on Livers' athleticism

Submitted by Alumnus93 on

Thought I'd share something that came to me last night in watching the Purdue game.... let me preface by saying I have watched very little Michigan basketball so far this season.... a half of the Maui Classic I think it was, and also a later game where Robinson was a major liability....

As a freshman in 88-89, had season tickets the Glen Rice team NCAA title run, and also had season tickets my fifth year for the Fab Five.....  and I say this... ever since the Fab Five, until last night I really haven't seen on Michigan since, the elite body type and athleticism that was present with those five exceptional players,  Juwan, Jimmy, Ray, Jalen, and Webber..    a body type that seemed as if they were grown men playing with physically immature boys....they were supremely skilled but with it, they were a cut-above in athleticism... I don't know if Livers will have the former, but he sure seems to have the latter...

Now, seeing Livers last night, it hit me, and I was getting that thought manifesting early in the year, that Livers just might be the first player at Michigan, since the Fab Five, that has this elite body type and athleticism....    otherwise it has been, or has seemed, just average phsyiques, but Livers is different... I am saying nothing about skill or talent, but he might very well be in the discussion for having the body type and athleticism that was reminiscent of those five.   Maybe Robert Traylor would have also been one (EDIT: and GR3 maybe) ...  but I thought I'd mention this to those who didnt see the Fab Five live and can better understand it....  imagine Livers types, five of them, starting.   Since the Fab Five we have had very skilled players, but it has never been a Livers athlete 'cut-above' type combined with the high skill.  Beliein needs to find more of these.

Anyway, I was very glad to see this, enough to create a post.

GO BLUE.

Alumnus93

January 10th, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^

Did you see Livers dunk last night?   He dunked the ball down, and had a ton more energy left, and if he learns to pull the arms way back, he has the power to trade for it....  it was an awkward dunk he had and could have been THUNDEROUS... was good as it was, but believe me the kid left alot more energy to be had...

McFarΙin

January 10th, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^

Does anyone know where I can find Jamal Crawford’s college highlights? I cannot find any on YouTube.com.

McFarΙin

January 10th, 2018 at 11:47 AM ^

Does anyone know where I can find Jamal Crawford’s college highlights? I cannot find any on YouTube.com.

TK

January 10th, 2018 at 11:56 AM ^

Livers is a good athlete but this might be hyperbole. If we haven’t had anyone as athletic as him since the Fab Five days that would be a Huuuge issue.

Matt EM

January 10th, 2018 at 12:02 PM ^

but not great, and certainly not in the elite category. Watching him extensively in HS, he's always been a good athlete that has good straight line speed, lateral movement and verticality.

That said, he requires space to really get good lift. In other words his verticality shows up in transition, but doesn't really manifest itself often in tight spaces/half-court situations in the same manner that a GR3 type athlete does. His lateral movement on defense though has been quite impressive, his ability to switch and defend guards for 2-3 dribbles has been a big plus for us on the defensive end.

Scouting him in HS, the biggest concern I had was motor/physicality...........and Isaiah has improved that a TON. He's done a 180 in terms of effort level/multiple jumps for rebounds/defensive rotations.

 

LSAClassOf2000

January 10th, 2018 at 12:45 PM ^

Air Georgia was a fun player to watch, and he maintained that skill in his rather extensive career overseas (mostly in Greece, as I recall). There are a couple people that I have seen who have quite a few Petway highlight reels among their YouTube collections. 

He won the first D-League Slam Dunk Contest, I think. 

True Blue Grit

January 10th, 2018 at 12:43 PM ^

some of Michigan's bigtime athletes over the last 20 years.  But I will say he has been a big boost to this team so far.  He shows a lot of energy and is very active on both ends of the floor.  A lot of rebounding is effort and whether it's because of his jumping ability, effort, or both, I don't care.  I just like seeing him making things happen.  

trueblueintexas

January 10th, 2018 at 1:53 PM ^

A couple have already been mentioned, but throw in Jarrod Ward. Never delivered on the hype and the knee injury slowed him down, but he was an athlete in a 6-9 body. Also Dion Harris and Horton were good athletes. Never felt like they couldn't keep up with an opposing player.

Mo Taylor was another guy. Very good athleticism. Horrible attirute and motor. 

tbeindit

January 10th, 2018 at 2:02 PM ^

Livers isn't even the most athletic player on this team. I really like his game and how he's progressing, but this is pretty insane. And we don't even need to get to GR3, who could very well could have been the most athletic player in Michigan basketball history.

ballertim87

January 10th, 2018 at 2:33 PM ^

Not criticizing you, but I’ve just heard a lot of people have been putting GRIII on this athletic pedestal. He was/is very athletic, but the MOST athletic? Was he THAT quick and agile as a defender? Was he even above average in his agility and balance while attacking the basket with the ball in his hands? Maybe we just never saw these attributes of his athleticism because he was such a timid player. He did make some very athletic dunks in the open floor, however, that we hadn’t seen from a 3/4 in some time at M.

KTisClutch

January 10th, 2018 at 4:42 PM ^

Livers is ceratainly an above average athlete, but nothing generational. At minimum, THJ and GRIII are for sure ahead of him athletically. Manny Harris is another name that hasn't been mentioned in this thread but is probably more athletic than Livers.