Sporting News Ranks LeVert #2 SG in the Country
We could turn some heads this year if we can stay healthy.
Sporting News ranks Caris LeVert as the No. 2 shooting guard in the nation this year. pic.twitter.com/TlN2GeYqj2
— Alejandro Zúñiga (@ByAZuniga) October 27, 2015
Also, I'm kinda hoping my Sixers get him in the next draft (good call that he's a senior). We could use a SG with handles.
October 27th, 2015 at 11:47 AM ^
#2 in the country #1 in our hearts
October 27th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 27th, 2015 at 12:11 PM ^
No. He is playing at Michigan until physically unable to perform the game of basketball.
October 27th, 2015 at 3:37 PM ^
Or until his eligibility runs out next year because he's a senior.
October 27th, 2015 at 6:06 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 11:52 AM ^
Isn't Levert a senior that didn't redshirt? He has to go pro after this year because he graduates.
October 27th, 2015 at 4:23 PM ^
Correct. Burned the redshirt early in his freshman year but didn't really have the developed frame to get minutes during the B1G season. It was worth a shot while we were in 'go for it' mode.
October 27th, 2015 at 11:54 AM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 11:55 AM ^
I would LOVE for Stauskas to be that guy, but he hasn't shown it yet.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:38 PM ^
You shut your whore mouth when you talk about Nik Stauskas!
October 27th, 2015 at 1:02 PM ^
Upvoted for making me laugh.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:46 PM ^
If these two guys can play together:
Then these two guys can play together:
Yes, I'm a Sixers fan:
October 28th, 2015 at 7:17 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 27th, 2015 at 11:54 AM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 11:59 AM ^
It's all about how we are perceived from last year. Always is that with with initial polls. Too many injuries = too much unknown. We'll quickly rise as we start winning. I have no worries about it.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:21 PM ^
given Michigan's track record over the past two years and play when it lost its best player last year. I guess not making the tournament is the only criteria by which this team is judged. If so, why is Indiana getting such incredible media treatment. It's done squat. MSU, Wisconsin and Maryland, I can see. Not Indiana.
Plus, Michigan plays no one till the conference season. They could be undefeated into January.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:47 PM ^
There's Xavier, SMU, UConn, Syracuse, potential matchup against Gonzaga or Texas, and NC State.
I'm not sure why you think Michigan plays no one in non-conference.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:58 PM ^
Even though players change, the polls usually reflect what a team did last year, too. Most of those voting don't realize how much of a blessing last year's injuries were for this year's team. The guys who were injured come back with something to prove and some of the guys who will be coming off the bench now have starting experience.
I don't know if the pollsters will see Michigan as a top ten team, but I really like their chances to get to the second week of the tournament, where anything can happen. Michigan's depth is going to be extremely helpful as the tournament progresses.
October 27th, 2015 at 2:34 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 2:55 PM ^
What makes you think we can't be a final four team?
October 27th, 2015 at 9:57 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 27th, 2015 at 11:57 AM ^
I hope he worked on a Rip Hamilton-esque move where he starts on the block then curls into the paint for a catch/turn/shot. Seems like a great guy for him to copy from an offensive standpoint. At 6'7" not too many 2-guards will be able to defend that. Unstoppable.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:18 PM ^
Rip was a master of that move and the fact he could run his defender tired by the end of the first quarter made it even more effective. If Caris could add that element to his game he will be a force out there.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:35 PM ^
RIP would also train by running repeated 5 minute miles after practices so... I would love to see it, but it takes a lot of work to be a great pro.
October 27th, 2015 at 3:16 PM ^
yep, I'd rather have him take 10 of those each game where he'll make 8 or 9 of them than shoot 4 for 10 from 3.
October 27th, 2015 at 5:00 PM ^
Who makes 8 or 9 out of 10 mid-range jumpers? I'd like to meet this guy, because he sure as Hell isn't Rip Hamilton.
October 27th, 2015 at 11:14 PM ^
for mid-range jumper is roughly the same as shooting 3s. Expected point value for shooting 3s is much higher than shooting mid-range jumpers hence the reason why basketball are going towards 3 point shooting and close range shots. Math dictate that offense would operate at higher efficiency doing that way.
Is there a place for mid-range jumper? Yes, but it should be reserved for players who can shoot 50%-55% from that area to make the defense honest, but the expected point value is still lower than shooting 3s at 40%.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:15 PM ^
Because mid-range two pointers are all the rage now?
I'd rather see him use his size at the hoop like he did against Duke a few years ago and knock down shots from beyond the arc.
RIp was fun to watch, but his game wasn't really all that efficient.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:18 PM ^
Good defenses take away layups and threes...it's why a guy like Lamarcus Aldridge is so useful.
October 27th, 2015 at 1:52 PM ^
They matter, but guys like LaMarcus Aldridge are the exceptions that prove the rule. Very few players at any level can hit that shot with enough consistency to make it efficient. Even Aldridge has started spotting up from three more often in the last few years of his career.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:39 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 1:55 PM ^
not saying Rip was incredibly inefficient, but "definition of efficiency" is probably overstating it a bit...
October 27th, 2015 at 2:00 PM ^
But that was 10 years ago and he was a uniquely skilled player. Since then, the long 2 has been proven to be a bad shot. There's some very simple math out there that illustrates the inefficiency of the mid-range jumper. I encourage a Google.
I don't know the exact figures, but basically, the stats show the average shooter makes about 40% on mid-range 2s. And the number bumps up to like 43% on "unguarded" mid-range 2s. Take 100 shots and you'll score 80-86 points based on these averages.
Meanwhile, guys make 3s at about a 35% clip, which dips near 30% when guarded (again, I'm working off memory). That means if you take 100 guarded 3s, you'll likely score 90 points... and even more if you can find these shots unguarded.
Sure, you may be able to find a Rip Hamilton to run around and be a very good mid-range jumper guy. But you'd be much better off finding somebody who can hit a 3...OR get to the rim where the drastic increase in shot percentage evens out the point differential.
Again, I encourage you to research. I'm no basketballogist. Don't take my word for it. Just sharing the basics of the argument. He's right, even an open mid-range 2 is basically a bad shot.
October 27th, 2015 at 3:18 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 4:20 PM ^
Rip averaged 45.5% from the floor in Detroit. How many of those were back-door layups that boosted his shooting percentage? Luckily, they track that.
Rip Hamilton, in Detroit:
0-3 feet: 60.4%
16-26 foot midrange two where he made his reputation and living: 41.2%
3 Pointers: 35.4%
That's his entire time in Detroit. Go year-by-year, it generally holds true. His stats fall right in there with the general averages I've heard for those categories. Using Rip's numbers, which take into play both open and guarded shots, he'd average 82 points per 100 deep-two shots, and 106 points per 100 threes. That's a 24 point difference! If he can get those 100 attempts within 3 feet of the rim? He'll score 121 points! Why would you ever want him shooting a deep two?
I'm not saying the team's goal is to hoist 100 3-point attempts per night. I'm saying that given the choice to take that deep two, or pass it up and work for either something much closer to the rim (0-3 feet) or take a 3-pointer, you'd be dumb to settle for the mid-range jumper. Sometimes defense and shot clock dictate that you have to, and yes, I hope Levert can hit that shot. But nobody in their right mind would choose to run an offense where the mid-range is your primary objective. Not anymore. That thinking has gone the way of the set shot, toe kickers, wishbone offenses and stand-up goaltending.
Anybody that can do math has realized the 3-pointer is too valuable not to use in place of the mid-range two. And THAT line of thinking has definitely been tried -- by pretty much every basketball team on the planet right now.
(See: NBA Champion Golden State Warriors)
Again, don't take my word for it. Read about it from somebody smarter than me.
October 27th, 2015 at 5:25 PM ^
October 27th, 2015 at 7:33 PM ^
While no team is going to put up 100 3's per game, a sound offensive philosophy will skew towards getting as many high efficiency shots as possible. On every offensive possession, a team will have multiple opportunites to take a shot. Teams run their offense unitl they get a shot that they're happy with and take their chances with it.
Anyone will take a layup given the opportunity. An open 3 for a solid shooter is something most teams will live with in their distribution. Long 2's should fit into the "only if we can't get anything else" category. The higher percentage of quality looks, the better off you're going to be.
October 27th, 2015 at 3:19 PM ^
hmmmm, what does that mean? All the rage now?
Nope, Rip ate up fools with that move from at least 1996-2013, shooting 45% over his NBA career. I'd call that pretty damn efficient. Not sure what point you're trying to make with your reply to my post, but it's way off. Caris gets that move down and he's unstoppable.
October 27th, 2015 at 5:01 PM ^
So, the lesson I'm learning is definitely don't disparage the "Goin' to Work" Pistons?
He's saying "all the rage now" because basketball as a whole is moving swiftly away from mid-range twos.
Rip shot 45% for his career, but when you take out dunks, lay-ups and anything else inside 3 feet, he actually shot 42.2% on all twos between 3 feet and the 3-point line (even less from where you want Levert to shoot from), and shot 34.5% from behind the arc for his career.
If these are our shooting percentages - you and I, let's take 100 shots a piece and see who scores more points. Where would you like to shoot from? I'm going to shoot from behind the arc and make 34 or 35 of my 100 and get 3 points for every make. I'm going to score over 100 points.
You're telling me you would rather shoot 100 mid-range shots and get 2 points per make? You like your chances, Mr. 42%?
--------------------
(Edit: Nevermind. Just read above where you expect Levert to hit 8 or 9 out of every 10 midrange jumpers. Thought we were being realistic. My bad.)
October 27th, 2015 at 11:59 AM ^
playing within the flow of a very dynamic offense, where 5 or 4 of 5 guys are the potential assist/set-up man. Caris does not have to be all things to all people, just help the team get wins. He'll go to the league almost no matter what.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:20 PM ^
I can't stop watching this.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:20 PM ^
This is one of them
October 27th, 2015 at 1:28 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 27th, 2015 at 12:34 PM ^
With how last season went with the injuries and losses I don't think anyone is expecting anything special going into the season but this team is talented top to bottom. I'm curious to see the strides players have made under camp Sanderson.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:41 PM ^
"After I hit that shot that day, for no particular reason, I decided to go for a little run. So I ran to the end of the tunnel. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd run to the end of town. And when I got there, I thought maybe I'd just run across Washtenaw County. And I figured, since I run this far, maybe I'd just run across the great state of Michigan. And that's what I did. I ran clear across Michigan. For no particular reason I just kept on going. I ran clear to the ocean. And when I got there, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well turn around, just keep on going. When I got to another ocean, I figured, since I'd gone this far, I might as well just turn back, keep right on going." — Caris LeVert, probably.
October 27th, 2015 at 12:43 PM ^
legend has it caris levert is stlil running to this day
October 27th, 2015 at 12:56 PM ^
Sixers are going to be picking in the top 2 again. Let's hope he plays well enough to get selected that high
October 27th, 2015 at 1:03 PM ^