Next years basketball team
Yes, I know. Why would we discuss next years team when we are 7 games into this season. I’ll take the downvotes if that makes you feel better. The reason I post this thread is that there are some fascinating variables that could make a huge impact on how good next years team is. And I truly believe as good as we are playing, Juwan is just getting started and the best years are yet to come. So here are the questions:
1. Does Livers return for his senior season? Before the season I would not have thought he was an early entry candidate, but with the way that he is playing I would say it’s possible he’s an NBA guy after the season. I have not seen his name in any mock draft yet though.
2. Who is signing? Zeb is in the fold and Todd is still verballed but will not sign until Spring. Still in it to 5* Josh Christopher and looking really good for high 4* Dickinson.
So..best case. We get back Livers, sign Todd, Christopher and Dickinson. That is an absolutely loaded team that would have to be among the preseason faves. It’s almost a problem figuring out who would start.
C-Dickinson/Castleton
PF- Todd/Johns
SF-Livers/Bajema
SG-Wagner/Christopher/DDJ
PG-Brooks/Jackson
Worst case: Livers leaves and we strike out with the big 2 left and Todd goes overseas. Even in this scenario it does not seem bleak.
C-Castleton
PF-Johns
SF-Wagner
SG-DDJ
PG-Brooks
Obviously the worst case is not ideal, but it’s exciting to see we have proven talent that should make us very good either way. With the way Juwan is recruiting, this program feels like it’s in great hands.
December 3rd, 2019 at 12:59 PM ^
1. Maybe depends on what happens the rest of the 23+ games.
2. Probably.
3. Yes, but as you said, can we enjoy this year?
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:31 PM ^
Is this our cue to start talking about the 2021 football team yet?
December 3rd, 2019 at 2:02 PM ^
Wait till two years from now is the new wait till next year.
December 3rd, 2019 at 12:59 PM ^
DDJ disrespect there, fella.
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:04 PM ^
Yeah, he is really good. And I don’t mean to sound like he would be third string at SG but if we signed the guys we wanted we would just be very deep. Which is a good thing. In the “best case” I’m sure he would still be getting 20-25 minutes a game between the 2 guard spots.
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:24 PM ^
DDJ starting point guard next year with Brooks at the 2
December 3rd, 2019 at 2:10 PM ^
This is no doubt the correct answer. When both DDJ and Brooks are in, DDJ is the PG and Brooks is the SG (with some ballhandling duties at times).
December 3rd, 2019 at 2:11 PM ^
I would take you more seriously if you put the players at their correct positions.
December 3rd, 2019 at 2:13 PM ^
Not only DDJ disrespect, this ignores Brooks weaknesses as a PG. I love Brooks as a shot maker at the 2 (has a great touch from mid-range), but he does NOT have much touch in his passing. He may be the worst passer on the starting 5. How many times has he overthrown one of the bigs on the baseline? I counted twice in one game in the tournament, counting the alley oop pass. Again, not to the point of undermining his role as a shooter but he is not ideal as point.
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:01 PM ^
Why would we discuss next years team when we are 7 games into this season.
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:10 PM ^
It's a proud Michigan tradition.
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:22 PM ^
Next year is always our year
December 3rd, 2019 at 5:15 PM ^
I thought this year ended and we finished undefeated! 7-0!! Woot woot!
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:47 PM ^
Or we are turning into Cubs fans.
December 3rd, 2019 at 3:02 PM ^
I used to live in Illinois (Peoria) about 10 years ago. Was talking with a Cubs fan at the golf course. I remember him saying "Well, there's always next year..." This was the first week in April. The tune must have changed since they won the WS.
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:02 PM ^
So Bajema is in the mix in the "best case" but completely excluded from the "worst case"?
Does he contract some sort or virus that causes him to retire? Does he quit to play on the football team in order to revive our past glory? I need answers!
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:07 PM ^
I only listed starters in the second scenario
December 3rd, 2019 at 2:17 PM ^
It was written from Bajema's perspective
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:27 PM ^
What about FIVE seasons from now...
**mind blown dot gif**
December 3rd, 2019 at 4:19 PM ^
Our starting five will include Tim Hardaway III, Glenn Robinson IV, and Alfonso "Quad" Burke IV.
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:34 PM ^
As far as next year's class is concerned, there were some Illinois fan's in their post-game thread that thought Adam Miller (committed to Illinois) was going to end up at Michigan.
Not sure if that's just Illini BPONE talking or if there's any smoke there- all I could find is that Michigan offered him on 11/12 and he has played with Jace Howard. #32 on the composite so if there's any legitimacy there, that'd be neat (his twitter was all Illinois though).
December 3rd, 2019 at 6:18 PM ^
I think their speculation is coming from Ayo regressing and therefore staying another year which would make Miller look elsewhere. I haven’t seen anything about Michigan being #2 for Miller but I do know Miller didn’t sign early so it’s probably safe to assume he’s watching how bad Illinois is.
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:41 PM ^
Incredibly gross post that shows many avid sports fans are diseased.
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:50 PM ^
Fuck 2019. Bring on 2020 baby!
December 3rd, 2019 at 1:51 PM ^
Can we talk about 2022 MBB recruiting?
December 3rd, 2019 at 2:06 PM ^
There is next to a 0% chance Livers is back. His game is more NBA ready than anyone that left last year.
Also, if Wagner blows up a bit - and we need to root for that to happen - he may go too.
December 3rd, 2019 at 2:44 PM ^
This.
Livers, was in a similar boat to Matthews last year, and probably was seriously considering leaving before he really blew up. Almost certainly will be gone, and I think will be a nice 3&D wing and have a long career.
Wagner is a 6'9 dude with length and a great shooting stroke, def an early entrant candidate.
I think this isn't necessarily a worst case though, Juwan showing he can get different kinds of guys into the league will only help reeling in future 4/5* guys.
December 3rd, 2019 at 4:25 PM ^
Livers could very well be gone, but I don't think it's a guarantee. He doesn't have the top-tier athleticism that the NBA often looks for. In most preseason 2019 rankings of draft-eligible prospects, he was ranked around #90-100. He definitely could play his way into a draftable slot, but I think he has some work to do.
That said, I think he could make an NBA career as an oversized 3-and-D wing. I just don't think he'll go in the range where the lure of the dollars is irresistible.
December 3rd, 2019 at 2:22 PM ^
7 games into the season. We’re ranked #4 and playing the #1 team tonight. AND you want to talk about next season?
Btw the downvote did make me feel better.
December 3rd, 2019 at 2:40 PM ^
Upvoting your downvote comment made me feel better too. :mindblown:
This site is better when points work...
December 3rd, 2019 at 2:49 PM ^
We are truly a Basketball Blueblood these days..Thank You John Belien and Thank You Juwan Howard for giving us something to be proud and excited about!...BEAT LOUISVILLE!!!
December 3rd, 2019 at 3:02 PM ^
Why do people post threads like this one?
December 3rd, 2019 at 3:19 PM ^
This is the worst analysis I’ve ever seen.... does anyone know why isiah Todd is waiting until the spring signing period?
December 3rd, 2019 at 3:59 PM ^
I'm actually rooting for you guys to sign a high end recruiting class. That way we OSU fans can then sit and complain that you have bagmen and low academic standards as an excuse if you beat us. Should be good times.
December 3rd, 2019 at 5:45 PM ^
Ban this user, please
December 4th, 2019 at 7:41 AM ^
Definitely ban me, no need to point out an obvious double standard.
December 3rd, 2019 at 4:22 PM ^
I checked my crystal ball and it said that we're going to be starting Matt Haarms, that freshman guard from UNC Anthony, three five stars off the Duke roster and Ibi Watson.
Thank goodness for the transfer portal!
December 3rd, 2019 at 4:29 PM ^
It'll be interesting to see how Coach Howard's strategy of recruiting "big fish" goes with the NBA poised to abolish the one-and-done rule sometime in the next couple years. One of the things I liked about Beilein is that his strategy of developing players in the 50-100 range rather than recruiting players in the 1-50 range would have held up well once all the one-and-done players who currently spend a semester at Duke or Kentucky jump straight to the NBA. I have full confidence in Howard's ability to adjust, but guys like Isaiah Todd probably won't spend time in college a few years from now.
December 4th, 2019 at 1:21 PM ^
In the best case scenario, I don't think Todd starts.
PG-Dejulius - Zeb
SG-Brooks or Christopher - Bajema
SF-Wagner-Bajema-Nunez
PF- Livers-Todd-Johns
C- Castleton-Todd-Dickinson
And if Michigan's roster was that deep, it would likely mean some guys like Johns, Bajema, Nunez, and/or Dickinson could be out of the rotation. No way Howard runs a rotation of 12 guys. I would guess he will keep it to a rotation of about 8.