Sam Webb Profiles Mitch McGary

Submitted by MGoShoe on

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.

marco dane

July 28th, 2011 at 3:18 PM ^

wearing a Michigan jersey. Adding him with GR3 & Nick would give Coach B, his STRONGEST ever recruited class while at Michigan.

Can the staff show they can pull in Top Ten talent,while the heavy-hitters NC,Duke etc make their pitch, will be answered with this kid recuritment.

marco dane

July 28th, 2011 at 3:41 PM ^

shouldn't be a suprise. There were no storys out there about Gunner. Thats what caught people off-guard. No apparent leaning toward any school inparticular,which playin-it-close-to the-chest,led to everyone utter surprise. I simply wondered...when he was going to announce...

 

This kid recuritment is much BIGGER for the bb program...I pray for a Loy Vaught/Tim McCormick type center...

Gobluegr

July 28th, 2011 at 3:22 PM ^

He would be the perfect addition to the offense, this would cap off the best basketball recruiting class in a long time.
On another basketball recruiting note, 2013 prospect Zak Irvin just narrowed his list down to Michigan and Butler so we are in very good shape with him.

Raoul

July 28th, 2011 at 10:33 PM ^

The general consensus from this thread on Zak Irvin from a Butler message board is that Michigan is Irvin's first choice, but his coaches and "other advisers" are pushing him to pick Butler because it would be a "better fit." I sure hope he sticks to his guns and picks the school he's visited no fewer than seven times in the last year.

True Blue Grit

July 28th, 2011 at 3:30 PM ^

When you look at the list of schools after him, it's going to be a battle to land him.  But if Beilein can do it, it will be a HUGE coup for Michigan.  Plus, it would immediately put U-M in position to win the conference title in a few year with all the other players we're bringing in.  McGary is the big and athletic inside presence that Michigan has been lacking for a while.  When you watch his video highlights, he just has amazing skills for a big man.  Landing him would be our biggest recruit in quite a long time. 

Raoul

July 28th, 2011 at 3:36 PM ^

Sam Webb has previously mentioned McGary's genuine interest in Michigan, so that's not really news. But McGary's timeline for making a commitment seems to have changed as I believe he had previously said he wasn't going to decide until the fall. I still think it's unlikely he picks Michigan, but August should be an interesting month for Michigan basketball recruiting.

Zak Irvin seems like the most likely prospect to commit next.

Raoul

July 28th, 2011 at 3:50 PM ^

I see what you're saying, but Webb also said "Deliberation over which programs will make the final cut is slated to pick up steam in the next few weeks. From there a decision may not be far off." Even if he doesn't make a commitment in August, it sounds like he might be cutting his list down to the finalists that month.

A decision in the fall does make more sense, though, because I thought he planned to make official visits before making his final decision.

MGoShoe

July 28th, 2011 at 3:54 PM ^

...had characterized McGary's interest as genuine, but until this profile, I had always discounted it. I had assumed that the allure of the big name programs would trump the Novak and GRIII connections (I wasn't aware of Bielfeldt).

But his AAU coach's comments in this article just scream to me that he wants McGary to go to a program like Michigan's because going the Duke/UNC/UK route could be too much for him expectations-wise (nationally, not from the fanbase).

We shall see.

IncognitoWolverino

July 28th, 2011 at 3:42 PM ^

The fact that Novak has been a mentor to the kid is huge. That coupled with the fact that he is looking for strong academics makes me think he would be a great fit. Still, it's gonna be tough to reel him in.

M-Wolverine

July 28th, 2011 at 3:45 PM ^

We can't take two DT's?
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<br>I won't get my hopes up till the first one of these guys says yes, but it's nice to hear us mentioned in what seems like a sincere way, and not just lip service. But he'd be the biggest recruit since Chris Webber, and maybe more of a game changer since we were a good program before the 5 even got here.

Beavis

July 28th, 2011 at 4:27 PM ^

I posted about Mitch's fondness of Michigan a few weeks ago, so it shouldn't be a shock that we have a legit shot.  That being said, I appreciate you sharing this info.

McGary would be the biggest get for Michigan athletics in the last ten years.  

JCV16

July 28th, 2011 at 4:49 PM ^

That quote could easily describe Duke, UNC, or even Purdue. 

I do think we have an outside shot, though... that would be an incredible coup. 

Blue boy johnson

July 28th, 2011 at 5:30 PM ^

I really really like this kids game. I will date myself and get flack for comparing McGary to a white guy. McGary, with his left hand shot, bruising style, high skill level and high intensity, reminds me of Boston Celtic great Dave Cowens. There is not a player in the country I would rather see M land than McGary.

I am not a big fan of Big Men in college basketball. Amir Williams I like and would have been pleased if he ended up at M, but wasn't too sad to see him go to OSU. Guys like Marshall Plumlee and Cody Zeller, to me, are just meh recruits, who have so many limitations which offset their height, make me believe they will never be dominant collegians.

McGary comes to M and we are immediate Final Four contenders. No way he sticks around 4 years. Burke and McGary > Burke and Sullinger

jmblue

July 28th, 2011 at 5:30 PM ^

Speaking of basketball, while I don't have photographic evidence, I drove by the stadium/Crisler recently and can affirm that the basketball practice facility is rapidly coming up.  It should open right on schedule.  That should help our recruiting efforts quite a bit.

Hail Beilein

July 28th, 2011 at 7:48 PM ^

saw Sam McGuffie at first glance. And I also saw that quote applying to more than just Michigan. It definitely applies to Duke and UNC very easily.
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<br>But I do hope we land the kid! Michigan hoops is looking up and I love John Beilein! Way to turn the program around and get us in the discussion for 5 Stars again!

althegreat23

July 28th, 2011 at 9:24 PM ^

Dream haul for our basketball recruiting:

Monte Morris/Derrick Walton/Demetrius Jackson- I really don't care which one we get because they all great and seem to be really interested in UM, however I think that Morris is most likely.

Zak Irvin- love his athletcism and would him, GRIII and Nick on the wing.

Mitch McGary- He would be best man we've had in my lifetime (I'm only 16, so unfortunately I missed the Fab Five)