Beilein seems like he recruits high basketball IQ players

Submitted by white_pony_rocks on

The perception I have of Beileins players is that they have high basketball IQ, and that he is a coach that values that just as much if not more than athleticism and talent, not saying that our guys arent talented.  He just doesnt seem like the kind of coach to want his team made up of a bunch of super hyped freshmen even if we could recruit like that.  This is a pretty good article about BBall IQ, talks about Sullinger, Billy D, AAU and some other interesting stuff.

http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/basketball/news?slug=jn-bbiq020311

 

steviebrownfor…

February 7th, 2011 at 10:19 AM ^

what if Trey Zeigler had come to UM?

I understand that part of the reason he's successful is because he picked the right place for himself... regardless of that, imagine a freshman class of Zeigler, Hardaway, Morgan, & Smotrycz. We would have had the whole Big 10 pissing their pants for the next three years!

oh, by the way, Zeigler averages 17ppg, 5.5 rebounds, and is shooting around 37% from the arc.

Flying Dutchman

February 7th, 2011 at 10:33 AM ^

I gotta believe Hardaway would be averaging at least those numbers, if not more, at Central.   I'm completely over the fact we didn't get Zeigler, since I underestimated Hardaway.  I thought Timmy would be a talent, but a few years off from really productive.  He has been a terrific surprise to me.

Smotrycz would also put up huge numbers in the MAC, as he would be one of the biggest players, and would still have gorgeous range.   The MAC has lots of guard-size talent and doesn't have a lot of Smotrycz-size talent.

I love what we get out of these 2, and I can't wait to see more of it over the years.

Fordschoolba09

February 7th, 2011 at 10:41 AM ^

I am still on the fence about JB.  I appreciate that he got us to the tourny but IMO his recruiting has been underwhelming and at this rate, we are not any closer to establishing ourselves as a perennial power in the Big Ten. Yes, this team is fun to watch and yes,  I know we just missed on guys like Zeigler but I feel like this has happened a few times.  To be honest, I am getting a little impatient with our MBB team and I think that with the new facilities coming online, we should demand and expect more success from our program going forward. 

 

TartanAlex

February 7th, 2011 at 10:51 AM ^

You'll correct me if I'm wrong but I think the only Big Ten team with more recruits in the current ESPN top 100 is Ohio State. So, yeah, that's pretty underwhelming. The incoming class is shaping up nicely.

The boys are doing ok for a team that doesn't currently have a superstar and is one of the youngest in the country. Patience is sometimes rewarded, you know?

 

Michigania

February 7th, 2011 at 10:42 AM ^

and watch out for Glenn Robinson Jr.

I was around during the Fab Five and had season tix and used to camp out every game for the front few rows. A little known fact was that his dad Big Dog, would have come to Michigan had he known Webber, Rose, Howard, King,  were gonna all commit, and he wanted to be the fifth of the Fab Five, and was a bigger recruit than Webber.  He loved Michigan despite playing for Purdue, and thus, to me, it is no surprise his son is gonna play for us.

What Bielien has done now is get three NBA legacy players who seem to all be blossoming late, but this is how they got them. Scouts weren't high at all on Hardaway or Horford, either. All three are sons of NBA stars and aren't punks as often the kids are, but instead, take well to coaching and want to get better. You'll see these guys improve by leaps and bounds because of this.

One thing I don't understand right now, however, is why Horford isn't play more. I love the way this kid plays.

 

Fordschoolba09

February 7th, 2011 at 10:44 AM ^

I hear this argument and get this general excitement about the trio of legacy's connections.  I just dont think that this necessarily translates into wins.  Can Horford and G. Rob Jr (when he gets on campus) turn into great players? Possibly, I still maintain we are a long way off. 

 

Michigania

February 7th, 2011 at 10:48 AM ^

i think JB has been at a major recruiting disadvantage, with the very substandard facilities which supposedly means everything to recruits these days.  I also think he has been very crafty in finding kids who come from great stock, like Hardaway, Horford, Robinson (2012) who all will succeed because they have the character to do so and are not spoiled as many pro's kids are, that never acheive what their parents did.

We are one big man recruit away from being a major program again.  The problem is that Morgan, who is very very very fundamentally sound and impresses the heck out of me, has to do it alone down low.

 

Michigania

February 7th, 2011 at 11:33 AM ^

Well... cut yourself some slack....I also feel the same things you do.  I mean, to give perspective here, I was a freshman with season tickets, when Bo booted Frieder with Fisher and we won the NCAA title.. then watched through pain, the Demetrius Calip years, only to have season tickets as a fifth year senior with the Fab Five (I also won the ticket lottery and saw Webber call the timeout in New Orleans, 18 rows in front of me).....

It feels our program has to be EITHER  lights out great on the big stage, as in the biggest hype program in the country, OR, an also-ran, ie it cannot be middle-of-the-road. And it is very frustrating to see us simply limp these past twenty years.

I was livid when they booted Fisher for Ellerbe, because I knew we'd be rock bottom again. But when the program is on, it is lights out, prime time, and there is no bigger program in the country as far as the buzz.... when its on, that is.

Beilien really does have to land the one big recruit who is a big man down low... and that is when you'll see the program take off again.

I know I used a poor choice of words in this post... for which I apologize.

I guess I am trying to say is that WHEN the national spotlights turn onto this program, it'll be quite blinding... the program has that much of a draw, and you saw it with the Fab Five.

But to get there, Beilein needs that one big recruit who is either a Center or a Power Forward.   Then you will see the true lights come on. Whats great is the exposure that Morris and Hardaway are bringing now. There surely will be a big man who will want to play here.

jmblue

February 7th, 2011 at 2:27 PM ^

When you have NBA players - guys who have reached the top level of basketball in the world, and who have played under a variety of coaches themselves - sending their sons to play for Beilein, that's a powerful endorsement of him.  They know what it takes to be great at basketball and they obviously believe that Beilein can do that for their kids.  I don't think this is some random coincidence.  

M-Wolverine

February 7th, 2011 at 10:53 AM ^

On Junior. Webber-Robinson were ranked 1-2 that year, Howard was 3, Rose top 10, and King like 12. And even Jackson was top 100 (around the 50ish range, iirc). So all our best players are a bunch of Jacksons, not the other Fabbers. 5 Jacksons as seniors is a pretty good team, but don't put that hype/pressure on them.
<br>
<br>Still, I have had dreams of Robinson at small forward, and Jackson as an awesome 6th man. We may not have been ready to beat Duke, but we would have run all comers in year 2. (And face it, if you win the title the NCAA never comes down on you that hard, and wins aren't vacated). Ranks up there with "what if Garnett had played a year in college and come here..."

Braylon 5 Hour…

February 7th, 2011 at 1:51 PM ^

Horford doesn't play more because physically he's getting overpowered by the big men in the Big 10.  The guy has a lot of skills and I think is going to develop into a good player, but when he's on the floor he's picking up quick fouls and getting rebounds ripped out of his hands because he's just not quite strong enough to contend.  If we had more frontcourt depth he would definitely have redshirted. 

Tater

February 7th, 2011 at 3:23 PM ^

His dad got markedly better when he turned about twenty; his brother was better earlier, but still improved greatly at that point.  I think we'll see sporadica episodes of better play next year, followed by a huge junior year.  

I hope I'm wrong and he comes out dominating next year, though.   

Michigania

February 7th, 2011 at 4:58 PM ^

i still think horford should be in there, over vogrich. yes, i know that they play different positions and such, but jordan morgan is truly carrying the weight down low. sure, novak helps him a little, but let me tell you that without morgan, youd see how fast we'd have trouble. horford's time on the court would improve him exponentially, i think, as it has hardaway.  horford needs to play, and alot. 

The Shredder

February 8th, 2011 at 12:30 AM ^

Just as a off hand comment.... Kobe and KG had UM in their top 3 I believe... ugh

Found this:
Garnett, for instance, was choosing between Michigan and Maryland. At Michigan, Garnett would’ve played alongside Louis Bullock and Robert Traylor. And while his accomplishments would’ve likely been erased after NCAA sanctions, that period in Ann Arbor would’ve been enjoyable for the fans, possibly rivaling the Fab Five’s dominance years earlier had he stuck around a couple years. That same year Maryland was just 17-13, 9-9 in the ACC. There’s no doubt Gary Williams would’ve loved the extra help in College Park to replace Joe Smith, the No. 1 overall pick in ‘95.