Simpson Developing Into a Force, 'Chopping Wood' and Draining Treys

By Steve Kornacki

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- There is something the University of Michigan men's basketball team can take from a very tough loss to No. 5 Purdue, and it has nothing to do with moral victories.

It has everything to do with growth. There are three young players -- Isaiah Livers, Jordan Poole and Zavier Simpson -- who were not ready for prime time until recently. But, boy, are they ready now.

They played with confidence and calmness and brought some electric energy to Crisler Center Tuesday night (Jan. 9). They also brought results.

Livers and Poole, two true freshmen, combined for 18 points and four rebounds off the bench in the 70-69 loss.

But Simpson, a sophomore who has started two consecutive games, was something to behold at point guard.

He hit two three-pointers in 43 seconds with about five minutes to go and led the Wolverines (14-4, 3-2 Big Ten) with 15 points. He also had six rebounds and five assists with just one turnover.

The Boilermakers called a timeout immediately after those treys from the top of the key, and Simpson was shouting in the middle of the Michigan huddle.

Simpson recalled: "I just said, 'Let's keep fighting. Keep fighting and keep chopping wood.' It was all about chopping wood this game. It felt good hitting those threes, putting my team in a better position than we had been."

Simpson had a look in his eye that said how badly he wanted this game.

"I was trying to do whatever I could to put my team in a position to win," said Simpson. "I'm sad we came up short, but I was doing whatever I could for my team -- whether it's hitting threes, layups, assists, taking a charge. Whatever I can do to put my team in a better position to win, I will do. There's no secret to it."

Michigan coach John Beilein shook his head when he began discussing Simpson.

"I was thinking of taking him out when they were switching screens and we couldn't score," said Beilein. "Then he hit the back-to-back threes. It just shows the kid is so persistent in the effort and is stubborn sometimes in a good way. Sometimes it's in a bad way, and he might not be as receptive to change.

"But he also will never give in. He's a tough dude, and you want him on your side. He just has a really good attitude toward life and is just growing and getting better. He's also a little bit of spiritual leader for us. He says the grace before meals and has great gratitude for how blessed he is."

Simpson, the son of a coach, was plenty tough when he arrived last year from Lima High, where he was Ohio's Mr. Basketball and led his team to the state championship game. But he got even tougher under the mentorship of Derrick Walton Jr., the alpha dog who led the Wolverines to the Big Ten Tournament championship and NCAA Sweet 16 last year.

Walton spoke with me during the tournament run about the approach he took to challenging Simpson, whom he believed could succeed him at point guard:

"When he first got here, I made sure it was a little brother-big brother thing. I made sure he didn't win and was real tough on him, and that made life real tough on him. He was messing up at first, but I told him I just wanted him to see how it should be done. He's so competitive, man. We have a telepathy about each other, and we talk a lot."

Now Simpson is growing leaps and bounds under first-year assistant coach DeAndre Haynes.

Zavier Simpson making a high-arcing floater over a 7-foot-3 Purdue defender and another that bounced up and in are signs that the hard work he is putting in with assistant coach DeAndre Haynes is paying dividends.

"They are going to be a great match for the next three years," said Beilein. "He's receptive to DeAndre and continues to work at growing his game."

Simpson said, "Coach DeAndre has a lot of good drills that are confidence builders. When you're working out with him, you pick up a lot of little things that help your game. He's working with me a lot on my finishers and my floaters. That's our game, me and the other guards. All of that is coming in handy, and I'm just glad to be able to use it in a game. I've been working on it so long."

Simpson scored on a high floater that bounced up and then through the rim. And, after gathering an offensive rebound, Simpson popped a floater up and over 7-foot-3 Matt Haarms.

"He got two of those today," said Beilein, "and he's going to have to continue to get those because that's a big area of growth for him. It's very hard for a guard to shoot a jump shot from six or seven feet out and the defense is on you. But when you beat your man, and then there's a big man there, you've got to have that touch to float it in. He's working on it daily."

Simpson also put in a hook shot over 7-foot-2 Purdue center Isaac Haas.

"He's just learning right now how you play at this level," said Beilein. "He's really got to evolve as a player and he's doing that. He's never going to give in, and he's going to be a harder worker than anyone we have. And it paid off a little bit tonight."

Simpson started the first give games, but then Eli Brooks earned that role. They've been sharing minutes most of the season, and Simpson holds a 367-259 edge there.

"The biggest thing for him was that when he was on the bench he took the time see the game from there," said Haynes. "Then, he could come in and play a little better. Coming off the bench since we played in Hawaii has really been beneficial to him and his growth, and just being able to come out and leads us."

Simpson said, "I learned reads. When the point guards were in, whether it was (graduate transfer) Jaaron (Simmons) or Eli, I was looking for the little things that could help me once I got in."

He would, for instance, look for where the help came from on defense or what areas were open on various plays.

Some players might have wilted when the starts vanished, but Simpson never flinched.

"One thing is," said Haynes, "he never looked back. He kept being a leader for our team and stayed in the gym constantly, working on his game with myself and the other coaches.

"He's getting to the basket and making plays for himself and others. He's doing a hell of a job right now and needs to continue to play this way on both ends, defense and offense. He's a hard-nosed kid who is able to step up and stop any guard that's in front of him, and he's making good plays offensively.

"We challenge him, and he has that bulldog mentality. Tonight, he was going against guards like Carsen (Edwards) and P.J. (Thompson), and we challenged him to come out and beat these guards and help us win. And he's accepted that challenge every game. He's locked in and ready to step on the floor. Whether he started or came off the bench, he's been a great teammate and a great player."

The results have been rewarding for player and coach.

"It definitely is," said Haynes. "I love seeing him come out and play with confidence and with that heart. We need him to bring that leadership, and for me to see that coming out of him is really great as a coach."

Simpson is an alpha dog in the making.

It's very likely Walton, now with the Miami Heat, is watching these Michigan games and smiling.