Sam Webb profiles Michigan's highest rated 2012 basketball prospect Chesterton, Indiana (via NH prep school) center, Mitch McGary (Scout 5*, Rivals 5*) in this DetNews.com article.
I had assumed that since McGary was drawing interest from schools like Duke, UK, UNC, UConn and other highly successful programs that Michigan was no longer in the hunt. After reading the article, I'm not so sure that's accurate.
Familiarity with Michigan and its players:
...Bielfeldt and Robinson III hail from [McGary's] AAU program (SYF). Then there's the fact Michigan captain and Chesterton, Ind., native Zack Novak served as mentor of sorts for McGary when he was a high school freshman.
"(Robinson) and I have been best friends for a while. I know him. He lives in the same area as me. When we're home we always hang out and stuff. (Novak) told me I had potential," he added, recalling his freshman year. "He and I worked out a few times. I kind of just loved the game after that and figured I had to work on things. Then later in my career I knew my grades were kind of crappy so I moved out to Brewster and made that transition and everything has been good since then."
Comfort with the coaching staff:
The Michigan coaching staff has done its best to make good use of the assist from its players and made a strong impression on McGary and his family when they made it to Ann Arbor for an unofficial visit in late June.
"It went great," McGary said of his time in Ann Arbor. "I really like the coaches. The coaching staff was real with me and I know people that are going there and that are there now. I can trust them in their decision as to whether a coach is cool or not. I talk to (Coach Beilein) once in a while. Coach Meyer, I talk to a few times. Bacari (Alexander), he is really cool. I like LaVall Jordan. When he was previously at Iowa I talked to him there. I like him at Michigan, too."
The nature of Michigan's program and especially of Coach Beilein's approach:
One more equalizing factor for them could be Beilein's reputation for developing players. That is a chief consideration for Brumm, who is playing a strong advisory role in McGary's recruitment. Having coached players like Luke Harangody, Robbie Hummel, E'twaun Moore and incoming Michigan State freshman Branden Dawson, Brumm has a deep understanding of the recruiting process. Now he is doing his best to help shield McGary from the pomp & circumstance so the substance can be more thoroughly evaluated.
"The presentation (at Michigan) was good, but when you get to the level that he is being recruited, every presentation is unbelievable," Brumm said. "We just need to sit back and not get caught up in the emotional aspects of making a decision. Mitch has got a personality and a game that I think he could be a mega star for a long time. It is really important for him to go where he is going to get what he needs, and that is development. He needs to further his development. That's really what we're looking for."
Am I reading too much into this comment?
"I would probably like to commit before this high school season starts so I can just get it out of the way and play," McGary said. "I am just looking for the school that best fits me. I would like to play right away. It doesn't matter if a school is high-major or mid-major. I am just looking for a school that has great academics, a great head coach, and is a place where I have a good relationship with everybody."
Hmmm.
Am I the only one who at a quick glance of this title read "Sam McGuffie"?