Mens Hoops Recruiting: 2012 G Amadeo Della Valle

Submitted by ypsituckyboy on

Dylan at UMHoops has an interview with 2012 G Amedeo Della Valle. 6'5", 180 lb Manu Ginobli looking dude. Three things I really like from the embedded clip: (1) he's not trigger happy and prefers to drive rather than take a contested jumper; (2) he stays low when he's driving the lane, something most high school players don't do because they can get away with it but something that will burn them in college when the D is tougher; (3) very smart player with fantastic awareness of where his teammates are on the court.

Please do not speculate as to who may leave to create an open roster spot for the 2012 class ::wink wink::

I assume original post embedding is still broken, but here's the embed link.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4DUMIcjlfkU&feature=player_embedded#!

Blue boy johnson

February 17th, 2012 at 9:31 AM ^

Kid is a right handed Dave Baxter. M guard from the mid seventies with a sweet fro'

What does his recruitment mean? could this be proactive move by Beilein incase Burke goes pro?

Photobucket

FoundersFella

February 17th, 2012 at 9:30 AM ^

Judging by the other video I watched it looks like his friend and team mate Brandon Ashley is pushing for him to go to Arizona. I don't know how many other schools have contacted him since that video he did an interview for but if we can make a decent run in the tournment this year we should get a big boost for this kid. 

Blue boy johnson

February 17th, 2012 at 9:42 AM ^

Saw your post at UMHOOPS. Who are they speculating might transfer? Christian or Brundidge? I guess it is possible, but I see no inclination at this point. I guess Christian would make the most sense. I definitely don't see Vogrich going anywhere for his senior season.

ypsituckyboy

February 17th, 2012 at 9:53 AM ^

I'd say Christian. He's good enough to see significant minutes at a MAC-level school, but won't realistically get meaningful minutes during his time at UM.

Highly unlikely - Burke (not big enough to go pro before proving himself more); THJ (awful year offensively and, to put it simply, would be making a bad choice if went pro now); Smot (plenty of PT, developing decently, and seems content); Morgan (from MI and has grown exponentially under Beilein/Bacari); Vogrich (will be a senior so no point in leaving now)

Unlikely - McLimans (again, almost a 4th year player, and no real upside to transferring); Bielfeldt (seems to be developing well and all reports are positive from practice)

That leaves Brundidge and Christian. Brundidge is from around here, and it's quite likely that he'll see a ton more minutes next year. Christian is the wild card.

Blue boy johnson

February 17th, 2012 at 10:00 AM ^

Hard to say not being at practice, but I would think Brundidge would be in line for significant minutes next season. As Beilein has stated, Brundidge is behind two good, very experienced senior guards, Minutes are tough to come by.

I really don't expect much to come out of the recruitment of Della Valle, but stranger things have happened here recently. See Darius Morris and Coperryale Harris

Mr Miggle

February 17th, 2012 at 1:16 PM ^

Not only would he have to sit out next season, but it would cost him a year of eligibility. I think he knows he would be getting a lot of time this season if he stayed healthy, so baling because of one recruit coming in doesn't seem too logical. Doesn't Donnal project to PF? 

If he comes back this season and burns his redshirt, then a transfer looks more likely.

True Blue Grit

February 17th, 2012 at 9:46 AM ^

I can't imagine why we'd be recruiting this kid unless there was someone possibly leaving.  For now, I'm going to drink heavily and not try to worry - not necessarily in that order. 

Blue boy johnson

February 17th, 2012 at 10:58 AM ^

With a highly regarded point guard coming in 2013 (Derrick Walton), a super freshman point guard on the roster now (Trey Burke), and no other point guards to be found anywhere on the roster, the only impetus Belien has to bring in a point guard in 2012 is the real possibilty of Burke leaving after 1 year or 2.

ypsituckyboy

February 17th, 2012 at 9:56 AM ^

If you're hinting at a McGary defection, I think you're wrong. We'd be going after a big if we sensed McGary was going to go pro. Plus, that scenario seems less likely given his recent stock drop.

GRIII and Stauskus seem in the bag at this point, and I'd be astonished if either weren't in the 2012 class.

JCV16

February 17th, 2012 at 10:22 AM ^

we need one guy to transfer, McLimans not to get a 5th year (which seems likely), AND hatch to reclassify as 2014 to even have room for our entire 2013 class as it is.  Adding another 2012 players seems insane/irresponsible.

 

 

93Grad

February 17th, 2012 at 10:33 AM ^

It is VERY likely that McLimans will not get a 5th year AND that Hatch will reclassify or get medicaled.  It is also pretty likely that Burke and/or THJr will leave for the NBA before the 2013/14 season.  So just one transfer or lost recruit in the next year leaves an open hole. 

Not saying I want or expect that to happen, but I think this team badly needs another true PG prior to Walton and I don't think Brundige is it.  So I would be happy to add a PG with size like Della Valle.

UMICH1606

February 17th, 2012 at 10:43 AM ^

There is an interview with Beilein somwhere on the internet that states that McLimans is a 4 year player. He played in an exhibition game in his freshman year so he was never a regular redshirt. He also never applied for any medical redshirt that year, like Horford plans on doing this year. So according to Beilein, McLimans is a 4 year player anyway.

As far as a player looking to transfer, there has been some rumor mongoring about Carlton Brundidge looking to go to the University of Detroit-Mercy.

JCV16

February 17th, 2012 at 10:45 AM ^

Brundinge will be one of only two lead guards next year (the other being Burke) so he's in for a major minutes jump next year.  He will be on the court at all when Burke is not next year, plus probably 10-15 minutes at the 2.  If he transfers, it won't be because of playing time.

umumum

February 17th, 2012 at 12:38 PM ^

Not sure what you've seen to make you believe Brundige would get that kind of time.  He's done nothing on the court thusfar--which isn't really his fault  as he certainly hasn't had much of an opportunity.  But not getting more of an opportunity may be his fault--or at least some idea of Beilein's perception of him. 

He's a 6'1"  two-guard without a jumper, who used his strength in high school to get to the basket--something he simply might not be able to do at this level.  Hardaway, Vogrich and Staukas will likely eat up all of the minutes at the two-guard. 

Further, he went from a top 25 sophomore to a top 50 junior to a top 100 (barely) senior.  Not a desirable arc.

I saw him play in high school a few times.  Nice high school player--questionable Big Ten player.  Detroit Mercy might  be a better fit. 

93Grad

February 17th, 2012 at 1:11 PM ^

of course Brundidge could prove us all wrong, but I agree that he looks like a 6'0" sg without a great outside shot.  This team badly needs a backup pg that can spell Burke and bridge the gap until Walton is ready. 

SteveInPhilly

February 17th, 2012 at 1:32 PM ^

1) I am pretty sure that nearly all of CB's minutes this year have come spelling Burke at the point, so I would call him a PG, or maaaaybe a combo guard.  That's how beilein is using him at least.

2) Possibly as of right now, and definitely after Stu and Novak leave, CB will be the 2nd best ball handler on the team.  After him...Stauskas?  Dylan made the point that I've been thinking about for a while now: next year's team is very short on ball handlers and guards in general.  Look at the roster distribution:

5: Morgan, McGary, McLimans, Horford
4: Smot, Christian, Biefeldt (who might be a 5)
3: THJr, Vogrich, GRIII
2: Stauskas (might be a 3 really)
1: Burke, CB
 
If any of these players are not on next year's roster, even if it's a big, I would want them replaced with a guard, who can handle the rock.
 

 

Raoul

February 17th, 2012 at 11:10 AM ^

During your freshman year, you can play in an exhibition game and still get a regular redshirt. So, McLimans did redshirt his freshman year.

McLimans may now be a four-year player, but he was listed on the roster last year as a "RS FR"--see this cached page. He's now listed on the roster as a JR, in contrast to Jordan Morgan who's listed as a RS SO.

So it seems as if McLimans "became" a four-year player between last season and this one.

Raoul

February 17th, 2012 at 11:29 AM ^

Right. And just to be clear--I'm not saying anything shady is going on. It wouldn't surprise me if Beilein and McLimans got together after last season to discuss his future, and they both agreed he would be a four-year player. I think Beilein has a good track record of graduating players who don't leave early, so I have to assume that McLimans is on pace to get his degree in four years.

UMICH1606

February 17th, 2012 at 1:48 PM ^

I know what you are getting at, and I was confused too, but Beilein did reference the exhibition game as the reasoning for a lack of redshirt. That is obscure enough that I wouldn't just pull something like that out of the air.

 JB doesn't seem like the type of person to misunderstand too many interpretations of any rules, so this may be a misunderstanding on his part, but I know I read some presser notes in regards to JB using the exhibition game as a reasoning that Blake is a 4 year player.

I will see if I can find a link to those presse notes.

Raoul

February 17th, 2012 at 2:27 PM ^

This is straight out of the NCAA Division I manual for 2011-12:

14.2.3.1.3 Preseason Exhibitions/Preseason Practice Scrimmages During Initial Year.  During a student-athlete’s initial year of enrollment at the certifying institution, he or she may compete in preseason exhibition contests and preseason practice scrimmages (as permitted in the particular sport per Bylaw 17) without counting such competition as a season of competition. (Revised: 5/9/06)

Also, Notre Dame had a recent case where a player, Tim Abromaitis, had to sit out four games after his coach mistakenly thought he could play in an exhibition during his sophomore year and still get a redshirt. An article on this makes it clear that the rule doesn't apply to freshman:

The NCAA allows freshmen to play exhibition games and then spend the rest of the year as a redshirt—but not sophomores, juniors or seniors. The Notre Dame coaches misunderstood the rule and didn’t learn of their mistake until well into Abromaitis’ redshirt season.

But the NCAA issued a waiver that will allow him to play his senior season in 2011-12, so long as he sits out the Irish’s first four games: against Mississippi Valley State, Detroit, Sam Houston State and Delaware State.

DayTayBoom

February 17th, 2012 at 10:53 AM ^

The coaches are just checking this kid out.  He is relatively new to the recruiting scene in the U.S.  They have to keep options open just in case something was to open.  Why anyone is looking at the roster and wondering where this kid's spot will come from, when he has not even been offered a scholarship is more confusing to me than the coaches actually doing their jobs.