MBB as many as 6 NBA players
This is quite remarkable... 18 months ago, many M fans were calling for Beilein's head... before you scoff at that statement, go look back. It is true.
Now, the remarkable part is that 18 months later, we're ranked #1, and Beilein may have as many as SIX NBA players on the roster.
Burke
Robinson
Hardaway
McGary
Stauskas ..... don't scoff at this one... he is a true freshman that is showing some elite skills... if he has an above-average trajectory in his overall game the remaining three years, then he should/will make it.
Horford ..... he is still not fully matured...still looks like a kid... the metamorphosis may come this offseason.... it is in his genes with his father and brother in the NBA, so Im putting this at 50/50
Beilein is showing astounding talent evaluation, especially now with the uptick in the program, which bodes incredibly well for incomers like Zak Irvin and Derrick Walton.
Hoooooo---wweeeeeeee........ is the future bright for mens' basketball.
January 29th, 2013 at 10:22 AM ^
I'd be more surprised at this point if Stauskas didn't make it as a professional. Anyone who can shoot 50% from 3 or better can probably carve out a role in the league, and that's not even touching upon the other skills he's flashed at times.
January 29th, 2013 at 10:24 AM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 12:55 PM ^
JJ Reddick is a 10X the player that Stauskas is. Don't get me wrong, Stauskas is a great player and I do think he will play in the NBA. But JJ is a better shooter, had better handles, more of a leader and just a winner. The guy was the all time leading scorer in the ACC and is the all time leading scorer in a season and a career at Duke.
Stauskas is has been great for us and I love that he is on our team. But let's ease up on the expectiations.
January 29th, 2013 at 1:34 PM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 2:07 PM ^
So you're saying he's grittier?
Also, Stauskas is a freshman, so he's not expected to be a leader on a team with older, more established players. And he's got a 19-1 record thus far.
January 29th, 2013 at 2:54 PM ^
"Stauskas is a freshman"
Thus making the comparison to the all time ACC leading scorrer all the more rediculous. I love Stauskas, but you can't just start comparing him to someone like Reddick after 20 collegiate games.
January 29th, 2013 at 6:42 PM ^
You really can't compare them. Stauskas is way better. And far less of a pussy.
January 29th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^
After all, Stauskas is more than just a shooter. :p
January 29th, 2013 at 10:42 AM ^
In fact, he may be more than just a shooter, but he is more than just more than just a shooter as well.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:24 AM ^
You can't reference Stauskus without mentioning that he is more than just a shooter.
January 29th, 2013 at 12:01 PM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 10:24 AM ^
Steve Nash paved the way for Canadians...why not Stauskas too?
January 29th, 2013 at 11:10 AM ^
If Nash already paved the way for Canadiens, then Stauskas would have to re-pave it. I mean, you can't pave twice, that's just silly...
January 29th, 2013 at 12:23 PM ^
Tell MDOT that
January 29th, 2013 at 1:56 PM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 2:56 PM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 10:32 AM ^
I don't think anybody should be faulted for thinking that. Who in their right mind would have guessed we'd achieve a 19-1 start?
Amazing what Coach B has been able to build.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:11 AM ^
Having been among those who was a skeptic a couple of years ago about whether John Beilein's system could work at Michigan, and having had further doubts after watching the Wolverines lose two games in Atlantic City, NJ in a Thanksgiving weekend tournament with Syracuse, Georgia Tech and UTEP in 2010, I'm ready to admit now that I was among the many who were wrong , , , and as The Beatles sang:
January 29th, 2013 at 10:34 AM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 10:51 AM ^
You have a sample size of just over zero on which to base this conclusion
January 29th, 2013 at 11:09 AM ^
Having both a father, and a brother, in the NBA.... bodes well for his genes... and it appears he got them... now, Horford is still young and immature... I'm predicting a change this offseason. Yes, it is a leap, but a calculated one.
On Beilfeldt, I disagree.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:17 AM ^
i like Max, but no way does he have a better chance than Horford. Max is a 6'7 power forward with limited athletic ability.
Horford is 6'10, he has the bloodlines and continues to substantially improve each year.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:42 AM ^
Who would he guard? How would he score? He's not a Jason Maxiell type that has crazy athleticism. Unless he becomes a phenomenal shooter or develops an amazing post game, he will not get a sniff b/c of his limited physical attributes.
That said, I've loved him when he's got on the floor. He will be a contributor throughout his career.
January 29th, 2013 at 12:45 PM ^
I like Bielfeldt as well, however he's too small for the NBA. He's only 6'7"
EDIT: not fast enough on the draw, beaten to the punch
January 29th, 2013 at 10:36 AM ^
Don't get me wrong, he's been a solid player for Michigan so far. But he's also more developed physically than your average freshman and hasn't shown that he is a sure-fire NBA player. He's a solid hustle player, and does a lot of things well, but still really needs to develop many of the finer parts of his game.
He's not physically gifted enough to simply be a raw athlete that NBA teams crave, and he really needs to work on shooting, post offense, and post defense. He's probably not growing much more. In my opinion right now he's looking like a very solid college player with a chance at the NBA.
Again, he may be an NBA prospect in the future, but at this point I'm a bit confused why so many are just assuming he is. Stauskas has just as good if not better shot than McGary IMO.
January 29th, 2013 at 10:38 AM ^
You just said a guy that had never seen the inside of a weightroom until moving into West Quad is "more developed physically than your average freshman."
I'm confused.
January 29th, 2013 at 10:47 AM ^
He probably isn't growing taller. He's grown into his body (aka he's matured physically, so there won't be that jump where suddenly he becomes comfortable with the way his limbs move). He may get stronger, but his trajectory will not be like most freshman. He's much closer to peaking physically than most at this stage in their college career.
Also, the finer things he needs to work on are some of the more difficult things to develop. I'm sure he'll get better at all of them, but there is a solid chance it isn't enough to become an NBA player. I think he will be a pro player, but the odds are just as high that he will be a Euro pro than an NBA pro at this point.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:05 AM ^
20 soon to be 21, he was born in 1992. I completely agree with you with regards to McGary's NBA chances, if he has to stay for 4 years he will be 24 before he plays an NBA game.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:52 AM ^
How is that possible?
January 29th, 2013 at 11:54 AM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 10:37 AM ^
Also add LeVert to the list.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:00 AM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 11:12 AM ^
And Eso.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:53 AM ^
He might carve out a role as a trebuchet
January 29th, 2013 at 11:13 AM ^
but as an NBA agent, of course
January 29th, 2013 at 12:20 PM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 1:58 PM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 10:40 AM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 10:43 AM ^
It's nice to see Horford start to become a solid player, but he is the third big on a college team. Maybe something amazing happens and he becomes a great player, but he's had over two years with this level of coaching, most likely he won't become an NBA level talent.
He might, I'm not giving certainty that he won't, but putting the odds at 50/50 is crazy. I would say it's a very outside chance he gets drafted or sticks in the NBA (whatever your criteria is for becoming an NBA player). I think it's much more likely that he becomes a solid big man that comes off the bench for Michigan and maybe starts toward the end of his senior year then goes to play in Europe (where his skill set should give him a solid career over there).
January 29th, 2013 at 11:06 AM ^
You're probably right... however think that not many were on Robinson or Hardaway, and they bloomed late, into stardom, and Beilein both predicted this and is now rewarded for it. I have to figure the same goes for Horford, who to me, still looks mentally and physically immature, and I think when he fully matures, he'll be another Beilein's exceptional finds. 50/50 is unrealistic barring the Beilein track record....with it, especially having to do with NBA legacies, it becomes far more reasonable.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:53 AM ^
Luke Zeller is now playing in the NBA.
Go take a look at his college stats.
January 29th, 2013 at 12:09 PM ^
College and NBA production are very loosely correlated. I'd argue Horford has a better chance of making it than McGary, and LaVert has a better chance of making it than Stauskas.
January 29th, 2013 at 2:25 PM ^
Don't forget that Horford was ahead of Morgan last year before the injuries. Right now I'd say he's an injury risk but has NBA potential if he gets his body right.
January 29th, 2013 at 10:56 AM ^
Swap LeVert for Horford and you might be onto something.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:02 AM ^
You'd think, right? Yet I get negged four times already for this post.... I'm beginning to realize there are an insane amount of assholes on mgoblog, most of whom didn't even go to Michigan.
January 29th, 2013 at 11:40 AM ^
It's probably because you're using ellipses like crazy. It's annoying. Hence the negging.
January 29th, 2013 at 12:32 PM ^
It was the hoooo wwwweeeeee at the end of his post that pushed it over the top.
January 29th, 2013 at 12:25 PM ^
January 29th, 2013 at 12:52 PM ^
For me it was the statement
"before you scoff at that statement, go look back. It is true." It sounded like a statement a kid being bullied on the playground would make, like maybe you think you're addressing "assholes on mgoblog." You would have been better off just leaving that out, or in its place, providing a link to a post 18 months ago.
January 29th, 2013 at 6:35 PM ^
I looked for a link that may have been hidden in the op. I should have known better.