Defend the Block: Wilson on Wolverines' Culture, Togetherness, Coach Howard
5/19/2021 9:00:00 AM | Men's Basketball, Features
Over the last two episodes of the "Defend the Block" podcast, former Wolverines Luke Wilson and C.J. Baird have discussed their journeys to Michigan men's basketball, a few of their favorite moments in the maize and blue, and their short- and long-term career goals.
By Brian Boesch
Over the last four seasons, Michigan men's basketball has enjoyed some incredible success and encountered some immense challenges. The Wolverines won 105 games during that stretch, with plenty of great players coming and going. Two under-the-radar players were constants for the program, both on and off the floor -- C.J. Baird and Luke Wilson.
Baird joined the team as a walk-on after starting as a team manager, while Wilson transitioned from Michigan fan to player as a walk-on from the start of his time in Ann Arbor. Both Baird and Wilson did earn some playing time, but their biggest value came as members of the program's scout team. During the lead-up to each game, the scout team works with the coaching staff to understand the opponent's key players and tendencies, while communicating that to the rest of the team.
Not only did Baird and Wilson play a role in those 105 victories over the last four seasons, but they were incredible in short preparation windows. The Wolverines were 17-5 during this stretch on zero- or one-day preps, commonly in tournament settings. Some of these wins included Michigan's Big Ten Tournament championship in 2018, the West Regional clincher in 2018 over Florida State and the blowout over Gonzaga for the 2019 Battle 4 Atlantis title.
"It's about sacrificing for the team, understanding your role -- because you're not going to play very much -- and then trying to make sure everybody gets better around you," Baird said on the May 12 edition of the "Defend the Block" podcast.
This mindset has been present within the program for years, but Wilson believes it all came together this past season, as the Wolverines overcame all the obstacles of a pandemic-affected season to post a 23-5 record and reach the NCAA Tournament's Elite Eight.
"Out of my four years here, this team was for sure the most connected group I've ever been a part of," Wilson said on this week's podcast episode. "One through 17, we all got along. No one was trying to do their own thing. We all had one goal as a unit. Everyone had the same goal, and I think that's what was really important. We were all pushing for the same thing. We all wanted each other to succeed."
Michigan's culture has been the envy of most college basketball programs for years, despite a coaching change from John Beilein to Juwan Howard in the spring of 2019, the midpoint of both Baird and Wilson's collegiate careers. Both Wolverines are thankful for their time spent under both coaches, especially considering the program remained sturdy and successful despite the change at the top.
"With Coach [Beilein], the culture was also really good," Wilson said. "He's what brought Michigan back out from when they weren't in the best place, and Coach Howard did a great job of taking everything that he needed from Coach [Beilein], but also creating his own culture. He wanted to make sure this was his team, and he did a great job of that."
"I learned a lot of things that I know about human interaction from Coach Howard -- how to manage people, how to understand their personalities, and tailor a conversation or a new process toward the person -- because, obviously, on our Michigan basketball team, a lot of different egos, a lot of different highly talented, really intelligent guys, but not everybody is the same," Baird said.
Even though most of Baird and Wilson's contributions took place away from the cameras, microphones and fans, both still had an opportunity to shine on the floor. Baird nailed a three-pointer late in Michigan's Sweet 16 thumping of Texas A&M in 2018 that has become a thing of legend among Wolverine fans.
"The moment after it happened, I don't remember at all," Baird joked.
As for Wilson, he had to wait until his junior year to find the scoring column. In the Wolverines' win over UMass-Lowell on Dec. 29, 2019, Wilson drained a three, prompting an explosion from the entire Michigan bench.
"That was just really special because you really got to see how much the team cared," Wilson said.
The duo will transition to the next phase of their lives in the coming months. Baird is preparing for a summer internship with Ernst & Young before heading into his master's studies in accounting this fall. Wilson is eyeing opportunities in the NBA, either in a front office or within team operations. Both also have said that coaching is on their radars down the road. Regardless of what path they take, Baird and Wilson are well-prepared for the next step thanks to their time with Michigan basketball over the last four years.
"The things I've been able to do," Baird reflected, "and the people I have played against have pushed me to be the best I can be, and that's something that I'm always grateful for about Michigan."
