MBB Recruiting: 2015 3* C Levi Cook
Per Chris Balas of TheWolverine.com on Twitter, Michigan may be close to making a very surpirsing offer to 2015 3* center Levi Cook, a 6'10" 300 pounder out of Huntington Prep. Apparently Michigan has asked for his transcripts and he thinks an offer is on its way assuming his grades look good.
He is a very big boy, but he has great feet and soft hands. Taking a peek at his highlight video, he can get off the floor pretty well for a guy his size, too. With his quick feet and wide frame, I think he'd be a good feature in the high pick and roll game.
I think some fans may wonder why (assuming an offer comes through) Beilein would offer a 2015 center with Donnal and Doyle both with 3 years left after this year? I think there are three possibilities: (1) Beilein is viewing Donnal as a 4 year guy regardless of redshirt, (2) Beilein would like to play Donnal more at the 4 in the future, or (3) there is a transfer coming from one of the bigs (Donnal/Doyle/Wilson).
And just in case anyone was wondering - Oliver Miller (6'9", 315 pounds), who played for the Pistons in the mid-90's, was playing professional basketball up until 2010!!
January 27th, 2015 at 8:44 AM ^
Cook's current offers include West Virginia, Marshall, Pitt, and Va Tech.
January 27th, 2015 at 8:44 AM ^
I wonder if he wears khakis or....Levis....
I'll show myself out.
January 27th, 2015 at 8:50 AM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 8:55 AM ^
in 2016 with Jon Teske(sp?)
January 27th, 2015 at 8:56 AM ^
This would be interesting also because we have Jon Teske comitted in the 2016 class. Maybe Beilein wants to develop an inside threat along with the barrage of threes from the outside. Kind of like Arizona.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:00 AM ^
That is a lot of 5's to have on the roster at once. You'd have a Jr Doyle, Jr Donnal, Soph Wilson (although Wilson may play more at the 4), Soph Cook, and Fr Teske.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:07 AM ^
I don't think Wilson will be a 5. I think he played out of necessity earlier this season, but he's an ideal 4 who is athletic enough to play some 3. Donnal can play the 5, and I'm proud of the way he's responded physically already this year, but I think he's an idea 5. Jr. Doyle, So. Cook, and Jr. Donnal as a center depth chart would give Jon Teske a very clear destiny of redshirting.
Personally I think Beilein see's Wisconsin and wants to build a surplus of big men so he can create an almost guaranteed redshirt year for his big men. He's not exactly chasing McGarys, Plumlees, Stones, or Okafors. If that's the plan, I like it. Give everybody who we see as a center that college "prep" year.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:31 AM ^
That would be nice to have that sort of size and skill.
Doyle is the only true Center Michigan has.
Michigan went from McGary/Horford and bring Doyle along nice and slow this year to starting him and hoping he can go 25 to 30 minutes.
Donnal hasn't shown that he should get that many minutes most of the time this year.
Not sure if it would have made a lot of difference but DJ I think would have easily taken Chatman's spot much earlier than Dawkins did.
Love that Michigan is going after another Center.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:43 AM ^
Doyle is a 4 Donnal is a 4 Wilson is a 4/3. We do not have a 5 on the current roster.
January 27th, 2015 at 10:39 AM ^
What about Ricky Doyle's game gives you the impression that he is better suited to play PF? Especially for a John Beilein team?
January 27th, 2015 at 10:22 AM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 10:30 AM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 12:49 PM ^
Except Zona can't shoot the three very well. Even my Zona friends acknowledge they don't shoot 3 pointers very well. The only way they beat a Kentucky or potentially a Duke is more 3 point shooting.
January 27th, 2015 at 8:59 AM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 8:59 AM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 3:01 PM ^
But do you think Donnal would be too slow to defend fours? That's my worry.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:00 AM ^
Calm down, John Beilein doesn't get rolling on signing recruits until after the season is over. Then he will sign some unknown players who will turn into solid contributors.
January 27th, 2015 at 11:50 AM ^
That's Plan B or C. It worked out great with Trey, Spike, and Caris but it's not a sustainable strategy.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:00 AM ^
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January 27th, 2015 at 11:44 AM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 9:00 AM ^
300 lbs? wow.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:04 AM ^
With the exception of Doyle, Michigan's roster doesn't have anyone that can handle teams that have tall, beefy centers. Doyle and Wilson are too skinny. And from what I've see, the same is true for Teske. They're tall but they don't have bulk. Another big body is needed for defensive purposes.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:14 AM ^
This would hopefully ensure Wilson never has to play 5, and Donnal would only get sparing minutes there with most of them coming at the 4. It would certainly help the defense and on offense the key would be getting consistent shooting from them, which is certainly plausible. It also moves Dawkins/Irvin to 3 exclusively, another big plus.
That being said, Coach B said we'd see this sort of two-big lineup when we had Morgan/McGary/Horford but that never materialzed. Still think it'd be much more likely in this case as Donnal and especially Wilson are so much more suited for the 4, even in Beilein's system.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:22 AM ^
I like it. It's obvious after watching us play some of the bigger teams this year, we need some beef down low to bang with them. Or maybe Beilien is taking what SVG said literally, but putting a 300 lbs wall infront of the basket!
Also, at 300 lbs, I'm sure it will take a year or two to get his body into shape for major playing time. If he doesn't RS his 1st year, I'd bet he'd be only be able to play a few minutes at a time before getting gassed. Like that huge dude who was on UCLA a few years ago.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:28 AM ^
This offer has to mean a transfer is coming, right? Add this kid and then you are done with the '15 class and only have 1 spot remaining in the '16 class. And the '16 class (which already has Teske) needs to find the replacements for Walton and Irvin.
Next Year's Lineup:
Walton/Spike/MAAR
Levert
Irvin/Dawkins/Hatch
Robinson/Chatman/Donnal/Wilson
Doyle/Potentially Cook
The following season:
Walton (senior)/MAAR
Dawkins/ONE OPEN SPOT for a 2/3
Irvin (senior)/Hatch
Robinson/Chatman/Donnal/Wilson
Doyle/Cook/Teske
We'd go from a guard heavy team to a having hardly any guards/wings in a hurry.
January 27th, 2015 at 9:30 AM ^
for next years roster..... man I hope you are right!
January 27th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 9:29 AM ^
We need some big bodies down low to match with some of the Wisconsins and the States of the conference.
January 27th, 2015 at 10:33 AM ^
We managed to win the most games in the big ten over the last 3 years with basically just jordan morgan (Mcgary was always injured and Horford never developed) because the college game is a guard dominated league. Using four scholarships on non elite big men is forcing your gaurds to go over 35 minutes a game because there is no way to have the depth behind them.
January 27th, 2015 at 10:31 AM ^
I'm not sure I like this move. I think Beilein is over reacting to not seeing donnal progress as much as he thought he would. This missing key to this team isn't an athletically mediocre center with good hands it is missing slashers who can get to the rim and finish and a defensive presence who can alter shots and vacuum in rebounds. If you can't get that guy in 2015 bank that scholarship like it seemed they would and move on.
I think this is a bad sign about how they feel about the centers on the roster (donnal) but also about how they feel with the elite 2016 recruits we are in for and that would be killer. 2016 can't be a bad recruiting year if we want to remain a top team.
January 27th, 2015 at 10:35 AM ^
Donnal is a 5. Doyle is a 5. Teske is coming in 2016.
I'd hate to miss out on a Thornton, Brown, Battle, or Langford because Michigan added a center of middling pedigree.
January 27th, 2015 at 10:48 AM ^
But to re start an old theme. Beilein is getting recruits like he is still at WVU.
I don't think we can count on any 5 stars anytime soon. Love to see Brown or Thornton, but with Brown pushing back his OV and Thornton falling in love with the criminal in Lexington it does not look good.
I don't blame Beilin at all. He is one of the top coaches in the country and probably the best in game coach, period. He goes after the top guys, but just can't reel them in.
It is really amazing, when you think of how he maximizes guys potential and gets them ready for the NBA. His offense may not be what they all want, but it sure as hell prepares them for the next level.
Not sure if it is admissions, demanding they actually go to class or he won't pay off the aau coaches. After the last 2 years it is shocking we are not getting top talent.
This guy looks promising, but nobody can argue he is not a project. McGary is his only 5 star and that took a ND night game to get him on the hook!!
I wonder if the NBA going to 20 as minimum age might help this. KY can't reload year after year because guys have to stay at least two years and actually go to class.
January 27th, 2015 at 11:14 AM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 11:54 AM ^
Recruiting is the head coach's responsibility.
Beilein IS a great coach and no one is arguing otherwise, but nobody is perfect and Beilein has struggled very badly with recruiting in '14 and '15 for reasons that remain unclear. Now there are some rumors bubbling that he relies too heavily on assistants for recruiting and he isn't engaging one-on-one as much as programs like Louisville, Kentucky, Kansas, UNC, etc.
January 27th, 2015 at 12:03 PM ^
I love Beilein; I think he's a great coach, and I'm grateful for what he's done for us...
You can defend the statement, "one of the top coaches in the country." But "best coach in the game," no. There's no way to make that case.
January 27th, 2015 at 12:18 PM ^
Beilein did as much with 3-star type talent as anyone in the country. When he got 4 and 5-star talent he went to the great 8 in consecutive years.
That said - to be the best coach in the country now he has to prove he can consistently recruit at the level needed to stay in the top 10. There are no excuses or rational reasons for Beilein to not be recruiting at a top 10 level.
If he keeps missing in recruiting he's out of the conversation, but there is time in 2016 to get back there.
January 27th, 2015 at 10:43 AM ^
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January 27th, 2015 at 10:47 AM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 11:57 AM ^
If Donnal is a 4 he would be the least athletic 4 Beilein has had while at Michigan. It would mean a significant change in style for Beilein. The closest comparable would be Smotrycz, who Donnal is not nearly as skilled as, and who Beilein used at the 5 spot as well.
I think the problem is Donnal, not Donnal's position.
January 27th, 2015 at 1:18 PM ^
January 27th, 2015 at 10:53 AM ^
Doyle is the only true 5 on the roster next year and we need another. This will enable Beilein to put Donnal at the 4 where he belongs and (God forbid) be able to play 2 big guys on the floor at the same time. Michigan desperately needs help rebounding and contesting the paint on defense.
January 27th, 2015 at 10:56 AM ^
JH was recruiting him at center.
January 27th, 2015 at 10:58 AM ^
Here's a short highlight clip.
January 27th, 2015 at 11:14 AM ^
Soft hands - doesn't look to have a lot of lift - a lot of mass kinda like Terry Mills - has a nice outside shot, but slow release - a little bit of a "pull back" shot in close instead of a follow thru one.
I like him and think he would add some nice size with or next to Doyle. Don't think this would impact getting Teske (as noted above).
January 27th, 2015 at 11:39 AM ^
He can barely dunk. And I'm sorry to the guy who said Beilein is the best coach in the country he doesn't teach defense well enough for that to be true. Pitino and Calipari are both sleezeballs but if you are talking straight coaching ability I'd have to put at least both of them above john. I'd rather have beilein as our coach because of the whole package but there is no need for hyperbole.
January 27th, 2015 at 11:12 AM ^
He looks pretty skilled for his size. I think if this kid gets through camp Sanderson he has the potential to be a beast.
January 27th, 2015 at 11:24 AM ^
With some college-level strength and conditioning he could do really well. He and Teske would be an interesting contrast.
January 27th, 2015 at 11:35 AM ^
Does this mean I wont get frustrating at the rebounding?