Big Ten Players On The 2014 NBA Draft Combine List

A piece composed for BTPowerhouse of SBNation looking at which Big Ten players were invited to the 2014 NBA Draft Combine.

Big Ten Players On The 2014 NBA Draft Combine List http://t.co/QxCb71sMHr
— Thomas Beindit (@tbeindit) May 8, 2014

Report: Nik Stauskas To Enter NBA Draft (Rejected By Stauskas)

Clearly some massive news either way:

UPDATED - Report: Nik Stauskas To Enter NBA Draft (Rejected By Stauskas) http://t.co/wABVvYk4wq via @247Sports
— Thomas Beindit (@tbeindit) April 10, 2014

Michigan's Worst Case Scenario - What If GR3, McGary, And Stauskas Leave?

Check out the full breakdown:

Michigan's Worst Case Scenario http://t.co/uSYglcI0YI via @247Sports
— Thomas Beindit (@tbeindit) April 10, 2014

Caris LeVert Projected #4 Overall In 2015 NBA Mock Draft

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

Check out the story below:

Caris LeVert is now projected to be drafted #4 overall(!!!) by http://t.co/zc2Mxy4u5V for the 2015 NBA Draft - http://t.co/eQakTllom4
— Thomas Beindit (@tbeindit) April 8, 2014

Caris LeVert Projected #4 Overall In 2015 NBA Mock Draft

Michigan & The NBA Draft - Caris LeVert; Mitch McGary; Glenn Robinson III; and Nik Stauskas

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

Here is a full breakdown of each Michigan player's NBA stock:

Michigan & The NBA Draft

Could Nik Stauskas Become A 1st Round NBA Draft Pick?

Photo Credit: Laura Pratt

Stauskas has had an incredible rise to fame.  Could he take it to the 1st round of the NBA?

Could Nik Stauskas Become A 1st Round NBA Draft Pick?

Which Team Will Draft Tim Hardaway, Jr. On Thursday?

Photo Credit: WXYZ

The NCAA and NBA seasons are wrapped up, which means everyone's talking about the NBA Draft and what's going to happen next season.  Yesterday, we did a short breakdown on Trey Burke and his NBA Draft status.  Today, we're going to look at Michigan's second major candidate to be drafted on Thursday night: Tim Hardaway, Jr.  Both were great players for the Wolverines and Michigan fans surely want to see them rewarded for their efforts by the NBA scouts.  Hardaway is not as highly projected as Burke, but he still could easily be higher than any Michigan draft pick in years.  There have been just two Michigan players drafted in the last 12 seasons and neither have went in the 1st round.  With that in mind, let's take a look at where the "experts" are projecting Hardaway:

• Adi Joseph (USA Today) - #20 by Chicago
• Matt Moore (CBS) - #34 by Houston
• Gary Parrish (CBS) - #36 by Sacramento
• NBADraft.net - #18 by Atlanta
• Draft Express (DE) - #20 by Chicago

The crazy thing here is that Hardaway is all over the board.  Some guys think he's going to go really high and others see him dropping somewhere in the 2nd round.  To start, it seems pretty clear that Hardaway will indeed be drafted.  To project otherwise would just be crazy at this point.  He also looks to fill a role occupied by many NBA prospects.  He's clearly good enough to go in the 1st round, but it will take a team dedicated to Hardaway and his future to actually gain that selection.  He's just as likely to be snagged in the 20s as he is to drop somewhere early or deep into the 2nd round.

For NBA agents, this makes it very difficult.  There's a desire to grab guys like Hardaway when they come around the first time, but if they do indeed drop, it's a lot easier to trade up for the #35 pick than the #20 pick.  By that time, every top prospect is off the board and all the guys that are considered "guarantees" to go early already know where they're going.  Needless to say, it can easily turn into a "high risk, high reward" pick.  Compare a Hardaway #20 selection to a guy like Michael Carter-Williams or Shabazz Muhammad.  Nothing against either of these guys, but one of the players projected in the teens will undoubtedly fall deeper in the draft order and these are just two of the guys I'm highlighting.  A team may want a guy like Hardaway, but there won't nearly be as much skepticism if they select a Carter-Williams or a Muhammad instead.  Again, this is just a hypothetical, but it shows why it's so difficult to project a guy like Hardaway because of the concern about missing out on a guy with the hype and projections.

Frankly, there's no predicting who will draft Hardaway, but if I had to make an educated guess, I would say Hardaway ends up going in the 1st round (Chicago?).  I think the strong NCAA Tournament run, the Big Ten name brand, and a great NBA Combine performance will be enough to merit at least one believer.  And remember, that's all it takes, just one believer.  If he does slip out of the 1st round, it isn't too big of a deal as Hardaway will certainly get a contract, but it will be a bit disappointing considering all the positive momentum he has going his way right now.  Either way, stay tuned as it will surely be an exciting night.

Which Team Will Draft Trey Burke On Thursday?

Photo Credit: ESPN

With the NCAA and NBA seasons now wrapped up, the basketball focus on the nation is now fully turned to the NBA Draft this Thursday.  This is a day that is both adored and hated by fans across the nation.  Some of the most exciting moments in the NBA have started here, but some of the worst blunders have started here as well.  Just take a look at the 2007 and 2008 drafts.  Greg Oden (now considered a colossal flop) was taken #1 in 2007, but Derrick Rose (2011 NBA MVP) was taken #1 in the next season.  It's become almost unpredictable, which makes the night incredibly exciting.

For Michigan, there are two prospects that have the focus of the fans.  First and foremost is point guard Trey Burke who won the National Player of the Year last season at the college level (the other is Tim Hardaway, Jr).  Many Wolverine fans are looking for a big night from Burke, but what will ultimately happen?  Will the NBA teams respond to the hype and select Burke in the first few picks or will they agree with the criticisms and drop him lower in the selections?  Let's take a look at what the experts are predicting:

• Chad Ford (ESPN) - #8 on Big Board
• Matt Moore (CBS) - #6 by New Orleans
• Gary Parrish (CBS) - #2 by Orlando
• NBADraft.net - #6 by New Orleans
• Draft Express (DE) - #6 by New Orleans

I'm not going to go through every prediction, but the popular logic is that Trey Burke will be going one of three places: Orlando, New Orleans, or Detroit.  If he goes anywhere beyond the Pistons it will certainly be one of the biggest draft night falls in recent memory.  All three of these teams would make for interesting landing spots for Burke.  First, Orlando could use a point guard and being drafted #2 would say a lot about their confidence in Burke for the future.  New Orleans does have Austin Rivers on the roster, but having Burke and Rivers in the backcourt could give them a dynamic lineup similar to the one seen from the Golden State Warriors in recent years and one that could lead the Pelicans (yes, they are now the Pelicans) to a bright future.  Finally, the Pistons would be an exciting drafting spot for most Michigan fans as it would allow Burke to remain in the state of Michigan and also give the team a talented prospect.

It's not hard to see the Pistons as the best landing spot for Burke with Andre Drummond and Greg Monroe already on the roster, but any of these places would be alright.  New Orleans could turn into something special with Rivers and Anthony Davis to potentially play alongside Burke.  Can you imagine Burke feeding Davis down-low or running offensive players into Davis' waiting hands on defense?  It's a fun thing to imagine.  My suspicion is that Burke will end up in New Orleans.  The NBA Draft can be nearly impossible to predict, but it seems like the agents and "experts" are talking Burke down to replace him with guys like Alex Len (Maryland) and Anthony Bennett (UNLV) because of their "potential" (that wasn't all that visible in their college days).  Either way, look for Burke to wind up in one of these three places to begin what should likely be a successful NBA career.

Making The Case: A New NBA Draft

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

With the NBA Draft right around the corner, it seems like a good time to talk about the current format of the NBA Draft and its impact on the league, the college game, and the players.  Michigan has a special relationship to the NBA Draft this year with two of its players (Trey Burke & Tim Hardaway, Jr.) leaving college early for the NBA.  This post isn't necessarily about dissecting whether these or other players made the best decision for themselves, but more about whether the NBA has set up the right framework for its draft process on all three levels.

First thing first, let's go through what the current NBA Draft process looks like.  For a player to declare for the NBA Draft, they must be at least 19 during the calendar year of the draft.  Essentially, a player must be removed from high school for at least one season.  The NBA doesn't clarify what players should do during the 1 year break, but the vast majority go to college to attempt to improve their game and earn a draft spot in the NBA.  Once the year has passed, players can enter the NBA Draft.  Basically, under this system, a player could potentially go through 3 NBA decisions following their freshman, sophomore, and junior years.

This is actually a relatively new system.  Before the introduction of the 19 year old rule, players only had to be 18 years old to qualify for the NBA Draft.  This is the system that players like Kobe Bryant and LeBron James used to enter the NBA.  They opted to forego college careers and enter the NBA immediately upon high school graduation.  For the most part, the two systems were largely the same.  It was a rare development for players to head to the NBA immediately following high school simply for the fact that it there were only a few players truly good enough to be drafted, but it still did allow players like LeBron and Kobe to jump a year earlier.

For me, both of these systems have some major flaws.  First, the current 19+ system forces athletes like LeBron and Kobe to enter college for at least one season.  There's no reason that players of this caliber need to play at the college level.  They're clearly NBA talents and the odds that they would stay beyond 1 or 2 seasons and get a college degree is probably pretty low.  So essentially, they're wasting a year of their NBA career in a league that is below their talent level.  The original system (18+) allows these guys to go pro, but still has it's downside.  It could theoretically add another year to their "decision" as they have to make a decision coming out of high school as well.

Given these problems, I'm going to make a case for the system used by the MLB and proposed by the Big Ten Network's Tom Dienhart.  The great thing about this system is that it works out well for each of the three categories (NBA, college, players) that make up the NBA Draft process.  Essentially, this is how the MLB system works.  Players have the option to go pro or go to college directly out of high school.  If they decide to go pro, they can go pro, but if they decide to go to college, they must sign for three seasons.  In my opinion, this would be much better than the current system.

First, it helps the NBA.  Not only does it give them immediate access to the talents like LeBron and Kobe (which they don't have currently), but it will also lead to better draft pools down the road.  There are going to be some high school jumpers, but if players enter college, they are going to be proven by time they can go to the pro level.  If a player is in college for 3+ seasons, it's hard to believe they will still have major question marks.  Take a look at Tim Hardaway, Jr.  He has some question marks, but nothing even close to players like Steven Adams (Pitt) and Michael Carter-Williams (Syracuse) who both jumped pro after one season and are rated higher than Hardaway by many scouts.  Overall, it gives access to the best talent and solidifies the rest of the talent field.

Next, it will also help the college game.  Nothing is worse for college basketball fans than the yearly hoopla surrounding some of their favorite players and their NBA decisions.  Well, nothing is different for the coaches's mindsets (excluding guys like Calipari) who recruit players with the intent to watch them grow as players and men.  This system would be a huge improvement in removing that pressure for fans, coaches, and programs.  The current NBA timeline leaves 3 years of decision-making on the schedule.  This system would have just 2 and one of those would occur before the player even got to college, which is certainly less significant than a post-freshman or sophomore decision.  It's hard to believe this wouldn't also improve the game as the average age and experience of players and teams would improve, plus it would make one year sensation teams like 2011-2012 Kentucky extinct.  I really do believe the college game would become much more competitive and consistent.

Finally, I really do believe it would help players in the long run.  Maybe not in every single case, but it would keep players like Nerlens Noel from suffering ACL injuries for no reason and ensure that players are developed enough to compete at the NBA level by keeping them from jumping as freshman or sophomores.  Undeniably, in some cases, players could have probably made more money if they jumped a year or two earlier, but how many players go to the NBA as freshmen or sophomores and crash out after a year or two?  This system wouldn't be guaranteed to help every player stay in the NBA
longer, but they certainly should have an improved game, plus they'll be a lot closer to a college degree than if they stayed for just one year, which would be a major advantage for a player that is finished playing in the NBA.

Overall, the debate will continue and the NBA seems no closer to changing this rule than they were a few years ago, but there are some strong arguments to adapting the current system to look closer to the model used by the MLB.  This system is not perfect either, but the positives for the NBA, the colleges, and the players seem to imply that this would be a major improvement.

Michigan Looks To "Size Up" In The NBA

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

Michigan basketball hasn't been in good shape for a long time.  Entering the 2011-2012 season, the Wolverines hadn't won a Big Ten championship since the Reagan administration and hadn't made a Final Four appearance in nearly 20 years.  Over the last two seasons, Michigan has erased these deficits and truly returned the Wolverines to national relevance.
However, one of the gaps that still exists is in the NBA.  Michigan has produced a bunch of quality NBA talent during its history, but right now, that talent pool has largely dried up.  Though the NBA ranges somewhere between 360-450 players at a time (varies due to roster size), Michigan only has 3 players on NBA rosters.  Along with this, they only have 1 player who has been a major contributor; Jamal Crawford.

Sure, Darius Morris got the chance to start a few playoff games and Juwan Howard was on the Miami Heat when they won the NBA title last year, but neither of these guys are exactly all-star caliber right now.  I won't minimize the significance of making an NBA roster because it's extremely difficult, but in terms of evaluating Michigan's performance in the NBA, being a contributor or on the bench is a pretty big difference.  If the Wolverines really want to increase the strength of their program and its relevance at the national level, putting quality players in the NBA is one of the biggest steps.

The good news is that Michigan is set to take a big step this year in achieving this goal.  They only have two players in serious consideration for this year's draft (Trey Burke & Tim Hardaway, Jr.), but both of these guys are in good position to get drafted and make an NBA roster.  Burke has been projected as an NBA lottery pick and Hardaway appears aimed to go somewhere in the 2nd round.  That is not only a big jump for Michigan simply in the number of NBA players for the program, but also in the number of quality players.  Burke has a very high probability to start in his rookie season and although Hardaway will probably fall into more of a Morris role, depending on the team, he might be able to log some solid minutes.

What's also significant is that this year's draft should inject some youth into Michigan's NBA players.  Howard is certainly nearing the end of his NBA career and even Crawford was drafted in 2000.  That gives Michigan just one player on an NBA roster that has been drafted in over a decade.  This really doesn't matter that much year to year, but it definitely increases the odds of Michigan having solid players in the future considering the typical length of NBA careers.

Plus, to go along with what should be a great NBA Draft for the Michigan Wolverines this year, they have a bunch of solid NBA prospects on their roster next season.  Not only will Michigan have two players that would have easily been drafted this year (Mitch McGary & GR3), but they are adding Zak Irvin who has the potential to be a one and done type of player, adding Derrick Walton who could certainly be drafted in a few years, and have a few guys like Nik Stauskas who will probably get on an NBA roster at some point.  If things continue at this rate, Michigan is going to have a big presence in the NBA not just in the next year, but 5-10 years down the road.

Michigan has definitely been making positive steps in rebuilding its program.  They've been making the NCAA Tournament, winning conference titles, and winning tourney games.  Michigan has also drastically improved its recruiting and is now bringing in top talent.  The only thing left to take Michigan's program to the next level is increasing its role in the NBA.  The Wolverines are in a good position to start fixing that this summer.

2013 Michigan NBA Draft Hotboard

Photo Credit: Laura Pratt

Michigan's roster has been experiencing the full weight of the NBA and the NBA Draft since their National Championship game appearance against Louisville.  As of now, Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway, Jr. have declared for the NBA Draft.  Everyone else has either made no inclinations of their desire to go to the NBA this year or verbally announced (McGary & GR3) that they would be returning to Ann Arbor next season.  Until April 28th, players can still declare for the NBA Draft, so things are not 100% guaranteed until then.  There are still many interested in not only the impact of those who stayed, but also the impact of those who left on the team and their status in the draft.  In order to help, I've made a short post that should keep you updated on what is going on with the NBA Draft and its relation to Michigan.

HMM Coverage:

• Analysis: Which Team Will Draft Trey Burke?
• Analysis: Which Team Will Draft THJ?
• Making the Case: A New NBA Draft
• Quick Thoughts: Michigan In The NBA Draft
• Quick Thoughts: Burke To The NBA
• Quick Thoughts: Hardaway To The NBA
• Quick Thoughts: GR3 & McGary Returning

National Coverage:

• ESPN: Trey Burke's Profile
• ESPN: Tim Hardaway's Profile
• ESPN: Mitch McGary's Profile
• ESPN: GR3's Profile
• ESPN: Trey Burke Enters Draft
• ESPN: Hardaway To Enter Draft
• ESPN: Case For Burke As The #1 Pick
• CBS: Trey Burke To The NBA
• CBS: Hardaway To The NBA
• CBS: GR3 and McGary Return to Michigan
• UMHoops: Notes & Quotes From Trey Burke's NBA Announcement
• UMHoops: Notes & Quotes From THJ's NBA Announcement
• UMHoops: Notes & Quotes From Mitch McGary's NBA Announcement
• UMHoops: Notes & Quotes From GR3's NBA Announcement

General NBA Draft Coverage:

• NBA.com
• ESPN
• CBS
• Jeff Goodman Mock Draft
• Chad Ford's Top 100
• Hoops Hype
• Draft Express
• NBADraft

Quick Thoughts: GR3 & McGary Returning

Photo Credit: Laura Pratt

Thank you!

Quick Thoughts: GR3 & McGary Returning

Quick Thoughts: Hardaway To The NBA

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

Too sad

Quick Thoughts: Hardaway To The NBA

Quick Thoughts: Burke To The NBA

Photo Credit: Laura Pratt

A sad day, but something we all knew was coming:

Quick Thoughts: Burke To The NBA

Quick Thoughts: Michigan In The NBA Draft

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

It's an interesting draft year for Michigan.  Read about projections and predictions below:

Quick Thoughts: Michigan In The NBA Draft

Postseason Thoughts: Michigan Basketball

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

It was a great season:

Postseason Thoughts: Michigan Basketball

Michigan NBA Developments Roundup

Usually I don't post much on the NBA on here since this is a Michigan blog, but when there's a major development such as Juwan Howard winning an NBA Championship or Michigan's involvement in the NBA Draft, I will post on the NBA.  None of the events in regards to former Michigan players in the NBA have been major events recently, but since there has been a few of them and it is the offseason, I figured I would post on them.


I'll start with the bad news first.  The bad news is that former Michigan guard Manny Harris has been released from the Cleveland Cavaliers.  Harris had a brilliant career at Michigan.  In his freshman season, he made the 2nd All-Big Ten team and the All-Big Ten freshman team.  He then led Michigan to its first NCAA Tournament appearance in over ten years in 2009, while also earning 1st team All-Big Ten honors from both the coaches and the media.  His junior year and final year at Michigan wasn't as spectacular, but he still earned 3rd team All-Big Ten honors.  

Michigan Basketball Absent In NBA Draft, But Still Aims For Pros

There were four Big Ten players selected in the 2012 NBA Draft; Meyers Leonard from Illinois (1st Round 11th Pick), Jared Sullinger from Ohio State (1st Round 21st Pick), Draymond Green from Michigan State (2nd Round 5th Pick), and Robbie Hummel from Purdue (2nd Round 28th Pick).  Some of these players may have been selected too high in my opinion and others too low, but all of these guys certainly seemed draft worthy.  The Big Ten did also have one player, John Shurna from Northwestern, that surprised some people by going undrafted.

Michigan basketball was absent from the NBA Draft this year.  This has been an unsettling trend for Michigan fans and the program in general.  Although the NBA Draft isn't necessarily a symbol of a program's strength, direction, and talent, it still has some positive attributes.  Being involved in the NBA Draft gets a lot of attention from recruits, the media, and fans, strongly increases the long-term legacy of the players and the program, and also is just a good sign of players meeting their long-term life goals.

Key 2012 Recruit Deciding Wednesday

Photo Credit: DeCamp

After wrapping up his latest visits and his Michigan visit last Thursday, Caris LeVert will be making his college decision this Wednesday according to UMHoops and his high school head coach.  Is this a good or a bad sign for Michigan?  As I said before his visit last Thursday, I think Michigan is in great position to get a commitment from LeVert.  Not only because of his potential role in Michigan's program over the next few years, but also because he has some unique connections to the school.

Another Pickerton Central recruit has selected Michigan and LeVert would likely feel more comfortable with a school where he knows at least some other individuals.  Taco Charlton, a 4* defensive end recruit, currently goes to the same school as LeVert and has been tweeting recently in regards to LeVert's decision.  From what's he has tweeted so far, it certainly looks pretty good for Michigan.  There is always a possibility he ends up somewhere else, but if he's not in Ann Arbor next fall, I would be very surprised.

He is currently ranked as a 3* by Rivals and ranked as a 2* by ESPN.  Personally, I think this could be one of Michigan's greatest recruiting steals and think he has the potential to be a lot better than many speculate.  Several other schools are interested including Big Ten school Purdue, which shows that he is considered at least a Big Ten quality player.

Along with the potential to improve while enrolled at Michigan, he has a unique opportunity because of the depth situation.  Michigan has two other guards in the class, Spike Albrecht and Nik Stauskus, but Michigan will probably be short-handed at the position for the next few years, especially if Michigan players continue going pro at their current rate.  Eso Akunne will be graduating after this season, Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway, Jr. will probably be headed to the NBA after this season, and there's a good chance some of Michigan's future players at the position including 2013 point guard commit Derrick Walton could be leaving early for the NBA.  Obviously, there's no guarantee when people will be going to the NBA, but I think there's going to be a lot of potential for playing time if LeVert picks Michigan, which most anticipate he will this Wednesday.  Either way, we'll keep you posted.

2012 Recruiting Not Finished Yet. Caris LeVert Visiting Thursday

Photo Credit: NY2Sports

It appears that Michigan's 2012 recruiting isn't quite finished yet.  Caris LeVert, a shooting guard from Pickerton, Ohio, will be visiting campus on Thursday.  After Michigan officially withdrew their offer from Amedeo Della Valle, most assumed Michigan's 2012 class was complete.  A lot of this had to do with Trey Burke's return and Spike Albrecht's late commitment, but after LeVert decommited from Ohio University (the green one), Michigan has expressed interest in getting him to Ann Arbor.

When I originally heard Beilein and staff were pursuing LeVert, I was actually kind of perplexed.  Not because I thought it was a bad move, but because I didn't understand why the staff would want LeVert over point guard Amedeo Della Valle, who has now committed to Ohio (the red one).  As I argued when Della Valle's offer was pulled, I believe he would have been a great fit in Michigan's roster and helped to secure depth for the next few seasons.  With Burke's impending departure to the NBA and the uncertainty of first and second year college players, I thought it would be great to have another guy on the depth chart.

LeVert would be a great addition to the 2012 recruiting class and may seem lowly ranked, but I think with some development, he can be a key contributor to the Wolverines.  With Michigan's recent success in recruiting, it's rare that Michigan will have to rely on players like LeVert to carry the team like it did a few years ago.  With Derrick Walton entering campus in 2013, there's going to be extremely talented point and shooting guards on campus.  LeVert will likely have plenty of time to develop without being forced into action at either position, even though he's much more likely to play shooting guard.

However, Walton is not guaranteed to secure the point guard position, which is why I believe Della Valle was a better recruit to take than LeVert.  Regardless, there may be some room for him to make an impact at shooting guard for the Wolverines.  Nik Stauskas is another shooting guard that will be in the 2012 class and the potential for two solid players can only leave any fan excited.  Stauskas is clearly more prepared than Varis LeVert at this point, but with the way Michigan players have been entering the NBA Draft, it certainly seems like a good decision to try and recruit another guard for the team.

Nobody knows where LeVert will commit, as he's been eyeing up other programs such as Purdue alongside Michigan, but I think Michigan has a good shot.  Not only does Michigan seem in to be in great shape, but another player from his school is already coming to Michigan, Taco Charlton (4* defensive end).  It certainly can't hurt having someone from his school already coming to Michigan. I didn't expect the coaching staff to be recruiting anyone for 2012 at this point, but LeVert is a great option to secure guard depth for the team's future.