Welcome to The Mo Bamba Experience
Brendan Quinn with a nice piece on Mo Bamba today. Not much new info regarding his thoughts on Michigan, but it's a good look into the type of person he is. It's interesting even if you think there's zero chance he comes here.
Seems like a different dude, in a really good way. He even somehow pulls off referring to himself in the third person.
Also: kudos to Quinn for doing yeoman's work on the basketball beat lately.
If you count the Fab Five era, Michigan is #10 all time in Final Four appearances, and tied for sixth all time in championship game appearances.
Michigan is a basketball blue blood by those standards. The reason that we, as fans, don't always recognize that is that Michigan has fallen to fourth in the Big Ten in Final Fours (OSU, MSU, Indiana), and, of course, is 1-5 in national championship games.
I do expect continued success, but I really fail to understand the posters here who say "recruit better," as though John Beilein is sitting around thinking, "Golly, I sure don't want any of those top players to come to my team." The kids have to want to come to Michigan, where you're going to have to go to class and play team basketball, and they have to want to play for a coach who actually wants to coach them instead of stroke their egos.
John Beilein is demonstrably an excellent coach, because he can beat any team in the country without a markéd talent advantage. In the last five years, Michigan is two shots away from (a) overtime to go to the Final Four and (b) an Elite Eight matchup with Bill Self. That's what happens in single elimination tournaments; the length of your run is extremely heavily influenced by luck. He's done that with the players he's been able to recruit. I think he's recruiting just fine.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:02 AM ^
It can be both.
Using Mo Bamba as the example, you'd have a development-driven team with one ridiculous player in the middle to rebound his ass off, alter shots and pick up 10 points on putbacks and fast break alone. Older guys help him learn on the fly, he helps lift the team's upside.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:14 AM ^
are the missing piece in the Beilein system. Having a guy on the floor who can get offensive putbacks regularly, block shots, and clear the glass have been largely non-existent in the years Beilein has been here. We've had short glimpses of it with McGary and Wilson this year at times.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:26 AM ^
7'8 wingspan.
March 29th, 2017 at 10:11 AM ^
...it seems like Texas has a real shot here given his emphasis on being close to the coach and him having played for Smart on the US team.
Nope. I won't do it.
My recruiting fucks to give for 2017 are depleted after this guy.
...5-star guys, I'll see you next year. I should be ready by then.
But that picture just brought it all crashing back
March 29th, 2017 at 10:03 AM ^
On board the 5* Mo Recuritment Train...lets roll!!
March 29th, 2017 at 10:03 AM ^
I don't think this young man is coming to Ann Arbor. I mean reading that article about him, I get the feeling he is his own man, that Michigan could be his final choice if only because he doesn't want to be pressured in going somewhere just to please potential teammates or peers.
If he didn't have this attitude, I would think there was no chance instead of being highly doubtful. We all know that this kid would get the best opportunity to explore and develop his game under Beilein. And if he wanted a close relationship with his coach, he'd only have to ask Mo Wagner about he and Beilein get along so famously.
Beilein will never compromise himself or his system and his program at this school for a single recruit. And he's smart not to do so because he doesn't have to do that to ensure his team will continue to win. This drives many of us crazy, but given his background, his track record in player development at Michigan, that concern should have long been erased.
Judging only from what i read in that story, Mo Bamba may choose between Texas and Michigan or simply do what other kids with his stature mostly do and pick between Duke and Kentucky. However, it turns out, I am confident that Beilein will fill his final scholarship opening with a contributor next season.
March 29th, 2017 at 10:04 AM ^
Watching the NIT last night, I couldn't believe the size of Tacko Fall. 8'4 wingspan and amazingly pretty agile for a person his size.
Bamba and his 7'8 wingspan would be quite a luxury.
March 29th, 2017 at 10:12 AM ^
March 29th, 2017 at 10:09 AM ^
This guy isn't going to Michigan. The only 5* Beilein has landed (who was a 5* at the time of his commitment i.e. not GRIII or Zak) was McGary. He's like 0-fer-20 since then.
March 29th, 2017 at 10:29 AM ^
That said, I'd love some balance between earnest program guys and an occasional one and done. Because that seems like a damn good recipe.
March 29th, 2017 at 10:23 AM ^
Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up. Mustn't get my hopes up.
As an aside: I can't blame him for latching onto that 2013 team...
March 29th, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^
March 29th, 2017 at 10:38 AM ^
Let me steal a phrase from Jim Harbaugh, it's a meritocracy. You can never have enough talented big men in college basketball. They usually can't play 35 minutes a game like guards and are more prone to foul trouble than anyone else on the court. DJ is more a peremiter player at this point anyways, and Sam Webb has reported his gut has told him they would have no prblem finding minutes for all three.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:59 AM ^
All three would see the floor at the same time, and it would be glorious.
In all seriousness though that would probably happen, at least at times. It's been discussed recently on the UMHoops forums. DJ could guard 3's well enough, and Bamba could guard 4's. On offense Wagner would be the 4. The fact that DJ and Wagner can stretch the floor with their shooting on offense helps a lot.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:06 AM ^
March 29th, 2017 at 11:08 AM ^
40 minute games, 2 positions. That is 80 minutes of playing time. Splitting that up equally gives each player 26:40 of playing time.
Beilen could also tinker with playing all three (Bamba at the 5, Wagner at the 4 and Wilson at the 3) Wagner could get exposed at the 4 but with Bamba standing under the basket, that is a sure fire way of cleaning up any mistakes....... Add in moving Mattews to the 2 and you have a very big, athletic lineup...... Or they play a zone (not in his nature, but with those three wing span then could all stand finger tip to finger tip and basically cover the entire baseline.
Botton line, there would be plenty of options to play with and all 3 could easily garner 30 minutes a game.
March 29th, 2017 at 12:00 PM ^
"Not in his nature?"
Years after the fact, analysts still think Michigan plays the 1-3-1 because Beilein was famous for it at West Virginia.
If Beilein (and Donlon) think that a zone is the best defense to play in '17-'18, they'll teach a zone. End of story.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:15 AM ^
Go Blue.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:24 AM ^
I think we have a decent chance. Bamba is kind of an intellectual contrarian, the way Dhani Jones was.
It may appeal to him to shock everybody and pick a path that is contrary to what everybody says he should do.
Regarding picking Michigan: "It would mean a lot and it would say a lot."
Becoming yet another McDonalds All-American log thrown on the Duke / Kentucky fire may be too conformist for his outlook.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:32 AM ^
What a great player and person for the program though, if he came here. You listen to him and read what he says and he's a very impressive young man. I really wish Michigan had started talking to him a lot sooner.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:36 AM ^
I remember when Shane Battier said he committed to Duke for their Business school. Ever since, I've taken all the puff pieces with a grain of salt.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:55 AM ^
Guys dont get your hopes up, #2 player in the nation. Michigan is great and all, but its hard for an 18 year old to pass up a ocuple hundred grand from Kentucky or Duke...
March 29th, 2017 at 12:07 PM ^
Meh, even if they are paying kids, there's more to it than that. Look at the atmosphere at Rupp/Cameron Indoor vs Crisler. Basketball is the #1 sport at those schools, and that's obviously not the case at Michigan. It really comes down to personal preference and if a kid wants that "rock star" life, or if he wants something more lowkey. Most 5* guys aren't interested in the latter. That's what really sucked about the Jaylen Brown situation. He actually was different than the typical 5* recruit and wasn't interested in all the attention. Unfortunately Cal won out.
March 29th, 2017 at 11:59 AM ^
Dude's going to be good at Duke or Texas.
March 29th, 2017 at 12:17 PM ^
and hopefully we get one soon. but don't see bamba coming to michigan given his words/criteria (academic/one n done/coach relationship).
add him to the coulda been graveyard with jaylen brown, josh jackson, tyus battle and josh langford
Duke or Texas
I will enjoy rooting for Mo Bamba at Kentucky next year. Or Duke.