Way too early top 25 for 2013-14

Submitted by JHendo on

I finally calmed down enough to muster the motivation to see what ESPN had to say about the game, and it appears that Jason King and crew wasted no time and have already put out a way way too early and pointless top 25.  Kentucky, Louisville and MSU are the top 3, and U of M comes in unranked.  As expected, he points to the probable departures of Trey, Timmy and GRIII, and the increasing possibility of Mitch taking off as well:

"If all four of the Wolverines underclassmen enter the draft, it's likely Michigan will enter next season unranked. That's how I see the situation playing out, which is why Michigan didn't make the cut for next season's early Top 25."

After this year's wild ride, it will be weird heading into a season without the lofty expectations we briefly became accustomed to, but I'm already getting excited and am ready to embrace the underdog role again (assuming all of the departing 4 do in fact leave).  Spike showed tonight that he can have spurts of dominance when needed, Stauskas can only get better, we have 2 veteran big men returning, and Caris with a few pounds added could be one heck of a force.  To add to that, Mr. King seems to have forgotten that Beilein knows how to recruit guys that can make an immediate impact and that we have a heck of a class coming in with Irvin, Walton and Donnal. 

I can't wait.  Go Blue.

http://espn.go.com/mens-college-basketball/story/_/id/9147684/very-early-top-25-2013-14-season-ncaa-men-college-basketball

Wolverine Devotee

April 9th, 2013 at 1:59 AM ^

What an idiot. Mitch said he's coming back already, GRIII NEEDS more time in college. And THJ could very well stay and get his degree. Though I wouldn't be shocked if he left. Isn't the point to leave after a great season where scouts are drooling?

Michigan could be in it again next year also. They're clearly loaded as it is and are bringing in Mr Basketball of Indiana and runner up Mr Basketball of Michigan.

Mr. Yost

April 9th, 2013 at 8:41 AM ^

If he comes back great, but it's not to get better. It's to lead and get his degree.

THJ was lightyears better this year than he was last year. The fact that he could even get the ball up the floor vs. VCU and L'ville showed this.

His game was A LOT better this year, he just struggled shooting late in the year.

He's reached his ceiling, now is definitely the time for him to go if he wants to maximize his draft stock. That said, he may not care about that as much as coming back for one more year.

He's not going to KILL his stock by coming back, but he's not going to get drafted in the 1st round next year either. He'll be Jon Diebler, Kyle Singler, etc.

JHendo

April 9th, 2013 at 2:13 AM ^

Trey is really the only one remotely ready to leave, but since staying risks doing more harm than good, I wouldn't be surprised in the least if Timmy and GRIII take off. McGary would be a a shocker though. Regardless, it's laughable to suggest we still wouldn't be among the top 25 teams in the country with who we would have left as well as coming in. ESPN is either very dumb or sure loves to troll fanbases...

Knight

April 9th, 2013 at 3:11 AM ^

McGary later said that he didnt mean that he was for sure coming back next year. He is going to make a decision in the coming weeks. I think after the hype of the tourney wears off there will not be so much buzz about him being a lottery pick. Does he leave early and get picked late first/early second round or stay another year and cement himself as a lottery pick? McGary, GRIII, and Tim should all return (it is understandable if Tim leaves though). Trey needs to go pro.

enlightenedbum

April 9th, 2013 at 3:19 AM ^

Watched the postgame locker room vids at UM Hoops (Stauskas was SO SAD, you guys).  Based on them, I'd actually lean towards everyone who is not Trey being back.

Glenn was sort of definitive about it and then said he'll talk about it when appropriate, but was referring to next year's team with an implication he'll be on it.  It seems like his gut instinct is another year.

Mitch still seems like he'll be back.  And since he can probably play his way into the lottery if he does the things he did the last three weeks for an extended period, that makes sense.

Tim said that in addition to the coaches and family, he'd be talking to his teammates about his decision.  I choose to believe that's a good sign.

Trey said nothing, and is the only one of the four who should absolutely go pro and go make his money as a lottery pick right now.

TheLastHarbaugh

April 9th, 2013 at 3:54 AM ^

Mitch has since backed off of that statement.

Keep in mind that he is a year and a half older than most freshman, and by the time the next NBA season starts he'll be 21. It might benefit him to leave early if he gets a solid 1st round grade, or higher.

A lot of the mock draft websites have him as a top 10 pick for 2014, which is a stronger class, so I would assume he leaves if the evaluations come anywhere close to that.

GRIII could use another year, but it seems like he's a lottery pick, so he'll probably go.

Still, if only Burke and Hardaway go pro, I think that sets us up nicely for next year. Walton and Irvin can come in and essentially step into Burke and Hardaway's spots (although, I think Spike and Caris will have something to say about that).

If they come in as advertised, we could just re-load. Granted, it's impossible to replace Burke, and Hardaway is not easy to replace either, but it definitely wouldn't be a doomsday scenario. Far from it.

HartAttack20

April 9th, 2013 at 2:57 AM ^

Not sure what they have been watching. I've watched Mcgary, Spike, and even Levert become impressive contributors in this tournament run. I have no reason to think this is the ceiling for them individually. Kentucky has shown that teams can go from champion to NIT, but I don't see that with this team. They are similar teams in terms of age, but Michigan should keep half of their underclassmen, while bringing in some solid players. I'll remember this team for the rest of my life, and I couldn't be more proud. I can't imagine being more happy after a national championship loss.

remdog

April 9th, 2013 at 4:34 AM ^

Looking over their top 25, I can see 15 or 16 teams that shouldn't be projected ahead of Michigan even if we lose several players to the pros.  It's idiotic.

 Michigan will have a returning PG who had a stellar tourney and has an incoming PG who's rated in the top 50.  We have a returning SG who is one of the top 5 or so shooters in the country - and he's not just a shooter.  We'll have at least three of our bigs coming back and have another top 100 big coming in.  We also will have another guard (Levert) who's shown flashes of great potential as a freshman.  We also have another wing player coming in who's Indiana's Mr. Basketball and rated in the top 20-25.  That's a stellar 9-deep rotation.  And that's assuming everybody (Burke, McGary, GR III and THJ) who can go pro actually leaves.

Of course, the media's recap of the championship game is equally idiotic.  There's no mention of the Burke block or other major refs screw ups which were the difference in the game.  Instead, the storyline is Louisville "outshot and outfought" Michigan.  Of course, it didn't.  The refs were the difference.   But that doesn't make a nice storyline, does it?

MidnightBlue

April 9th, 2013 at 6:46 AM ^

Its not illegal to be a fucking idiot (king). Beilein has shown that each successive replacement has been better... He shouldnt assume mcgary leaviing and rate accordingly

LSAClassOf2000

April 9th, 2013 at 9:09 AM ^

Scott Gleeson over at USA Today puts us at #24 - full list (HERE). He does qualify it, however, with a statement which somewhat similar to King's in that his ranking could change based on who actually departs in the coming weeks. His blurb:

"We'll know in the next few days if this is too high or too low for the Wolverines. What if Trey Burke, Mitch McGary, Tim Hardaway Jr. and Glenn Robinson III opt for another season in Ann Arbor? Then we're looking at the preseason No. 1. It's safer to expect at least three of the underclassmen to opt for the draft, leaving Michigan in somewhat of a rebuilding mode after this year's trip to the championship game."

If nothing else, at least columnists have the courtesy to use phrases like "way too early". Obviously, the fewer departures, the more underrated we would be at #24 by Gleeson's figuring, but I sort of like the underdog role. After all, when Burke decided to come back, as I recall, one of his primary reasons was that he wanted to help Michigan compete for a national title - I don't recall a lot of people in the national media making much of that statement. They seem to remember it this morning.

 

Hannibal.

April 9th, 2013 at 10:28 AM ^

If Burke is the only guy that leaves, I still think that we are a lock for preaseason Top 5.  Maybe #1.  If it's just Burke and THJ, probably Top 10. 

UofM Die Hard …

April 9th, 2013 at 11:44 AM ^

here is mine.  Everybody come back and dominate the NCAA ;-)

 

College only comes around once and college is awesome for many reasons.  NBA will be around forever.  

Just my two cents

 

denardgardner

April 9th, 2013 at 12:11 PM ^

mcgary says he is staying, gr3 needs more time to develop, and i dont really think THJ is a very good nba prospect and he only has one more year until he gets his degree. i think all three stay and if they do we are a top 10 team.

pg- spike / walton

sg- THJ

sf- stauskas / irvin

pf- gr3

c- mcgary