15 Dollar All-Beilein Team
Going along with the recent trend of putting together a team with only 15 dollars, I decided to make one with my own spin. Rather than going all-time and having people argue about quality of competition, quality of teammates, etc. So I decided to ask you guys to put together an all-time John Beilein team. Now the skill level from top to bottom is not amazing, but I tried as best as I could to make the list accurate. This is under the understanding that the player is at the top of his COLLEGE career. So here it goes:
Point Guard:
(5) Trey Burke
One of the best college Point Guards of all-time, he took over games although playing a little bit of Hero Ball sometimes.
(4) Darius Morris
"The Butterfly". He could penetrate like crazy and his passing was stellar. I really wish he had stayed an extra year.
(3) Derrick Walton Jr.
I was a little stumped with this one. Walton is one of the more talented Point Guards Beilein has had here, but he has not had time to pass Douglass up. I think eventually he could pass up Morris.
(2) Michael "Spike" Albrecht
He is always good for 17 points in a half or a clutch three. But Spike is not a great defender.
(1) C.J. Lee*
A scrappy defender that can not really compete with the top of the league.
Shooting Guard:
(5) Tim Hardaway Jr.
A streaky shooter that could take over games. If he had stayed his senior year he could have been a top 15 pick in this years draft.
(4) Caris LeVert
Some people are projecting Caris at #4 in next years draft. He will be "the guy" this year.
(3) Manny Harris
The ball hogiest of hogs, but he could score. Put him on a team with a good cast, and he would be great.
(2) Stu Douglass*
A great shooter, turned into one of the better perimeter defenders.
(1) Matt Vogrich
This is the position you should spend money on.
Small Forward:
(5) Nik Stauskas
The best shooter of all these players. This one is easy for me.
(4) Zack Novak
The grittiest player of all time. Small Forward is still not his position. If you want a captain, this is your pick.
(3) Zak Irvin
Just the fact that he was here says something. He could make a jump, but he is unproven.
(2) Kameron Chatman
True Freshman, pick him if you want length.
(1) Anthony Wright
Don't be cheap here.
Power Forward:
(5) Glenn Robinson III
Freak athlete, a really streaky shooter.
(4) DeShawn Sims
A great scorer, I do not remember a ton about him.
(3) Evan Smotrycz
Yes the lobster makes my list.
(2) Mark Donnal
Unproven
(1) Max Bielfeldt
A minute eater.
Center:
(5) Mitch McGary
A puppy that runs the floor and gets all of the rebounds.
(4) Jordan Morgan
Undersized but more than motivated.
(3) Ekpe Udoh
Too bad he transferred :(
(2) Jon Horford
Too bad he is leaving :(
(1) Ricky Doyle
Unproven
Have fun and give me any tips about who you think should be where.
*Due to suggestions, I added Lee to the Point Guard and Douglass to the Shooting Guard, this adds to the depth of the 2 and takes a way from the Point Guard.
Udoh for $2? He was a lottery pick. Give me:
Udoh (2)
Burke (5)
Stauskus (5)
Donnal (2)
Brogrich(1)
Three NBA lottery picks, a solid PF, and a Brogrich.
PG Burke (5)
SG: Manny Fresh (3)
SF: Kam Chatman (2)
PF: Deshawn Sims (4)
C: Ricky Doyle (1)
Burke
Harris
Irvin
Donnal
Udoh
Especially considering what udoh did at Baylor after leaving UM
Stu Douglas was a great shooter? I must have missed something.
Lineup:
Burke
Manny
Ant Wright
Petey
Udoh
Morris (4): You get a guy that is great at getting into the lane and finishing around the basket. Put length and skill around him, and you're forced to guard him with a PG, where he has a great ability to post up inside. Big mismatch here.
Harris (3): Decent 3-pt shooter who provides a slashing type player on the wing. Great at the free throw line and could come off of pick and roll or pick and pop situations and attack the basket as well. On a kick out from Morris he could spot up or pump fake and get to the bucket. Good diverse player for the price.
Irvin (3): Now you give Harris and Morris a player to kick to in the corner that can light it up from deep. Stretches the court and is at a more natural position to play some defense. The length on the floor is great for a zone as well, and a zone will be scary once we ge to the 5.
Smot (3): Another guy who can spot up from behind the arch. Defensive liability, but if we go zone we mitigate some of that. Not asked to play the 5 or be a shot blocker because of who we pick up with the 5. Really wanted Sims on the baseline here, as his combo of corner jumper and slashing would have been great, but another spot up shooter probably helps even more.
Udoh (2): This is a steal. Even if we just look at his play at Michigan rather than at Baylor, this is a steal. Had great length to be an around the basket defender, and in that case would excel as a pick and roll player as he wouldn't be forced to be extremely skilled, but could instead focusing on finishing around the rim, where he had the length to do so.
This team would have two guards that could post up. A PG great at distributing, especially to guys in the corner. Two corner shooters that stretch the floor. A dynamic scorer with length that could also work as a pick and roll threat off the wing. And a great defensive stopper on the back end. I'd roll that team all day any day.
Stauskus
McGary
That's how this works, right?
Udoh
Chatman
Irvin
Harris
Burke
Trey Burke ($5)
Matt Vogrich($1)
Zak Irvin ($3)
Deshawn Sims ($4)
Epke Udoh ($2)
Trey at the point to distribute, drive and distract, Vogrich to be a warm body on the court (a liability, but one this lineup can easily deal with), Zak to be a threat that demands attention behind the arc, Deshawn to get points in the short and mid range game, and Udoh to bump bodies out of the way and control the post on both ends. Sounds like a dream team to me.
Great topic mostly because it gave me an excuse to go back and watch some Manny Harris highlights. I forgot how awesome those jerseys were in combination with the Black and white Nikes. Bring em back Brandon.
My picks: Darius Morris 4, Manny 3, Chatman 2, Donnal 2, Udoh 2
I feel like Udoh is a real steal for $2, and man I forgot how bummed I was when he transferred. Looks like one lengthy team I picked.
Walton (3): Very fundamental point guard with solid shot and demonstrated flashes of getting into the lane his first year.
Levert (4): Poised for a huge year, doesn't need much explanation.
Novak (4): Favorite player during my years at Michigan, hands down. Will not allow my team to lose to any combination listed above.
Donnal (2): Good size out of a stretch 4, which has been a problem on previous Beilein teams. Can provide versatile offensive game without being defensive liability.
Udoh (2): Like everyone else said, great value for a lottery pick. Given the rest of my team's ability to stretch the D, will only need to beat 1-on-1s or make lay-ups. Defensive eraser on the back end.
I'd take Kevin Pittsnogle for a buck.
Mike Gansy!
I will take the 2013 NCAA tournament team for $25 and pay any associated salary cap taxes. Or does that only work for the Brooklyn Nets?
Harris (3)
Stauskas (5)
Donnal (2)
Udoh (2)
For me, I build a team around Stauskas because of his versatility and way he stretches the floor. Also, I would play heavy 1-3-1 with this lineup because Manny was a terrorat the top and Udoh's shot blocking would be a force in the middle if teams get penetration. This helps mitigate some of Stauskas' defensive liabilities.
Once I had Stauskas and Udoh selected, I figured Walton was more than suitable. We wouldn't run as much pick and roll with Udoh so Walton was a good value for the points.
That really only left Donnal. Maybe a stretch, since he's all hype at this point, but it's all the points I had left.
So there you have it. Pick and Roll would not be as officiant, probably they would rely on Walton and Manny to slash and Kick. But I think they make up for it with improved defensive efficiency and turnovers from the 1-3-1.
1. Burke 2. Stauskas 3. Hardaway 4. Novack 5. McGary
I will defeat all of your teams.
Burke, Stauskas, McGary and I'll have Dakich and Beilein play the 2 and 4 positions for free.
$1 Albrecht - Spike can run the show when surrounded by a talented cast, as is capable of making open shots. He's not going to get his own, but with the four guys below on the court, I jump at the opportunity to get a reliable player and not skimp at a less deep position. savings
$4 LaVert - Caris would have been my 5 dollar option, to be honest. I'll take him over THJ in that he's a better defender and is more of a distributor, with an equally good shot and ability to penetrate. For 4 dollars, I feel like i'm saving a buck and getting the best guy on the board.
$4 Novak - Can't make a Michigan team without him. My favorite UM player ever, and thankfully back at the 3. His eligibility ran out a year too soon - can't help but feel his grit/aneurism of leadership would have equaled a victory over Louisville.
$4 Sims - A true 4 as opposed to GRIII, Deshawn had actual low post moves and could make his own opportunities down low and past the arc. Not as flashy as GRIII, but way more productive.
$2 Udoh - Too bad he transferred is right, guy was a freak defensively and would clean up on the boards. Way undervalued at 2 bucks, probably the most talented guy listed at the 5 spot.
PG: Trey
SG: Caris
SF: Kam
PF: Donnal
C: Udoh
Best PG, SG- freshman with loads of potential in Chatman (can play the 4 as well), along with a stretch four and a beast on the boards at center in Udoh. This team would make some noise.
It's not our fault the OP put Udoh in there for only $2. But to be honest, Udoh should probably be $4 or even $5, and Stu should ideally be under the shooting guards.
PG: Trey
SG: Manny Fresh
C: Epke Udoh
SF: Kameron Chatman
PF: SMOT
Burke, Harris, Irvin, Udoh and Donnal.
I think surrounding Manny with Trey gets the most out of him, Udoh is a steal when you consider what he did defensively here and at Baylor and then Donnal is a pure upside pick who I think would be rated much higher if this were done next year. Practice mumblings on him have been big. This lineup allows Zak to be "just a shooter" and we all saw what he can do when he gets those open 3s.
I'll take:
Spike $2
Harris $3
Stauskas $5
McGary $5
Yes, I'll play with four guys. A 1/2/1 zone and just let Manny, Mitch, and Stauskas play school-yard ball on the offensive end.
I'll take tiny Ditka for tree million dollarce, and regular Ditka for twenty mill.
Manny (3)
Irvin (3)
Bielfeldt (1)
Epke (3)
Volgrich
Stauskas
Donnal
McGary
Rainin' threes fa days!!!
Morris, Harris, Chatman, Sims, and Horford.
Morris is a pass-first point guard. While he didn't mesh with Harris as a Freshman, he didn't go into his cuccoon yet (sorry). I think he fits with scoring Manny in the backcourt. Chatman is supposedly a do-everything playmaker at the three. I like Sims and his ability to stretch at 4. He played a lot of center so he can bang if needed. Horford is all I need at center. He's a good shot-blocker, a good rebounder, and has an OK back to the basket game. I could slide this entire lineup up a slot if he got into foul trouble and I was forced to play Andrew Dakich. This lineup has tons of size and talent. Maybe not enough shooting, though.
Why do/did people bitch about hero ball. Our best player should take the last shot as you can see with the NCAA tournament.
He only took a 26 footer during the Kansas game because he had to. The rest of them we're regular 3 pointers or taking it to the hole.