MBB: Visit reaction from T.J. Leaf
Steve Lorenz of 247 interviewed 6-9 forward T.J. Leaf following his unofficial visit to Michigan today. Leaf, ranked #21 in the country in the 2016 class per the 247 composite, came away from the visit saying that "Michigan would be definitely near or at the top after an offer, provided I get one"—and he "has been basically assured that he will get one" come June 15.
He touched on his potential role at Michigan:
"Michigan likes to run a point guard, a center and then three players who are versatile and can create," he said. "The coaches have brought up Glenn Robinson to me a couple times before as far as a comparison, but nothing too specific. They say I'm a perfect fit for the offense and I agree. I really like that about Michigan and I also really like the fact that Coach Beilein is under contract there until the 2019-2020 season. I don't have to worry about him not potentially being there if I was to play there."
That last point is an interesting one given that one of Michigan's chief competitors for Leaf is Indiana. How certain can Leaf be that Crean will be around by the time he gets to campus?
Leaf also talked about the amount of attention he's been getting from Michigan:
"I can't talk to the coaches because of NCAA rules, but my dad hears from Michigan quite a bit," Leaf noted. "I would say Coach Jordan and my dad talk about three or four times a week. That's probably more than any other school as far as contact goes. Michigan has been very aggressive in recruiting me."
Both this article and an Indy Star piece from yesterday indicate that Leaf doesn't have a timetable for making a decision, but he thinks he might decide in early 2015. The Indy Star article notes that Leaf has a lot of family in Indiana, and his dad grew up in Indianapolis a Hoosiers fan. Leaf says he feels he's a top priority for Indiana.
UCLA and Arizona are mentioned as the other schools that are recruiting him the hardest. He also picked up an offer from Iowa today.
This video has been posted before, but for those unfamiliar with Leaf:
It's a date set by the NCAA as the first day you can officially give offers. Most colleges don't care and give offers before then, but Beilein always waits until the date before he officially offers a prospect.
It doesn't have anything to do with NCAA rules. Beilein may be the only coach who waits, but recruits seem to appreciate the significance of getting an offer from him on June 15.
That policy is based on a recommendation that the National Association of Basketball Coaches put forth several years ago. Beilein uses that guideline so that he can see a prospect's academic progress through two full years of high school.
Note that it's June 15 following the prospect's sophomore year. So this year's June 15 offers will be for the 2016 class, not 2015.
JB was on the committee that made the recommendation so he feels obligated to follow it.
You do not need to visit more schools.
This is the scholarship you are looking for.
I only saw the hand move out of the corner of my eye the first few times; I thought I was going crazy.
You win this thread.
Good God, stay away from Tom Crean and IU. You do not want any part of that. That said, what's the chances he actually doesn't play center? It seems like Belein has one true center on the roster and a lot of stretch 4's. Someone's going to have to provide depth. Is UM targeting some more centers?
Looking at Sam Webb's recruiting primer, there's one 2016 prospect listed as a "target": 6-10 Jon Teske of Medina, Ohio. Here's a brief highlight reel:
Also, Austin Davis of Onsted.
Wilson, Donnal and Doyle is enough as is though but a 2016 big allows 1 of Donnal/Wilson to slide up.
Wilson is not a 5 in any way shape or form and you certainly know that. Too much focus on "height" rather than "build". Jalen Rose was 6'9 and if he was another inch would not be a center just as Wilson is not. He might be is 205-210 lbs soaking wet (but it looks like HS exaggeration stat counting) and has that Tayshaun Prince/Caris LeVert build... would be physically overmatched playing the 5 on defense if we are being serious.*
*and yes I know Zach Novak did it for a few minutes in 2011.
This kid Leaf also doesn't look like a 5 from his build or game. Remember what Bacari said - your position is determined by who you play on defense. And taken from the quotes in the OP - basically UM has a 1, a 5, and "wings", and they positioned Leaf among the wings.
I would prefer a 2015 5 because I think you are playing with fire with Doyle and Donnal as your "real" 5s (Max is sort of a stocky emergency 5). One injury to either of the D-men and you are screwed at that position. Best case you get that 5 in 2015 and redshirt him and he is ready to go as a RS FR in 2016 and provide depth and step into a major role in 2017. But it seems all our major targets at 5 have not been receptive so maybe that gets moved out to 2016. It is the one position I'd rather redshirt just about anyone who comes into the program who is not of Cliff Alexander, Okafur, McGary level.
I disagree. Wilson is up to 220 fyi. Wilson is a better shotblocker than Doyle/Donnal (Smote too) at the HS level and a good rebounder. 6'9'', 7'2'' wingspan, athletic, can run the floor, can pop, can strecth the D. Put up 29 points, 10 rebounds and four blocked shots against future top 5 pick and bigman Ivan Rabb. I will screenshot this and repost when Wilson is our starting center.
Both players follow closely in line with Michigan’s recruiting philosophy of placing the utmost value on versatility. In fact, Michigan assistant Bacari Alexander said he doesn’t ever want to limit a player by telling him exactly what position he is. Instead, the coach prefers to set players on what he calls a “migration plan,” indicating where they could be.
In the case of Wilson, that could be just about anywhere.
“Our development suggests that (Wilson will) be able to be all over the floor,” Alexander said at Tuesday’s press conference. “There will be times when he may be at the three spot, four spot, five spot. There will be times when he’ll grab rebounds and lead the break, like you’ve seen with Mitch McGary this year. We’re really excited about his skill set, because it’s his skill set that gives him an opportunity to do all those things I described.”
http://www.umhoops.com/2014/04/16/early-departures-lead-condensed-recru…
Also John Henson, Brandan Wright, Ibaka, Udoh, Anthony Davis, etx proves length and athleticism > mass
Further, the staff wants a shotblocker at the 5 and Wilson was a known shotblocker. Wilson is as tall as Donnal and as long as Doyle. Heck, his 7'2'' wingspan is solid for NBA centers. He is more athletic than Doyle and his ball skills are ahead of Donnal. He is the best option at C in 2015-2016 imo.
"his ball skills are ahead of Donnal."
Really? Based on...? I haven't seen Donnal on a court in 12 months except for some garbage time last October or whenever it was.
I know you keep repeating the Rabb game which was exceptional but DJ averaged 13.9 pts as a senior. Let's just keep him in perspective. I agree he is a very good shot blocker and if he is a center one day more power to him - I just want whatever is best for the team and personally I'd love to see Donnal go out to the 4 as a junior along with a true center as our rebounding would be a lot better. If that 5 is Doyle or Wilson I could care less but I just don't see a center build in Wilson. He has athleticism but there are a lot of athletic guys who are 210 lbs who don't play center. Julius Randle is 6'10, 250 lbs and didn't play center, he played 4 for Kentucky and he has a lot more of a college 5 "look" to his body. McGary, Horford, and Morgan are/were all 250 lbs. Even Max is 240ish... Doyle 255, Donnal 235 etc.
Again, I am curious how accurate his weight is - from the photos he looks like a stick figure at this point aka Caris LeVert as a freshman but just spread over an extra 3-4 inches of height. Maybe his pictures are deceiving but in that one photo next to Kam, Kam looked built and Wilson looked like Tayshaun Prince. Maybe you are thinking of Wilson as a poor man's skinnier Marcus Camby type and maybe he will be that in 2 years but at this point I don't see it.
I'm in the camp that says a 2015 center isn't an absolute necessity, but as you say there don't seem to be any legitimate prospects anyway. I like Sam's recruiting primer, but I do wish he'd drop some of the 2015 prospects he lists under "top targets." Diamond Stone, for example, most recently talked about definitely being a package deal with Malik Newman, so you can cross him off the list.
Report: 5-Star Recruits Diamond Stone And Malik Newman Are A ‘Package Deal’ http://t.co/VDDD51EIJ8
— College Spun (@CollegeSpun) May 17, 2014
Yes I think circumstances are pushing a 5 target out to 2016. On ESPN Diamond and Zimmerman are ranked 4-5, hadn't realized until I really looked closer at the 2015s - so those are some mighty serious fish Beilein was going for early. Doesn't seem like the big men class of 2015 is so awe inspiring as the 2014 overall. With those 2 guys off the table I am not sure there is another 2015 5 in Beilein's radar.
And listed at 6'9" 220 as a freshman. Wilson could pack on 20-30 more pounds in two years. Needs more of this, apparently:
I get picking Indiana on tradition rather than recent results because hey...that's effectively what we are currently selling in our football program but Crean over Beilein in any form blows by mind.
University of Evansville before playing overseas for years. He returned to Evansville when he finished playing.
Ahmad, the 6-7 forward from Cleveland ranked #63 in the 2015 class, seems likely to eventually pick OSU, but this article that followed his visit to Maryland does mention that he still plans to visit Michigan (and MSU as well). He's visiting West Virginia tomorrow.
Slightly grittier though.
More Wes Welker-y.
A bit of an update on Eron Harris from the Indy Star. Basically, a Michigan visit is still planned but not yet set up:
Harris, who averaged 17.2 points as a sophomore at West Virginia, said he's planning to get to Michigan "sometime in the next two weeks or month."
"We're still working on it," he said. "Nothing's really changed, but I'm communication with the coaches. We just have to figure out a date that works."
Wrapping up a quixotic recruitment:
Sviatoslav Mykhailiuk has decided to attend Kansas, according to his club in the Ukraine. Mykhailius is only 16 and will be at KU two years.
— Jonathan Givony (@DraftExpress) May 21, 2014
Virginia just gave their last scholarship to a transfer from Tennessee, so it was Kansas or Europe for Mykhailiuk.
Also: new article on Brevin Pritzl says "he has no immediate plans to commit to a college."