Michigan basketball practice is in full swing, and several Wolverines are stepping up. Here’s the latest on who’s doing what. Plus, Highland, Utah, Class of 2016 wing Brendan Bailey picks Marquette … here’s insight on his decision.
First, on Bailey. The 6-7 standout – he’ll enroll in 2018 after a two-year mission – loved his visit and the entire collegiate experience, but being that he wouldn’t enroll until 2018, he wanted assurance that head coach John Beilein would still be around when he graduated. Beilein’s contract runs through the 2019-20 season, and there has been no extension as of yet.
The sell to Bailey was, “you’re committing to a school, not just a coach. None of us knows where we’ll be in five or six years.” Bailey, though, decided Marquette was the place he wanted to be.
As for the team, here’s what we gleaned from a recent practice …
First off, Zak Irvin and Spike Albrecht are still not 100 percent (of course) and not fully participating. They’re expected to be there in a few weeks, however, and it’s expected they’ll be back to 100 percent after the exhibition games. They are ahead of schedule.
As for the team … “solid,” our source said. “They still need to get better on the defensive end.
Keep in mind this was one practice, but here’s our player by player evaluation …
• Junior PG Derrick Walton Jr. - He’s taken his game to the next level. He got into the paint, but it was his jump shot that really impressed, especially in clock shot situations. He hit a step back 18-footer off a ball screen to beat it once, and a step back triple in another shot clock situation.
“He and [senior shooting guard] Caris LeVert are going to be a sick backcourt.”
• LeVert – Not nearly as much “handle the ball for 15 seconds and look to score.” He still gets into the paint at will, but he was really looking for his teammates and understands there are a lot of scoring options on the floor right now. At the same time, he’ll knock down his jumper at will and – when he needs to – will get to the rim. He looks like a legitimate top 10 pick.
• Redshirt sophomore wing Duncan Robinson – He’s not going to put it on the floor and blow by people, and his teammates know better than to leave him alone (and they don’t). He does a great job with the pump fake, two-dribble pull-up jumper, however, and knocks that down like he hits three-pointers. He’s getting stronger with the ball, too … not Nik Stauskas, but he can put it on the floor a bit.
• Redshirt freshman forward D.J. Wilson – “He is going to help them this year.” He has a lot of bounce and finished a few in limited transition opportunities. He didn’t score a lot, but he’s going to be an energy guy. He worked exclusively at the four (power forward) spot.
• Redshirt sophomore Mark Donnal – “The most improved player on the floor.” Our scouts have never been overly impressed with him, but Donnal brought it in practice. He’s a legit 240 and he muscled around the rim better than ever and hit a couple short jumpers. “I wouldn’t say he got the better of [sophomore center] Ricky Doyle, but it was close.”
• Doyle – Missed a few around the rim that were altered by Wilson and freshman center Moritz Wagner, but a lot of guys will. Those guys are ridiculously long. He is getting in better shape and is still the banger and getting better defensively.
• Wagner – “The ceiling is unbelievable for this guy. He’s two or three inches taller than Doyle and Donnal, probably a legit 6-11, and he hit a couple of perimeter shots. He can put it on the floor, too. His head is spinning right now on both ends of the floor as he tries to learn, but in three years, this kid might have the brightest future of anybody on the floor.” He played exclusively at the five (center) spot.
• Sophomore forward Kam Chatman – “He didn’t stand out. I like Wilson at the four more.” Keep in mind, Irvin will likely get a lot of run at the four, too. Keep in mind, too, that Chatman has been praised for his improvement and that this was only one practice.
• Sophomore wing Aubrey Dawkins – “He’s thicker and even bouncier … ridiculously athletic. He had a really impressive finish on an alley-oop in the scrimmage.” His vertical jump is 42 inches after he added five in the offseason working with Jon Sanderson.
• Sophomore shooting guard Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman – He’s struggling knowing he could be the odd man out, and it showed on this day. “He didn’t do anything noticeable,” according to our observer. It would be great to redshirt him, but he could also provide a spark the way LeVert did as the fourth guard a few years ago. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
First, on Bailey. The 6-7 standout – he’ll enroll in 2018 after a two-year mission – loved his visit and the entire collegiate experience, but being that he wouldn’t enroll until 2018, he wanted assurance that head coach John Beilein would still be around when he graduated. Beilein’s contract runs through the 2019-20 season, and there has been no extension as of yet.
The sell to Bailey was, “you’re committing to a school, not just a coach. None of us knows where we’ll be in five or six years.” Bailey, though, decided Marquette was the place he wanted to be.
As for the team, here’s what we gleaned from a recent practice …
First off, Zak Irvin and Spike Albrecht are still not 100 percent (of course) and not fully participating. They’re expected to be there in a few weeks, however, and it’s expected they’ll be back to 100 percent after the exhibition games. They are ahead of schedule.
As for the team … “solid,” our source said. “They still need to get better on the defensive end.
Keep in mind this was one practice, but here’s our player by player evaluation …
• Junior PG Derrick Walton Jr. - He’s taken his game to the next level. He got into the paint, but it was his jump shot that really impressed, especially in clock shot situations. He hit a step back 18-footer off a ball screen to beat it once, and a step back triple in another shot clock situation.
“He and [senior shooting guard] Caris LeVert are going to be a sick backcourt.”
• LeVert – Not nearly as much “handle the ball for 15 seconds and look to score.” He still gets into the paint at will, but he was really looking for his teammates and understands there are a lot of scoring options on the floor right now. At the same time, he’ll knock down his jumper at will and – when he needs to – will get to the rim. He looks like a legitimate top 10 pick.
• Redshirt sophomore wing Duncan Robinson – He’s not going to put it on the floor and blow by people, and his teammates know better than to leave him alone (and they don’t). He does a great job with the pump fake, two-dribble pull-up jumper, however, and knocks that down like he hits three-pointers. He’s getting stronger with the ball, too … not Nik Stauskas, but he can put it on the floor a bit.
• Redshirt freshman forward D.J. Wilson – “He is going to help them this year.” He has a lot of bounce and finished a few in limited transition opportunities. He didn’t score a lot, but he’s going to be an energy guy. He worked exclusively at the four (power forward) spot.
• Redshirt sophomore Mark Donnal – “The most improved player on the floor.” Our scouts have never been overly impressed with him, but Donnal brought it in practice. He’s a legit 240 and he muscled around the rim better than ever and hit a couple short jumpers. “I wouldn’t say he got the better of [sophomore center] Ricky Doyle, but it was close.”
• Doyle – Missed a few around the rim that were altered by Wilson and freshman center Moritz Wagner, but a lot of guys will. Those guys are ridiculously long. He is getting in better shape and is still the banger and getting better defensively.
• Wagner – “The ceiling is unbelievable for this guy. He’s two or three inches taller than Doyle and Donnal, probably a legit 6-11, and he hit a couple of perimeter shots. He can put it on the floor, too. His head is spinning right now on both ends of the floor as he tries to learn, but in three years, this kid might have the brightest future of anybody on the floor.” He played exclusively at the five (center) spot.
• Sophomore forward Kam Chatman – “He didn’t stand out. I like Wilson at the four more.” Keep in mind, Irvin will likely get a lot of run at the four, too. Keep in mind, too, that Chatman has been praised for his improvement and that this was only one practice.
• Sophomore wing Aubrey Dawkins – “He’s thicker and even bouncier … ridiculously athletic. He had a really impressive finish on an alley-oop in the scrimmage.” His vertical jump is 42 inches after he added five in the offseason working with Jon Sanderson.
• Sophomore shooting guard Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman – He’s struggling knowing he could be the odd man out, and it showed on this day. “He didn’t do anything noticeable,” according to our observer. It would be great to redshirt him, but he could also provide a spark the way LeVert did as the fourth guard a few years ago. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
