MBB Recruiting: Beilein likely to visit S. Dakota grad transfer Matt Mooney

Submitted by ypsituckyboy on

Matt Mooney, a 6'3" guard from S Dakota, is seriously considering Michigan per 247. Sounds like Beilein has a tentative visit in place. He averaged 18.7 ppg, 4 reb, 3 ast, and 2 steals a game last year, and scored 1,271 points in 2 years there.

Looks like he was at Air Force for a year, then spent two years at S Dakota, and will now transfer again.

https://247sports.com/college/basketball/recruiting/Article/South-Dakot…

This could just be Beilein covering his bases, but we're already oversigned by 1 so a transfer like this would require at least 2 guys to leave. My bet is that Mo goes, and one of the younger guys at the 1-3 spots transfers.

A2toGVSU

April 10th, 2018 at 3:25 PM ^

Davis would almost certainly stay. We all love Teske, but a man of his size simply can't play 30+ minutes. Ideally, Castleton gets a redshirt and many trips to the buffet. Davis will play an important role next year, similar to what Teske played this year. However, I think the writing is on the wall for Watson.

Trader Jack

April 10th, 2018 at 3:57 PM ^

I keep seeing this idea that Castleton might redshirt floating around. He won't, and shouldn't, do that. College basketball isn't like football; a redshirt year isn't that beneficial. In most cases, the player ends up being good enough to leave before he ever gets to year five (and from all accounts, Castleton has the type of skillset and ceiling to do that) or he's recruited over and offered a firm handshake. Michigan is better off getting what they can out of Castleton in year one than they are hoping he's around for year five.

bluesalt

April 10th, 2018 at 4:01 PM ^

DJ Wilson and Austin Davis each got one in recent seasons. Donnal and Biefeldt also received them a few years earlier. While it’s true that none have wound up playing four years at Michigan (pending Davis), it doesn’t mean that Beilein eschews them. They happen, and often with bigs that fit Castleton’s profile (stretch bigs that need to gain strength). Whether it makes sense to or not is a different question — the fact that they are used makes projecting a redshirt for Castleton perfectly reasonable.

OwenGoBlue

April 10th, 2018 at 4:14 PM ^

Redshirts can be extremely useful developmentally for some guys, particularly for bigs who aren't physically ready to play yet.

Having a full year to work on your body without worrying about being game-ready can be more of a boost for year 2 and beyond than what you'd get from limited game experience. I don't know if Castleton fits that bill but he's 215 lbs so I could see how he might.

Agree basketball redshirts aren't terribly useful for P5 roster management but Nova, Wisconsin and others have used them well to better develop guys. 

Kevin14

April 10th, 2018 at 4:20 PM ^

From Michigan's perspective, yes, you're right. Michigan hasn't had many fifth year contributors (Duncan who was a transfer and J-Mo are the only ones I can think of)

From the player's perspective, the fifth year can be great.  Look at Bieldfeld and Donnel.  Both were limited role players for us and each went on to play significant roles on great teams in the fifth year.  

I think I remember Beilein mentioning part of the redshirt decision process was up to the player, which would make sense.  Some players may want ot redshirt while others don't want to in case they eventually transfer.  For example, Ricky Doyle redshirted his freshman year and played his second, he would have had to sit out his transfer year and burn a year of eligibility.  Then, he would have sat out two of his first three years in college instead of one of his first three.

Trader Jack

April 10th, 2018 at 4:43 PM ^

A redshirt can definitely be beneficial for the player receiving it, you’ll get no argument from me there. My point is that, based on Beilein’s history with redshirting players here, it’s likely Castleton will be playing somewhere besides Michigan five seasons from now whether he redshirts or not. I’d rather get whatever he can contribute this year than spend a year developing him we probably won’t get back.

CLion

April 10th, 2018 at 6:25 PM ^

Big men redshirts are not uncommon, nor are they wastes, but I partially agree that there will likely be points in the season where a third big man would be useful. If Beilein thinks he can run small ball though, Castleton still could get a redshirt.

samsoccer7

April 10th, 2018 at 3:12 PM ^

Yup.  Mo gone and someone else transferring.  It's the only way this makes sense.  Unless he's just being cautious and looking IN CASE of the aforementioned happens.  If Mo is really mid-second round like I read today then he may come back.  I expect a transfer though regardless.

Double-D

April 10th, 2018 at 4:19 PM ^

He needs to work on his game and will be moving into the perfect high usage role next year with the perfect system to develop what he needs. Better ball handling and a better shooting combined with his athleticism. He is not making an NBA roster just yet.

A2toGVSU

April 10th, 2018 at 4:34 PM ^

People seem to think that everyone needs to score 20+ ppg to be NBA ready. No NBA player is a finished product at 19, or 22, or 25 for that matter. "He needs to come back and work on X, Y, and Z parts of his game to have a shot at the next level" is absurd. Players improve by playing. It doesn't matter where they are playing. If the talent is apparent, and the player knows they will be drafted, then the only reason to stay is if the dude absolutely doesn't want to be done with college. Matthews could absolutely leave right now. Yes, he needs to work on his handle and his jumper. He doesn't have to do that at Michigan. He can do it in the pros. As a fan, I would be disappointed in the same way I was with DJ or Mitch: We didn't get to see the best versions of those guys for a full season. We got one magical tournament run from Mitch and we saw DJ become the best player on the floor for about 2-5 minutes each game in his last year. Both of those guys left a lot of "what if?" at Michigan, but can you really blame them for going pro? Hell no. They got drafted. They got an opportunity. They got paid. Same goes for Charles Matthews if he enters this draft.

Double-D

April 10th, 2018 at 5:04 PM ^

If he dislikes Beilein and college the D league is there and people make it. If he comes back however he is going to be high usage in a great system for him. He seems pretty happy at Michigan and is in the perfect situation to try achieve his dreams. DJ was much more NBA ready. Mitch was also more NBA ready but left because of a failed drug test. Charles leaving now seems like a really bad and unlikely choice. Now if he was stuck with Izzo......

BlueWon

April 10th, 2018 at 5:45 PM ^

He has a loose handle, is an inconsistent shooter, and is not a great defender in space.

I don't understand why anyone thinks he's a threat to leave.

On a positive note, he did start to develop a nice turnaround in the lane.

Wolverine In Iowa 68

April 10th, 2018 at 3:18 PM ^

but outside of the title game, he has a great NCAA tourney.  That's why I wonder if he'll explore it and take a shot (and stranger things have happened). 

DJ Wilson going the way he did kinda surprised me last year, so who knows.

 

I agree, I don't see Matthews as a first rounder at this point, but I'm not a pro scout.

bluesalt

April 10th, 2018 at 4:14 PM ^

But I follow the NBA a ton more than college. Matthews defense is playable from Day 1. His athleticism is elite. His shot, while inconsistent, is potentially fixable. If he came out this year I could see him getting picked in the end of the first round. It would surprise me, but the draft is a little shaky after about pick 20 this year. With good workouts and the combine, he could be someone a team is willing to take a chance on. Ultimately I think he should and will stay another year. Next year’s draft looks really shallow, and if he corrects his shot he could go in the teens despite his age. He profiles as a poor man’s Jaylen Brown to me, and if he fixes that shot, as Brown did this season, he could be a not-so-poor man’s version of him. Matthews testing the waters is not unreasonable, and it makes sense that Beilein would check in with potential grad transfer targets should Matthews find the waters enough to his liking. They may very well be.

The Krusty Kra…

April 10th, 2018 at 3:18 PM ^

TWO players transfer? Davis and Brooks strike me as the most probably candidates IF that were to happen. Watson seemed to get some minutes late in the year as a bigger role may get carved out for him.

Maize and Luke

April 10th, 2018 at 3:36 PM ^

These were the 3 names I first thought of. Watson and Brooks both showed flashes of what they're capable of offensively (Brooks especially, imo). And it's always good to have depth at PF/C. So it would suck to lose any of these guys. A 1,200 point scorer in 2 years sounds nice though. How do redshirts count in this equation, in terms of scholarships?