Before we start, I want to give a major shoutout to the Michigan basketball program and Juwan Howard.
This past Friday was the first official day of practice for the Men's basketball team, and I was fortunate enough to be in the building. The coaching staff was extremely generous and allowed me to be present.
It was a pleasure conversing with Juwan Howard, Jay Smith, Saddi Washington, Howard Eisley, Phil Martelli and so many others. The staff was appreciative of me and my time, and I am incredibly appreciative of them, it was something I am beyond grateful for.
I had a pleasant interaction with each and every person in the building. That is the kind of thing that starts with the headman and works its way down. An absolute first-class program filled with first-class people.
—
One of the biggest takeaways I had was the energy level across the board in practice.
Friday was largely a conditioning day but the energy coming in and out was incredibly high. The coaches, players, managers, staff members, and even I was feeling the "juice". The atmosphere was electric and was something that I came away incredibly impressed by.
The whole team ran and ran hard. I have further observations, including personal interaction with the players as well as watching them put in some extra work following the conclusion of practice. However, simply from a conditioning, athleticism, and attitude perspective, I came away impressed with Kobe Bufkin and Doug McDaniel.
Guards:
After watching Friday's performance, I am fully confident in saying Kobe Bufkin is the best athlete on the team. His explosiveness and lateral quickness have only grown more impressive, not to mention he has certainly added 15-20+ of muscle to his frame. He wasn't thin like he was a year ago. He looked every bit of 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds. He finished first in every conditioning competition and came away as the most impressive athlete in the program.
Maize & Blue Review has been very vocal regarding Michigan freshman, Doug McDaniel, and the expectations for him this season.
After a tough transition, McDaniel has been really good. He has some way to go, but expect McDaniel to play and play well. In my recent interview with Jace Howard, he told me, "At the end of the year, when we look back, I think everyone is going to say how Dug helped us win a lot of games."
He was impressive during practice on Friday. Finished second, only behind Kobe Bufkin during the competition. The competition was separated into three groups; Guards, Wings, and Bigs. But in pure timing, McDaniel finished second each time.
Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn is a shoe-in for the starting point guard spot but has some flexibility to move off-ball in an Eli Brooks-type of role. He is impressive and has good size to him. He will be a big piece to this team and showed that this summer in Europe.
Cooper Smith, son of Michigan director of player personnel & development, Jay Smith, was grouped in with the other three guards. He ran hard and had a great attitude. Towards the end of the conditioning, when everyone was gassed, Smith dove over the finish line and fired everyone back up. He actually split his chin open on the hardwood, but that energy epitomizes exactly what Howard and company want and that is energy.
Wings:
Let's talk about another son, or rather two. Both Howard boys have the chance to play roles this year for the team. In an opposite type of way. Jace will carve out a role, predicated on his ability to defend and his motor. The younger Howard, Jett, is arguably the most talented player on the team and can fill it up in a hurry. He has the ability and skillset to capture Big Ten Freshman of the Year, with a Malaki Branham-like season. Both players are big wings. Jace is about 6-foot-7 and I would venture to say Jett has him by an inch or so. Was informed by a source that Jett needs to improve on the defensive side of the ball, but he has all the tools to be a first-round pick.
One thing I was glad to see was Duke transfer, Joey Baker, healthy again. He is healthy and the hip isn't giving him too much trouble, but he is fighting to get back into shape after being relatively sidelined for a while. He has a role on this team, both on and off the court. He will be big for floor spacing, but his role as a leader will be instrumental for the team. He is one of the few players that we know what to expect from him. That's a major plus in my eyes.
A very pleasant surprise was Will Tschetter. High-level athlete. He was one of the players who stayed after to put some extra shots up. I'll be interested to see if he can get some minutes this year. There is some potential there. I grouped him in with the Wings because that's the group he ran with. He finished first in this heat the majority of the time.
Let’s shift the focus to a guy who was recently named Team Captain, Terrance Williams II. The coaches are expecting a big year out of him. There is belief in the building that Twill and Hunter Dickinson can form the best frontcourt in the country. Williams has gotten better and better each season with the Wolverines and the staff has full confidence that he will take the next step and be a consistent starter.
I’m not saying it is, or even instigating any sort of fact, other than just a personal opinion. But it feels like make-or-break time for Isaiah Barnes. With the wing position being so incredibly loaded for the foreseeable future, Barnes is looking to make a name for himself this year. I think he can carve out some PT, but how much, not sure. He has the tools and played pretty well in Europe. Let’s see it in action this season.
Finally, the last thing with the Wings is Youssef Khayat. Khayat just hasn’t been on campus long enough to make a prediction on what his role will be but put it this way, he will have a role. He needs to put a little weight on but he is really long. Like freaky long. I wouldn’t expect TOO much out of him right away, but I think he will play more towards the end of the season. Somewhere around 12-15 minutes sounds about right.
Bigs:
Let’s just address the elephant in the room. Hunter Dickinson is elite. We know this. But I’m not sure people are ready to see him play with spacing and control. The feeling is that 20 points and 10 rebounds is the floor. If that’s the case, Hunter will make a run at National Player of the Year. He is in much better shape than he was this summer, a welcome sight for Michigan, not so much for anyone else.
I had a really great interaction with freshman center, Tarris Reed. I flew that morning from St. Louis and the two of us were able to talk about St. Louis BBQ. On a basketball note, I can’t believe how big he is. He is huge. Legs are like tree trunks, and the way he moves at 6-foot-10 is impressive. His quick burst is great. Tarris will be dominant in the Big Ten for years to come.
Finally, we get to freshman Gregg Glenn. His personality is infectious. Not sure there was a time he wasn’t smiling. He is bigger than I expected too. He was listed anywhere between 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-7 in high school, but I think 6-foot-8 is more accurate. He has good ball skills but has some more development in his future. Not a bad thing by any stretch. Gives the staff some flexibility but he has a lot of good to work with.
—
Overall, I was very impressed with both the program and the individual players, but by far I came away most impressed with Juwan Howard and his coaching staff.
The way Howard operates is next to none. The players listen and respond to him. Nothing he says goes unanswered but most of all he operates out of respect.
This Michigan team is good, but it remains to be seen just how good.
Per usual, stay posted.
This past Friday was the first official day of practice for the Men's basketball team, and I was fortunate enough to be in the building. The coaching staff was extremely generous and allowed me to be present.
It was a pleasure conversing with Juwan Howard, Jay Smith, Saddi Washington, Howard Eisley, Phil Martelli and so many others. The staff was appreciative of me and my time, and I am incredibly appreciative of them, it was something I am beyond grateful for.
I had a pleasant interaction with each and every person in the building. That is the kind of thing that starts with the headman and works its way down. An absolute first-class program filled with first-class people.
—
One of the biggest takeaways I had was the energy level across the board in practice.
Friday was largely a conditioning day but the energy coming in and out was incredibly high. The coaches, players, managers, staff members, and even I was feeling the "juice". The atmosphere was electric and was something that I came away incredibly impressed by.
The whole team ran and ran hard. I have further observations, including personal interaction with the players as well as watching them put in some extra work following the conclusion of practice. However, simply from a conditioning, athleticism, and attitude perspective, I came away impressed with Kobe Bufkin and Doug McDaniel.
Guards:
After watching Friday's performance, I am fully confident in saying Kobe Bufkin is the best athlete on the team. His explosiveness and lateral quickness have only grown more impressive, not to mention he has certainly added 15-20+ of muscle to his frame. He wasn't thin like he was a year ago. He looked every bit of 6-foot-4 and 200 pounds. He finished first in every conditioning competition and came away as the most impressive athlete in the program.
Maize & Blue Review has been very vocal regarding Michigan freshman, Doug McDaniel, and the expectations for him this season.
After a tough transition, McDaniel has been really good. He has some way to go, but expect McDaniel to play and play well. In my recent interview with Jace Howard, he told me, "At the end of the year, when we look back, I think everyone is going to say how Dug helped us win a lot of games."
He was impressive during practice on Friday. Finished second, only behind Kobe Bufkin during the competition. The competition was separated into three groups; Guards, Wings, and Bigs. But in pure timing, McDaniel finished second each time.
Princeton transfer Jaelin Llewellyn is a shoe-in for the starting point guard spot but has some flexibility to move off-ball in an Eli Brooks-type of role. He is impressive and has good size to him. He will be a big piece to this team and showed that this summer in Europe.
Cooper Smith, son of Michigan director of player personnel & development, Jay Smith, was grouped in with the other three guards. He ran hard and had a great attitude. Towards the end of the conditioning, when everyone was gassed, Smith dove over the finish line and fired everyone back up. He actually split his chin open on the hardwood, but that energy epitomizes exactly what Howard and company want and that is energy.
Wings:
Let's talk about another son, or rather two. Both Howard boys have the chance to play roles this year for the team. In an opposite type of way. Jace will carve out a role, predicated on his ability to defend and his motor. The younger Howard, Jett, is arguably the most talented player on the team and can fill it up in a hurry. He has the ability and skillset to capture Big Ten Freshman of the Year, with a Malaki Branham-like season. Both players are big wings. Jace is about 6-foot-7 and I would venture to say Jett has him by an inch or so. Was informed by a source that Jett needs to improve on the defensive side of the ball, but he has all the tools to be a first-round pick.
One thing I was glad to see was Duke transfer, Joey Baker, healthy again. He is healthy and the hip isn't giving him too much trouble, but he is fighting to get back into shape after being relatively sidelined for a while. He has a role on this team, both on and off the court. He will be big for floor spacing, but his role as a leader will be instrumental for the team. He is one of the few players that we know what to expect from him. That's a major plus in my eyes.
A very pleasant surprise was Will Tschetter. High-level athlete. He was one of the players who stayed after to put some extra shots up. I'll be interested to see if he can get some minutes this year. There is some potential there. I grouped him in with the Wings because that's the group he ran with. He finished first in this heat the majority of the time.
Let’s shift the focus to a guy who was recently named Team Captain, Terrance Williams II. The coaches are expecting a big year out of him. There is belief in the building that Twill and Hunter Dickinson can form the best frontcourt in the country. Williams has gotten better and better each season with the Wolverines and the staff has full confidence that he will take the next step and be a consistent starter.
I’m not saying it is, or even instigating any sort of fact, other than just a personal opinion. But it feels like make-or-break time for Isaiah Barnes. With the wing position being so incredibly loaded for the foreseeable future, Barnes is looking to make a name for himself this year. I think he can carve out some PT, but how much, not sure. He has the tools and played pretty well in Europe. Let’s see it in action this season.
Finally, the last thing with the Wings is Youssef Khayat. Khayat just hasn’t been on campus long enough to make a prediction on what his role will be but put it this way, he will have a role. He needs to put a little weight on but he is really long. Like freaky long. I wouldn’t expect TOO much out of him right away, but I think he will play more towards the end of the season. Somewhere around 12-15 minutes sounds about right.
Bigs:
Let’s just address the elephant in the room. Hunter Dickinson is elite. We know this. But I’m not sure people are ready to see him play with spacing and control. The feeling is that 20 points and 10 rebounds is the floor. If that’s the case, Hunter will make a run at National Player of the Year. He is in much better shape than he was this summer, a welcome sight for Michigan, not so much for anyone else.
I had a really great interaction with freshman center, Tarris Reed. I flew that morning from St. Louis and the two of us were able to talk about St. Louis BBQ. On a basketball note, I can’t believe how big he is. He is huge. Legs are like tree trunks, and the way he moves at 6-foot-10 is impressive. His quick burst is great. Tarris will be dominant in the Big Ten for years to come.
Finally, we get to freshman Gregg Glenn. His personality is infectious. Not sure there was a time he wasn’t smiling. He is bigger than I expected too. He was listed anywhere between 6-foot-6 and 6-foot-7 in high school, but I think 6-foot-8 is more accurate. He has good ball skills but has some more development in his future. Not a bad thing by any stretch. Gives the staff some flexibility but he has a lot of good to work with.
—
Overall, I was very impressed with both the program and the individual players, but by far I came away most impressed with Juwan Howard and his coaching staff.
The way Howard operates is next to none. The players listen and respond to him. Nothing he says goes unanswered but most of all he operates out of respect.
This Michigan team is good, but it remains to be seen just how good.
Per usual, stay posted.
