BBall Recruiting - #1 Prospect Jaden McDaniels Update/Tidbits

Submitted by Matt EM on

Just had an interesting conversation with the camp of #1 overall prospect Jaden McDaniels. While it isn't something I'm going to disclose in a public article, I will summarize some items here.

Duke is the latest program to reach out, but not K himself.

Michigan has been all over Jaden

Its extremely important that schools realize Jaden is not a big and they (Michigan) get that

UCLA and Oregon have also offered recently

trueblueintexas

June 13th, 2018 at 7:54 PM ^

Maybe those times are a changing? The next few years of basketball recruiting could be interesting. Without any NCAA reform, the FBI probe has probably already curtailed some of the money coming from the shoe companies to direct where the top prospects are going. More still needs to be done, but that is a start.

Perkis-Size Me

June 13th, 2018 at 7:32 PM ^

Duke can do whatever the fuck it wants on the recruiting trail. It’s Duke. 

Michigan could treat this kid like a king until NSD, Duke could blow him off and not offer until the night before, and I still wouldn’t think we’d have better than a 50/50 shot when he decides to make his decision. Not that it matters with Beilein doing what he does in player development

Matt EM

June 13th, 2018 at 11:18 AM ^

I think Michigan's biggest advantage is the 'proof is in the pudding' argument. We've let DJ Wilson and Mo Wagner play perimeter-based games and being candid about it, McDaniels has far more talent than either Wilson or Wagner at the same stage. Don't think its hard for Jaden to envision himself playing a perimeter role in Ann Arbor.

To answer your other question, I don't think there's any doubt McDaniels is likely a one and done. His upside is off the charts.............he measured in at 6'9 without shoes at the USA trials. Take that in conjunction with his skillset and athleticism and he has the look of a prototype SF at the NBA level.

Bambi

June 13th, 2018 at 11:27 AM ^

Yeah from what you've said/his ranking jumps on other sites, it seems like McDaniels is a one and done guy. If that's the case I feel like his recruitment mainly comes down whether he wants to follow the typical one and done route (go to Duke/Kentucky/Kansas and try to win on a super) or whether he wants to go to a place he feels more comfortable with the coaches and can be the man (like Simmons, Fultz, Sexton etc.). Obviously biased here but Michigan gives him a great spot to be a one and done, win, be comfortable with the coaches and even develop.

njvictor

June 13th, 2018 at 6:32 PM ^

If he's a one and done, I do think that put's Michigan at a disadvantage. Beilein's system is hard to learn and he needs to trust you in order to give you playing time. If he wants to be the top gun from the start with lots of freedom, I don't think he's gonna get that at Michigan

mGrowOld

June 13th, 2018 at 11:42 AM ^

If Michigan get's the #1 recruit with Beilein in charge Ed Martin will roll over in his grave.

Love coach B, may he live for all eternity, but the program he runs (one without bagman and other shenanigans) isnt set up to capture the "one and done" players at all.

And that's A-OK with me.

M_Born M_Believer

June 13th, 2018 at 11:50 AM ^

While I agree in general with you on all points.  There is always the exception to the rule....  The question is...... Is McDaniels the exception?  While I will not lose any sleep over this, I would certainly enjoy watching a true one and done type play for Michigan, particularly one the is an exception......

Guy Fawkes

June 13th, 2018 at 11:59 AM ^

It's still early to say but we could be looking at 1 of the best Michigan teams ever in 19-20 considering the trajectories and potential of these players. Matthews is gone but if Poole and Iggy were to come back and nothing else crazy happens. Add McDaniels, Carton, and Wilson? That's friggin filthy

Zeke21

June 13th, 2018 at 12:27 PM ^

So you say there's a chance.

Having said that I'm not enthusiastic about one and done players.

Right Mo bamba 

4roses

June 13th, 2018 at 1:56 PM ^

Not sure if this is something that Matt D can answer, but I'm really curious as to what the thinking is with a typical one-and-done player. I ask this, as it seems to me that the combo of Beilein's coaching, an NBA "similar" offense, and Camp Sanderson should be fairly attractive, yet so may players just end up going the Kentucky/Kansas/Duke route. Perhaps the answer is simply "bagmen". I can understand that and will not begrudge a player that goes that way, but if a player's goal is to maximize earnings then at some point you have to understand that doing so requires you to become the best player possible. All else being equal I don't see how anyone would think coach Cal / Self / K are the way to do this.   

Matt EM

June 13th, 2018 at 2:14 PM ^

I agree with and disagree with (to a certain extent) the sentiment that Michigan has an NBA similar offense.

Michigan absolutely has an NBA type offense in terms of running multiple ball screens with perimeter based players having high-usage accordingly. Michigan also does a great job with weak-side action to mitigate the possibility of helpside defense...........very much NBAish in nature 

Where I disagree with Michigan having an NBA type offense is with respect to pace...............simply put we're very methodical and downright slow running our actions while being a low volume transition team.

For some prospects the lack of open-court basketball is a turn-off, and those are typically the elite athletes that thrive the most in those situations.

The NBA is becoming an increasingly fast league where half-court sets simply aren't utilized all that much.

4roses

June 13th, 2018 at 4:11 PM ^

Thanks for the response. I put the word similar in quotes on purpose, as I'm not down with all the finer details of either Beilein's system or a typical NBA system. And I'm not really a "hoops guy" (and do not follow NBA religiously). Your thoughts are certainly enlightening. What may be interesting to see is if Beilein is able to get some higher caliber athletes (and maybe he already does in Johns and Dejulius?) will he adjust and start playing with more pace. Kinda like how he went away from the 1-3-1 zone as he realized he had good enough athletes to play man on almost everyone.

njvictor

June 13th, 2018 at 6:40 PM ^

"it seems to me that the combo of Beilein's coaching, an NBA "similar" offense, and Camp Sanderson should be fairly attractive, yet so may players just end up going the Kentucky/Kansas/Duke route"

I think the "problem" with us is that we actually want to build a team, as weird as that is to say. On WTKA recently, Beilein said wants to build and develop a team, not just bring together talent. And building a team and developing players is a process that can take multiple years. He also said that in order to play, you need to prove it in practice and gain his trust. And I think all of those things don't help get one and done's who just want to be the top guns and have long leash until they can go to the NBA ASAP