SG so I don't think this changes his recruitment.
Well he is a 4-star to ESPN.
But Trey Burke was only a 3 star.
Oh darn.
recruiting (due to the NCAA run this year) will be the 2015, 2016 classes. I'd guess a lot of kids in 2014 already have their preferences of programs one way or the other. Still, I like what I see with Tillman. He looks like someone who the coaches could develop into a very good Big Ten player. Besides, I think it's good to have a balance between signing good solid players who develop over time (and stay for 4 years) AND highly rated guys who can play right away.
The 2014 class is going to have 4-5 guys and currently only has one if you don't count Hatch. This has nothing to do with Blueitt and Booker (nor Looney and Edwards for that matter).
Hard to tell from a couple videos, but the kid definitely has talent. I like that he looked very comfortable catching the ball close to the basket, and he knew what to do with it. Kid is a scorer and all teams need scorers. I bet he is tough in a game of 21.
Thinking back to the end of the regular season, it seemed M missed an exorbitant amount of layups and put backs, this is the type of kid who makes those shots because he is comfortable around the basket and knows how to convert close up attempts.
I keep waiting for that school to change its name to "Detroit Willie Mitchell."
Willie Mitchell would be far down the list of best players to come out of Pershing, going back to the days of Spencer Haywood and Ralph Simpson on to the present.
It would be nice to get a recruit out of the PSL in general and Pershing in particular. Sparty has done nicely at Pershing, with the likes of Steve Smith, and more recently Derrick Nix and Keith Appling. Break the Izzo pipeline yall.
See, for years I would always complain to my buddies that none of the great prospects out of Detroit Pershing would ever sign with Michigan, and inevitably somebody would say, "but we got Willie Mitchell!" So now I have this name association thing going on between Detroit Pershing and Willie Mitchell.
amazing frame for a Jr. in high school. He looks like with some work he could have an NBA body easily.
Same school as Deshawn.
Athletic, long, nice touch, finishes, uses the backboard nicely and looks like a legit 6'9"
We are going to need a lot of guys after next season, I would love to get Tillman, we need guys like this.
he's always on the search for the hidden gem. Kinda of reminds me of Bill Frieder...puts in his work on the recuriting trail. Yes,Coach B,please interrupt the Doughboy to sparty pipeline.
That John Beilein and Bill Frieder will ever be said to be alike.
Imo,do I see the similarity. Yes,that where it stops.
According to Tillman's AAU coach, Tillman has interest but no offer yet from UM. This is from a @UMHoops RT of a tweet from the coach @MichaelAllie
Here is a list of Pershing players who have been in the running for Michigan Mr. Basketball thru the years. The list includes 3 winners of the prestigious Mr. Basketball award:
Willie Mitchell
Derrick Nix
Keith Appling
Edit: pretty sure Winfred Walton was Mr. Basketball as wellname | college | hs senior |
Steve Smith | MSU | 87 |
Lorenzo Orr | USC | 90 |
Carlos Williams | UAB | 93 |
Todd Burgan | Syracuse | 93 |
WILLIE MITCHELL | Michigan | 94 |
WINFRED WALTON | Fresno State | 96 |
Arthur Johnson | Missouri | 00 |
DeShawn Sims | Michigan | 06 |
DERRICK NIX | MSU | 09 |
KEITH APPLING | MSU | 10 |
winning Mr. Basketball was one of the biggest jokes in my lifetime. 300 lbs, could barely move up and down the floor. Sat under the basket waited for rebounds and was just 2x's bigger than anyone guarding him. He did nothing outside of 3 feet.
this article is not accurate...Sam Webb has said so
Since Sam writes for the Detroit News too. (For the News, not Sam)
UM Hoops reporting we have interest in him; have not offered.
About halfway down the page (HERE) is their scouting summary from the Michigan Invitational on Justin Tillman from that event.
Here you can see what UMHoops saw, in slightly abridged form (as these are just highlights), of course:
Seeing wide open dunks is usually common in AAU highlights.
but he hs very quick elevation. I see a lot of times where he just beats his man to the rim. Same with his short jumpers... Very quick elevation. BTW, I am so used to seeing showboating, chest thumping, and jaw jacking. Anyone notice this guy does what he does like he expects it.
will get the ball rolling with the 2014 class.
ESPN has him as the number one player in the state of Michigan in 2014, so looks like other services are a little behind on this kid. His HS is a pipeline of talent, so that another plus of this offer. He doesnt have alot of video which could be part of problem why he isnt rated on scouts/rivals.