OT: Former Michigan target 2020 CG Nimari Burnett leaves Texas Tech
https://twitter.com/theathleticcbb/status/1347226713932132354?s=21
Former top 40 Michigan target out of Chicago who is pretty close with Juwan
January 7th, 2021 at 12:45 PM ^
Forgive me for my ignorance, but CG?
January 7th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Combo guard
January 7th, 2021 at 12:49 PM ^
Thanks. I was drawing a total blank on that one.
January 7th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Maybe combo guard? (Indy Pete is always faster)
January 7th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Edit: beat me to it.
January 7th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Combo guard? Maybe.
January 7th, 2021 at 12:48 PM ^
Combo Guard.
January 7th, 2021 at 12:48 PM ^
Consensus says: combo guard
January 7th, 2021 at 12:49 PM ^
On second thought...combo guard DEFINITELY!
January 7th, 2021 at 1:40 PM ^
Coast Guard. He's a shore-fire prospect.
January 7th, 2021 at 2:19 PM ^
I was thinking what an amazing talent to be able to play both center and guard.
January 7th, 2021 at 12:47 PM ^
Do not want. Because the chemistry on the current team is outstanding, and the incoming 'croot class couldn't be better. Who gets a firm handshake if Burnett is given PT here?
January 7th, 2021 at 12:50 PM ^
Don't we lose Mike Smith, Eli Brooks and C. Brown? Could fit well into that role off the bench if there is room.
January 7th, 2021 at 12:52 PM ^
Players do not lose a year of eligibility this year due to COVID, so we don't really know who we're going to lose.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:10 PM ^
Good point that I somehow totally forgot. Disregard my previous post and carry on!
January 7th, 2021 at 1:18 PM ^
You probably still want some of them to move on because playing time is limited and you’re currently bringing in 2 5 stars who are probably expecting some minutes. It’s going to be a delicate situation to figure out who stays and who gets extended to a 5th year
January 7th, 2021 at 1:25 PM ^
We may be losing our entire starting 5 plus Brown. Current team chemistry has very little to do with the team next year.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:39 PM ^
Oh no. Namari is one helluva player. If there is room for him you bring him in. He would be a perfect "PG" for Juwan's style of play. I was very disappointed when he did not chose Michigan. I fully trust Juwan to figure this one out...I believe a top "big" is likely a higher priority.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:56 PM ^
I have been pointedly proven wrong on my initial 'DNW' projection. And for that, I am grateful for the updated knowledge based on a unified community response!
But seriously, these are all great takes I hadn't considered - thanks!
January 7th, 2021 at 3:27 PM ^
Additionally, all indications were that he is a terrific "chemistry" player. He is an exceptional PG who can also attack and drain it from deep. He is a "make everyone better" player. He overthought his choice-should have gone with is heart and chosen Juwan...and Michigan.
January 7th, 2021 at 12:54 PM ^
Can he run the point? Zeb is looking more like a 2g at this stage
If I am a 5* pg I am thinking Michigan is going to be an unbelievable opportunity to step in and run a team with National Championship talent.
edit. Covid maybe Mike and Eli both come back?
January 7th, 2021 at 12:56 PM ^
Zeb looked much better last night when he was playing with the rest of the starters.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:05 PM ^
Zeb is looking more like a 2g at this stage
Did you watch the game last night? Zeb looked pretty nice at PG in the minutes he got with the starters. Very natural playmaker and has definitely improved since the start of the season
January 7th, 2021 at 1:42 PM ^
I did watch the game.
He seemed a bit indecisive and outside of the flow. He is athletic as hell and has a smooth stroke.
His minutes are limited and he is young. Much can change as players develop.
Teams don’t make Championship runs without stellar PG play.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:51 PM ^
I'm not saying we should or shouldn't bring in Burnett, but I'm not sure what you're seeing where you think he's more of a 2
January 7th, 2021 at 3:08 PM ^
Your pg is the man. He is your qb. If you look through the history of NCAA finals great pg play is almost always a constant before anything else.
Zeb seems more like a Rocket Watts than a Trey Burke or Jalen Rose. Those guys never turned the ball over, delivered it to the right guy, and scored when it was needed.
It’s way early and I’m not trying to dismiss Zeb. He is so athletic that if he can run point he is nightmare for teams.
I am seeing more of a scorer, shooter, than someone running the show. But he’s young.
January 7th, 2021 at 4:22 PM ^
Hmmm I guess we're just seeing him as a different player. I was really impressed with his playmaking last night in his limited minutes. Made good passes to open guys in the flow of the offense and definitely has upside in running the offense due to his quickness and vision. He's young and has room to grow. It shows a lot about his growth that he played some real minutes last night. I think putting him at the 2 would be a complete waste of his talents
January 7th, 2021 at 6:00 PM ^
I hope you have it right and I am way wrong. I would happily buy you a beer to celebrate that development.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:10 PM ^
Is this true? I thought the extra year of eligibility was only for football. Having our backcourt return next year would be something. I mean, they're not NBA candidates. So why wouldn't they return?
January 7th, 2021 at 1:31 PM ^
That doesn't mean they can't go play professional basketball and move on with their lives. I see no way that either of them come back for another year.
January 7th, 2021 at 4:40 PM ^
I don't know - it's possible one or both of them could look at the talent next year and want to be part of something special. But that might depend more on roster space ultimately.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:00 PM ^
When Coach Howard needed a five star to jump on and get the recruiting train rolling, Burnett turned his back on the long time family friend and went elsewhere. Had his chance. No thanks.
January 7th, 2021 at 2:46 PM ^
It is quite a statement on the way this team is playing and the croots coming in that I agree with this take.
He had his chance to get in and help this thing get rolling, but rejected it. Now he (may) want to jump on the bandwagon?!
Well, this ain't a bandwagon, this is a speeding locomotive!
January 7th, 2021 at 2:50 PM ^
Don't think there's any room for sour grapes when you're running a program. If he wants in and is a fit from a talent and chemistry standpoint, the fact that he initially spurned UM shouldn't matter.
January 7th, 2021 at 3:27 PM ^
He didn’t owe Juwan a thing.
This is RCMB quality
January 7th, 2021 at 1:04 PM ^
Not that he couldn't help, but I'd rather roll with who we have onboard currently (and signed on to join next year) instead of risking alienating those guys. Burnett had his chance.
Super exciting to feel that way about a skilled player, but Coach Howard has this program rolling.
January 7th, 2021 at 9:58 PM ^
He didn't have a very good year this year and has been getting fewer and fewer.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:07 PM ^
I wondered how it would go for him at Tech. That's a volatile program. Each year they have 6-7 people leave the program and 3-ish transfer in. Successful players there are either homegrown TX kids or incoming transfers. I can't think of a kid who didn't go to school instate that fit in as a freshman for Beard.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:12 PM ^
Nothing better than to be able to evaluate a player AFTER he started in another program [sorry my bad suggesting his stats were from last year]. What do we know about Burnett: A 5-star who has not earned a starting position probably because he is shooting some 28% from the field and 17% behind the arc.
January 7th, 2021 at 1:16 PM ^
Nimari Burnett is a true freshman.
January 7th, 2021 at 3:26 PM ^
True freshman that end up being really good don't typically start out that horrid.
January 7th, 2021 at 3:48 PM ^
Well we may be looking at starting Zeb next year, how do his stats hold up so far?
January 7th, 2021 at 1:15 PM ^
Wrong thread
but thought CG suggested interior lineman
January 7th, 2021 at 4:19 PM ^
I think we can safely let Coach Howard handle this one based on his record over the last year and a half or so. Doubt he requires our guidance. Excellent pick-ups of Smith & Brown demonstrate an understanding of how to add to a team good fitting pieces.
January 7th, 2021 at 6:14 PM ^
As much as i wanted him at the time, im not so sure he is as good as i thought he would be now. I guess bring him in as a SG if he wants in, but he is not an elite PG IMO. He is not going to beat out Collins at PG IMO.
January 7th, 2021 at 8:12 PM ^
I say if we have the spot and he wants to come in and play his role on the team then welcome him with open arms. If he thinks he’s gonna come in and be the focal point then no thanks.I’m not sure he will wait around to see who we are losing after the season. All of our spots are taken if everyone stays.
January 8th, 2021 at 1:25 AM ^
So we have 12 guys on scholarship currently, but can have 13 total. Considering we have 6 current commits, we have to have 5 guys leave first to be at the limit. Livers and Franz are definitely gone to the NBA. I imagine Nunez could be given a firm handshake. Davis is probably gone, but if Hunter ends up declaring, I think I'd want him back actually, so let's just say one scholarship open. Then who else? If I could keep Smith, Brown, and Brooks for another year, I would. Brown has the most NBA potential of the three, but I don't think he'd get drafted. I would prefer to put Jace as a walk on, but I doubt that'll happen. Johns is valuable, keep him. There would have to be some pretty extreme attrition and/or roster management to make space for this guy. I think it might be better to just keep what we have tbh. It's gonna be a clusterfuck around the country trying to manage these rosters thanks to the NCAA
January 11th, 2021 at 2:07 PM ^
We're going to need a two-guard next year. Does anyone want to rely on Nunez?