The kid who picked BYU over Michigan obviously wanted to stay closer to his home (Las Vegas).
But the fact that Michigan has not signed a big, and Golden, Wolf, and Tschetter all being gone next season, what do we do?
The portal will be huge in predicting what next season's team will look like. Michigan needs three more bigs to go with Sam Walters.
First, I'll look at the B1G- keep in mind these are just guesses based on players stuck on mediocre teams, and/or programs getting rid of their head coaches at the end of the season.
I was looking longingly at the woefully misused (MSU) former five-star Xavier Booker (6'11", 245) to maybe look for greener pastures, but I'd bet he's end up at Purdue or IU (he's an Indiana kid and Purdue finished 2nd in his recruitment). Next season he will be a junior.
Makenzie Mgbako (IU) was once a Michigan target who went for some reason to a perennially underperforming IU team. Now his coach is gone and he's not appearing in any mocks- he averages 13 PPG and 4 RPG and good shooting splits (46% FG, 33% 3, 87% FT) at 6'9", 220. (Junior)
Malik Reneau is another IU player- He's a little heftier than Mgbako, and is similar to Purdue's Colman-Renn. 6'9" 235, 12.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 54% from the field. can't shoot threes this season though he shot 33% last year on 45 attempts. (Senior)
Yanik Conan Niederhauser- (PSU) Somehow a 7-foot Swedish guy got stuck paying for Penn State- I'm sure that he would be amenable to becoming the next Goldin or Wolf. 7', 250, 12.3 PPG, 6 RPG, but most importantly, 2 BLOCKS per game. Gave us a few issues when we played them...he could be looking for an upgrade. (Senior)
Aaron Bradshaw- Former five-star, #2 recruit in the nation who flipped to OSU from UK in the portal. He hasn't improved as a soph, and in fact has taken a step back with a terrible OSU squad. At 7'1" 215 may still be too skinny, and his lack of actual production isn't there. 6.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 48% FG, 17% from 3 (but better as a freshman). (Junior)
Pipe dreams:
Tomislav Ivicic- 7'1" 230 lb stud- 13.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2 APG, 1.1 BPG, 52% FG, 37% from 3. Many players seem to leave Illinois after one season under apparent a-hole Underwood, so there's hope. (soph).
Owen Freeman- (Iowa) Big man- 6'10 " 245 Currently toiling in obscurity in an Iowa program going nowhere. He averages 16.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 63% FG shooting, 1.8 BPG, and a promising 31 % from 3. Would he leave Iowa? (Junior)
Derik Queen- 6'10", 246- 15.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 53% FG, 74% FT- Maryland is another "meh' program, but this kid, like his role model Julian Reese is a Marland kid born and bred.
I know that this is just the B1G possible portal entries of bigs..But as March rolls around, I will be looking at more possibilities to add to this list from other conferences...
But the fact that Michigan has not signed a big, and Golden, Wolf, and Tschetter all being gone next season, what do we do?
The portal will be huge in predicting what next season's team will look like. Michigan needs three more bigs to go with Sam Walters.
First, I'll look at the B1G- keep in mind these are just guesses based on players stuck on mediocre teams, and/or programs getting rid of their head coaches at the end of the season.
I was looking longingly at the woefully misused (MSU) former five-star Xavier Booker (6'11", 245) to maybe look for greener pastures, but I'd bet he's end up at Purdue or IU (he's an Indiana kid and Purdue finished 2nd in his recruitment). Next season he will be a junior.
Makenzie Mgbako (IU) was once a Michigan target who went for some reason to a perennially underperforming IU team. Now his coach is gone and he's not appearing in any mocks- he averages 13 PPG and 4 RPG and good shooting splits (46% FG, 33% 3, 87% FT) at 6'9", 220. (Junior)
Malik Reneau is another IU player- He's a little heftier than Mgbako, and is similar to Purdue's Colman-Renn. 6'9" 235, 12.7 PPG, 5.7 RPG, 54% from the field. can't shoot threes this season though he shot 33% last year on 45 attempts. (Senior)
Yanik Conan Niederhauser- (PSU) Somehow a 7-foot Swedish guy got stuck paying for Penn State- I'm sure that he would be amenable to becoming the next Goldin or Wolf. 7', 250, 12.3 PPG, 6 RPG, but most importantly, 2 BLOCKS per game. Gave us a few issues when we played them...he could be looking for an upgrade. (Senior)
Aaron Bradshaw- Former five-star, #2 recruit in the nation who flipped to OSU from UK in the portal. He hasn't improved as a soph, and in fact has taken a step back with a terrible OSU squad. At 7'1" 215 may still be too skinny, and his lack of actual production isn't there. 6.2 PPG, 2.9 RPG, 0.8 BPG, 48% FG, 17% from 3 (but better as a freshman). (Junior)
Pipe dreams:
Tomislav Ivicic- 7'1" 230 lb stud- 13.1 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 2 APG, 1.1 BPG, 52% FG, 37% from 3. Many players seem to leave Illinois after one season under apparent a-hole Underwood, so there's hope. (soph).
Owen Freeman- (Iowa) Big man- 6'10 " 245 Currently toiling in obscurity in an Iowa program going nowhere. He averages 16.7 PPG, 6.7 RPG, 63% FG shooting, 1.8 BPG, and a promising 31 % from 3. Would he leave Iowa? (Junior)
Derik Queen- 6'10", 246- 15.5 PPG, 8.5 RPG, 1 BPG, 1.2 SPG, 53% FG, 74% FT- Maryland is another "meh' program, but this kid, like his role model Julian Reese is a Marland kid born and bred.
I know that this is just the B1G possible portal entries of bigs..But as March rolls around, I will be looking at more possibilities to add to this list from other conferences...
