Wolverine Devotee

February 25th, 2019 at 7:50 PM ^

THIS ALONE is a great recruiting tool for Beilein.

Turned a D3 transfer into a rookie NBA starter. 

What more can you say? That's why guys on the team who maybe aren't getting it right now and aren't doing much with their minutes will eventually get there. Remember how bad Duncan Robinson was as a defender until Billy Donlon & Luke Yaklich changed that? 

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528

Don

February 25th, 2019 at 8:02 PM ^

I'm embarrassed to confess that I posted a few comments on MGoBlog dismissing Duncan's abilities.

It's almost like John Beilein and his staff have forgotten more about basketball than I could learn in several lifetimes. I learned my lesson.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 148371

Alumnus93

February 26th, 2019 at 1:12 PM ^

well... he went out poorly his last game here, scored a donut i think...so the spots were surely there... but it sounds like he has minimized them, and maximized everything else...

i think it is under-appreciated, the rise this kid had made in our program...

Joined: 09/10/2009

MGoPoints: 9684

cornman

February 25th, 2019 at 8:13 PM ^

Wow, I didn't even realize he was getting minutes.  Really happy to see him starting.  Did he play his way into the starting spot or have the Heat suffered a lot of injuries recently?

 

edit: it looks like two guys ahead of him on the depth chart are out with injuries (James Johnson and Derrick Jones) and the backup SF is injured as well so their roster is pretty thin right now.  

Joined: 12/17/2018

MGoPoints: 639

footballguy

February 25th, 2019 at 8:14 PM ^

He has been tearing up the G league. The talent is different in the NBA, but he more than earned his shot tonight.

 

Joined: 10/04/2018

MGoPoints: 2146

ijohnb

February 26th, 2019 at 9:17 AM ^

It is probably a testament to that as good as coaches are in college basketball, there is still some next level coaching that can turn good players into really good or great players.  I thought there was a lot of mental stuff involved with Robinson's streakiness.  When he was truly "on" it was pretty incredible.  He hit a couple of threes against Oklahoma State where I wasn't sure how could even see the rim yet when he released it.

Joined: 09/21/2009

MGoPoints: 69986

JamieH

February 26th, 2019 at 4:10 PM ^

Seriously.  He is being PAID to make 3-pointers now.  That is his ONLY focus in life probably.  So yeah, he has gotten better at it.  Good for him.  

In college, you have lots of distractions.  Classes, friends, all kinds of stuff.  Now he is a pro, and he's improving his game like a pro.  Why be critical of him?

Joined: 09/05/2009

MGoPoints: 28331

footballguy

February 26th, 2019 at 4:49 PM ^

Which is exactly why the thread earlier this year about matching up the 13 and 19 teams (as they are right now) was a terrible post. The 13 team, many of whom are NBA vets, would shred this team apart. 

Believe it or not Trey Burke is a better player right now than he was when he was NPOY. People just don't understand how incredible the talent and skill level is in the NBA. Which also makes Duncan's feat all the more impressive

Joined: 10/04/2018

MGoPoints: 2146

Ibow

February 25th, 2019 at 8:51 PM ^

How cool is that. Just loved watching him play at M and wish him nothing but the best tonight and as the NBA season rolls on. Go Duncan... Go Blue!

Joined: 04/13/2018

MGoPoints: 4746

bacon1431

February 25th, 2019 at 9:33 PM ^

Not a great game, but got the start which is really cool. Was rooting for him to have a good game in a losing effort and looks like only half my wish came true. Pistons win and Heat loss is big for the Pistons in the playoff race. 

Joined: 07/26/2008

MGoPoints: 25286

bacon1431

February 26th, 2019 at 7:05 AM ^

We’ve had lottery picks for a majority of the last 9 drafts. We’ve had 5 top 10 picks. Ain’t much different picking 14th va picking 18th. The team also has two massive contract on the books for several more years. Not going to tank with those players, which is what it would take to get a meaningful lottery pick (top 5). We’ve only made the playoffs once in the last 9 years. I’ll welcome a playoff appearance. 

Joined: 07/26/2008

MGoPoints: 25286

bacon1431

February 26th, 2019 at 7:05 AM ^

We’ve had lottery picks for a majority of the last 9 drafts. We’ve had 5 top 10 picks. Ain’t much different picking 14th va picking 18th. The team also has two massive contract on the books for several more years. Not going to tank with those players, which is what it would take to get a meaningful lottery pick (top 5). We’ve only made the playoffs once in the last 9 years. I’ll welcome a playoff appearance. 

Joined: 07/26/2008

MGoPoints: 25286

vanarbor

February 25th, 2019 at 11:03 PM ^

Duncan is shooting at an absolutely INSANE rate in the G-League (49% or something from 3-point range), on really high volume. It's one of the biggest improvements I've ever seen someone make. 

If you watch some of his highlights too, they're insane shots that he's making - 5 feet outside the 3 point line, fading away etc...

Joined: 11/06/2018

MGoPoints: 3167

Alumnus93

February 26th, 2019 at 1:06 PM ^

geez.......   lets reflect on this here.....  the kid with no offers coming out of high school, busts his ass, and with superior tutelage, and is now starting for the NBA's Miami Heat... what a story...

this kid from Williams College... what a decision he made, to go learn from Beilein... and further to Duncan's credit... he turned his weakness (defense), into a real strength... was this Yaklich?

Either way....  not sorry to say that had he not transferred here, I'd say theres 0.1% chance he'd be in the NBA.

Duncan should be the poster child for Beilein's recruiting...    and he should send a fruit basket every Christmas to our staff...

Joined: 09/10/2009

MGoPoints: 9684

JamieH

February 26th, 2019 at 4:14 PM ^

To be fair, he could shoot before he showed up here.  So yeah, he developed while he was here, but he shot 45% from 3 his first season he played here.  So let's not pretend he was worthless and Michigan turned him into a star.  He was a great shooter and Michigan turned him into a much more well-rounded player.  

Joined: 09/05/2009

MGoPoints: 28331