Kornacki: Examining Men's Basketball 2017-18 Prospects
8/22/2017 10:35:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Features
By Steve Kornacki
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan men's basketball coach John Beilein believes the talent has been added to approach overcoming the losses of three starters and a key reserve from last season's Big Ten Tournament championship team.
Senior co-captains Derrick Walton Jr. and Zak Irvin are trying to make it in the NBA, which D.J. Wilson also opted to join after a breakout junior season. Backup forward Mark Donnal became a graduate transfer to Clemson to become the fourth departure.
Beilein filled their void by adding four highly recruited prospects as well as two players who sat out last season while impressing him with their skills and desire.
"We lose four," said Beilein, "but on the other hand we gain six. Somehow, we've got to get the production of those four from these six -- along with the improvement of the returning guys. Ibi Watson, Jon Teske and Xavier Simpson didn't play a lot last year, but there was a reason. The guys in front of them were pretty darned good, and now it's their turn."
Forward Moritz Wagner, who also busted out as a sophomore but opted to stay rather than jump to the NBA, and shooting guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman are the returning starters.
Beilein said valuable sixth man and sometime-starter Duncan Robinson will vie with freshman Isaiah Livers to replace Wilson up front, while freshman Eli Brooks and Simpson will challenge graduate transfer Jaaron Simmons from Ohio University for Walton's point guard spot.
"We have so much competition there that don't be surprised if we play two point guards at the same time," said Beilein. "They love the game and compete."
Wagner led the German team in the U-20 European Championship by averaging 16.1 points and 5.3 rebounds.
"He finished strong," said Beilein, "and his game continues to grow. He's now, with Zak and Derrick gone, going to be more ready for double-coverages and more attention. He's got to know people are going to try to get him in foul trouble. So both his I.Q. and emotional stability in a game has to continue to grow along with his skill level. If he's just a three-point shooter, they'll switch the screens and he'll never get open. He's got to be able to play off the block, but also make passes, which he can do, and we'll be working on that all fall."
Abdur-Rahkman
Robinson
Beilein has challenged both Abdur-Rahkman and Robinson to become more vocal leaders and more prominent scorers
"Both of them are really pleasant young men who you love to talk to," said Beilein. "Now, communication has to change to a leadership communication. If the summer is any indication, they've both made great strides there. Duncan even went to a leadership type of camp this summer. Muhammad went to Spain for three weeks and experienced something different. That was great for him as well.
"Those two guys are used to winning and they want to win. Both of them have probably had their best summers ever based on what I see when we practice."
That fifth spot in the starting lineup and key bench minutes also will include two potentially dynamic players -- Kentucky transfer Charles Matthews and forward Austin Davis, who redshirted as a freshman. Guard Jordan Poole is the other talented addition.
The Wolverines will play at North Carolina (Nov. 29) and Texas (Dec. 12), host UCLA (Dec. 9) and play in the highly competitive Maui Jim Maui Invitational, taking on LSU Nov. 20 and then either Notre Dame or host Chaminade. So, they'll be tested early and often.
Beilein had this to say about each player making their Michigan debut:
Davis, 6-10 forward, Onsted, Michigan: "He has great hands and an ability to finish in a crowd. A lot of big men don't have that. They turn the wrong way or they complicate things. He has the ability to keep it very simple when he catches the ball and gets it in the basket. He's extremely gifted with long arms and gets them to his apex so fast. He gets the ball in the basket even before anybody knows he's had it. Good passer, really good rebounder, and has a chance to play a lot as a freshman. He's got great potential."
Matthews, 6-6 guard, Chicago St. Rita via Kentucky: "There were moments in practice last year that we could not stop Charles. He is really a gifted defensive player. He's gifted offensively. We'll have to be patient with him putting it all together. He's what we call a wolf. He's a hunter. He hunts shots. He hunts defense. He's not just playing, he's hunting. He's not going for a walk or a run, he's hunting. And we want him to have that mentality. The next few years with Charles are really going to be great to watch him grow his game in every way. We need him to be good, too."
Simmons, 6-1 point guard, Dayton (Ohio) Bishop Alter via Ohio University: "He's a no-nonsense grinder. He competes and wants to win very badly. He's never been to the NCAA Tournament and wants that. He knows you don't get there without working hard."
Livers, 6-7 forward, Kalamazoo Central: "He is more of a 3 or 4 (forward). He and Duncan will compete over there with the possibility of Mo (Wagner) moving over there at times. He's very much like a younger version of D.J. He's very comfortable on the perimeter and has to get more physical on the inside. But his body is much more developed than D.J.'s was at the time he came in. But he's very gifted. He's got good perimeter skills, and now he has to embrace the physicality. Once he embraces that, it will open up a whole new world to him."
Poole, 6-4 guard, La Lumiere School, La Porte, Indiana: "He's a two-year commitment and has grown two inches and put on 20 pounds over that time. He was an elite shooter in high school. We'll see where he's at in college. But he has basketball instincts that we love and is going to have a chance to play at the 2 (guard) or 3 (forward). He passes like a 1 (point guard) and shoots like a 2. I think he has instincts like a 3."
Brooks, 6-0 point guard, Spring Grove (Pennsylvania) Senior: "Eli is the consummate point guard, but because he is such a very good shooter he could play off guard for us. He sees the floor and really is a pass-first guy. He's sneaky athletic and will go up and punch-dunk on someone at 6-feet if he has to. He's really an elite athlete, and we love coaching him. He's a quick study. He learns things very quickly."
They are the additions that Beilein's depending on to make this another season to remember.
