Hoops Hello(!): Tyus Battle Comment Count

Brian

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2016 five-star wing Tyus Battle just committed to Michigan:

This should help you salve your Jaylen Brown wounds even if he is using the split M. Informative update coming.

GURU RATINGS

Scout Rivals ESPN 247 247 Comp
5*, #10 overall
#4 SG
5*, #14 overall 5*, #14 overall
#4 SG
5*, #11 overall
#4 SG
5*, #12 overall
#4 SG

The 247 composite didn't have to work too hard to average those rankings: the world has Battle just outside the top ten in the 2016 rankings, the #4 shooting guard in the country behind (former?) Michigan target Josh Langford, Malik Monk, and Terrance Ferguson.

SCOUTING

Battle is high on everyone's wish list because he brings NBA size and athleticism. Then there's a lot of conflicting information. ESPN says Battle may be "most gifted on the defensive end of the floor," praises his maturity, and says he's got "good size, long arms, speed, quickness, and leaping ability." They then say his three point shooting is the "most glaring weakness he has." With ESPN evaluations it's always tough to know when and how they saw the kid, and that'll play a role as we hit a bunch of scouting reports that say he's a great shooter.

There isn't a lot of recent scouting since Battle missed about five months with an ankle injury likely sustained as he helped the USA U17s to a gold medal in Dubai. Before that he was in a bit of a funk but recovered from it

The No. 11 player in the class of 2016, Battle has struggled a bit for much of the spring. He's grown to 6-foot-5, gotten much stronger and has been in the process of adjusting his game. Sunday, he mixed jump shots, transition finishes and drives to the hoop nicely and as a result he played the best he has this spring. Battle said that he feels like he's started to get things going in the right direction and he's excited for the summer ahead now that he has his confidence going.

…to re-establish himself one of the top prospects in the 2016 class:

Tyus Battle, 6-foot-5 SG (No. 25 2016): It was not a great spring for the wing from New Jersey. It was, however, a great summer. Starting around Memorial Day, Battle broke out of a funk he had been in through the early stages of Nike's Elite Youth Basketball League. Battle looks to be much more comfortable with the size that he added in the last year, and he was shooting very well during July. He looks like he will be moving up to five-star status.

His early stats on the AAU circuit weren't great, largely because he took a ton of three pointers and not much else. I can't figure out why, but it seems like his team wasn't particularly well organized.

As for the upside:

Obviously, he’s an effective perimeter shooter, but he also possesses lean athleticism and a frame that should enable him to become legitimately strong as he progresses.

I also like his defensive potential at 6-6, with the spidery athleticism to defend wing forwards and many shooting guards as well.

As mentioned above, there’s a very high likelihood that Battle will become a successful high-major performer. The things he does well, at 6-6 and athletic, typically enjoy a very high translation level to college and beyond. There aren’t enough shooters and scorers in college basketball — but don’t take my word for it, just ask your nearest college coach — and Battle will supply that as early as his freshman season.

Scout's Brian Snow caught him when he was playing with Team USA:

He attacked the rim well with the dribble and was excellent finishing in the mid-range. Battle was shooting it well from deep, though at times he was a bit streaky mostly due to his footwork being inconsistent. Still he is one of the best shot makers and athletes on the wing in the class and showed his impressive scoring ability all day long.

He hit a few deep jumpers, and then began really turning it up. Battle got on the glass and converted a few offensive rebounds for buckets, slashed to the rim, and then scored in the mid-range. It was a good finish to a strong day for Battle.

And Sam Webb had a take from Michigan's camp:

Sam’s Take: If there was a better shooter in attendance I didn’t see him.  In one of the shooting drills Battle didn’t have a single miss.  In another he only missed one. He can drill jumpers coming off screens with the ball or without, and he can also knock them down pulling up off the dribble.  It game action he was streakier from distance, but his stroke is undeniable. When it came to getting to the rim he did so with relative ease thanks to his quick first step and strong handle.  One of his best moves was a blow-by off a hesitation, but in that move he also put on display the next stage of development. 

Battle sounds a lot like LeVert: a lanky 6'6" guy who's an excellent shooter with long arms and passing ability. He may or may not be able to get to explosive dunkland on the regular, a la Jaylen Brown. Battle:

“I think knocking down jump shots and creating my own shot, I’m pretty good at,” Battle told Scout.com.

“I’m probably better from mid-range,” he added. “That’s more of my game. When they go to man-to-man I like to get the mid-range jump shot.”

Battle is already as big as rising senior LeVert, which helps explain the disparity in their rankings. (Also, LeVert was criminally underrated even after winning the Ohio POY award that has been a ticket to the NBA for a decade.) The hope you have is that Battle can add the posterizations as he gets older—the ranking implies he's got the athleticism for it.

OFFERS

A who's who as you might expect. His final seven schools were Michigan, UConn, Duke, Syracuse, OSU, Louisville, and Notre Dame. Arizona, Kentucky, Indiana, and Villanova also offered.

STATS

I couldn't find anything that seemed reliable.

VIDEO

From last summer's Peach Jam, when he was a rising junior:

And at another tourney:

An SNY profile:

PREDICTION BASED ON FLIMSY EVIDENCE

Take your pick between a meatier Caris LeVert or a quicker Zak Irvin. Battle seems to split the difference between Michigan's two wing stars. If that three point shot is currently erratic, it's close enough to where it needs to be for Beilein to put him in the 40%+ range, and then you've got a six-foot-six guy with long arms and at least B+ athleticism.

So more of the same, maybe with a little more oomph.

UPSHOT FOR THE REST OF THE CLASS

Michigan has at least three spots for next year's class: Caris LeVert and Spike Albrecht graduate and they currently have an open slot. Those slots would appear to be full with Battle, Jon Teske, and Austin Davis, but 1) Michigan would very much like a point guard with Spike's departure and 2) it appears that Michigan offered Davis with the idea that he might prep and arrive in 2017 depending on how the 2016 roster develops.

That would leave them with room for a point guard. Michigan is pushing hard for in-stater Cassius Winston and has opened up their horizons after Derryck Thornton accelerated and committed to Duke. Currently rising 6'6" NY PG Kevin Huerter is currently the name with the most juice if they can't get Winston, but after plan A things are fuzzy.

Michigan will likely wait and see what kind of unexpected attrition they have, if any, after the year before looking for additional players. Irvin reaching NBA range and a playing time transfer from someone frozen out this year are possibilities; I'd guess they grab a point guard as soon as they can and continue recruiting wing types with the expectation they will have a slot.

Comments

MichiganMAN47

May 11th, 2015 at 7:32 PM ^

We lose Spike after this year, Walton in 2016/17, and would only return Rahkman in 2017/18 with PG experience. I think Rahkman will be very good by then, but unless we recruit a very talented PG in the 2017 class, it would just be MAAR and Battle.

alum96

May 11th, 2015 at 7:48 PM ^

Fyi - Quinn over at mlive, who I find to be an actual journalist who does his own reporting as opposed to Nick who repackages quotes from UM football that you can find anywhere on the internet, disputed any notion of Davis reclassifying to 2016 last week in one of the comments sections (I believe the story comparing Teske v Davis). 

As for this commit, great to see Beilein land a 5 star who was not a 3 star when he first found him.  Might be our first (I think Mitch eventually fell to a 4 star after being #2 overall at his peak).  Sounds like his game is more like Irvin, while his body is more like Caris.

We do need that '16 PG so I assume with the traffic jam at the 4 we are going to see more attrition after next season so I hope we take any commit who wants to join the class in the next 10 months so we are temporarly "oversigned" as all these guys at 4 are going to want to play and there will only be so many minutes for them.  (Wilson is supposedly an eventual 4 as well even if he plays 5 this year).

BursleysFinest

May 11th, 2015 at 9:07 PM ^

But since I have  4 posts ... some advice. Ann Arbor summers are the best, go to Blimpy Burger once and only once and Camp Sanderson breeds NBA players, take advantage!

 

 

BursleysFinest

May 11th, 2015 at 8:49 PM ^

Reading this and the Brent Hibbitts hello posts, I just want to take a minute and say Thank You to the under-appreciated in the recruiting world  .. ..The highlight tape DJs.  Without these bombastic beats, how would we ever sit through these 3-10 minute videos of high schoolers playing sports.  Jungle Beats!

YoOoBoMoLloRoHo

May 11th, 2015 at 8:46 PM ^

It's great for JB and the program to land a big recruit and use the message of "elite talent" for 2017 and beyond.

Really excited to see Tyus develop his shot under JB in combination with his athleticism.

wbpbrian

May 11th, 2015 at 9:00 PM ^

because I think we can recruit him as a PG. 247 has him as a CG why not keep at it if he is interested. If JB thinks he can run the point I would love to JL added to the roster next year. I feel if we can get both and JL can play the point I feel Michigan would have one of the tallest teams in the league which I hope translate into better rebounding which I feel is one of our weakpoints on the team this season.

sj

May 11th, 2015 at 9:25 PM ^

I respect our recruits and the choices they make. In this case, I really like the split M and think the focus on the Block M is unnecessary. Wise choice Mr. Battle.

StraightDave

May 11th, 2015 at 10:37 PM ^

I don't want to post a message but I have to because a comment field is required.  I have nothing to say.

True Blue Grit

May 12th, 2015 at 9:43 AM ^

I was wondering how his visit weekend went.  Now I know.  After watching the interview video with him, his Dad, and HS coach, I'm even more excited to have him at Michigan.  Sounds like a great kid who will thrive within the Michigan program and under Beilein's coaching.  I'm really impressed with his attitude and perspective, despite being a highly rated star player.  It has to be hard to keep that level-headed mindset during a crazy process like recruiting.  Hopefully, this will also end the negative talk about Beilein's recruiting.