Player Review: Spike Albrecht - Strengths, Weaknesses, And A Look Ahead

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

Check out my breakdown linked below:

Player Review: Spike Albrecht

2013-3014 Michigan Basketball Preview: Guards

Here is a nice breakdown on Michigan's guard situation for the 2013-2014 season. The Wolverines will be looking to replace two NBA 1st round draft picks

http://michigan.247sports.com/Board/59424/Preview-PointShooting-Guard-22261539/1

Player Review: Spike Albrecht

Photo Credit: Thomas Beindit

A nice season for a freshman with little hype:

Player Review: Spike Albrecht

What If Darius Morris Had Stayed?

Photo Credit: Laura Pratt

Over the last week, there has been a lot of coverage regarding the Los Angeles Lakers, their rise to the NBA playoffs, then their subsequent collapse.  One of the key factors in this collapse was the massive amount of injuries the team suffered.  However, these developments were particularly interesting for Michigan fans because they were able to witness Darius Morris (former Michigan point guard) get the starting nod in the playoffs, which was not something many predicted to see this quickly.

Whether Morris did a good job in this position is up for debate (the Lakers got swept in 4 games), but it did get me thinking about the way Morris impacted Michigan.  Many have forgotten about Morris and the earlier Beilein teams due to the massive success in the last two years for Michigan and Trey Burke.  An NCAA title game appearance and a Big Ten Championship are pretty noteworthy and will make a lot of people forget about the past, but Morris was a pretty good player in Ann Arbor.

Morris was instrumental in not only getting Michigan back to the NCAA Tournament after missing it in the previous year, but also in a sweep of in-state rival MSU and a huge 1st round win against Tennessee in the tourney.  This may not sound that significant, but a sweep of MSU was actually pretty significant.  Not only had Michigan lost 4 straight games to the Spartans, but they had also lost 6 of the last 7 games against MSU and 10 out of the last 12 games.  Their last victory over MSU came in February of 2007 andthe 2002-2003 season was the last one that Michigan had a winning record against the Spartans and that was only a one game series, not a two game series.  The last season sweep for Michigan over MSU was in 1997.  Needless to say, these were two big wins.

However, after having an exciting year for Michigan with some big wins, Morris opted to jump to the NBA and was drafted by the Lakers.  Whether this was the right decision can be debated, but what could things have looked like if he had decided to remain in Ann Arbor.  Of course, his NBA draft pedigree would have likely changed, but what would have changed for Michigan?  Trey Burke came on campus the year after Morris left, won himself Big Ten Freshman of the Year, and then followed it with National Player of the Year.  This leads to some major lineup questions if Morris and Burke both would have been on one roster.

The 2011-2012 Season
This would probably have been the most interesting year if Morris would have stayed in Ann Arbor.  Trey Burke is a fantastic player.  You can make a strong argument that he was the best point guard in Michigan basketball history.  This is going to sway a lot of people into believing he would have won the starting role here.  However, this is a revisionist thought and represents something that wasn't know before or during the 2011-2012 season.  Why?  Because he was not the best player in the nation during his freshman campaign.

Burke was good as a freshman and maybe even great, but he certainly wasn't elite.  He should have been 1st team All-Big Ten as a freshman and he was the best player on the Michigan roster, but he still made mistakes and had some rough games down the stretch.  One of the biggest factors were his turnovers and risky outside shots.  He certainly had his moments and in some of the biggest games of the year, but he still had some major flaws in his game as a freshman.

Along with this, Morris had also entrenched himself as Michigan's starting point guard.  It's one thing to show up with little depth and take over the starting role, but another thing to come in and beat out the previous year's starter, especially when they're probably the best player on the team.  Morris was a good player the season before and there isn't much of a reason to believe he wouldn't have improved the next year, at least slightly.  I think Trey Burke is great and became better than Morris, but I'm not convinced that freshman Burke could have moved junior Morris from his starting spot.

However, this still would have given Michigan really good depth off the bench.  Burke would have certainly got some solid minutes and rightfully so.  I can even imagine Beilein bringing Burke off the bench to play alongside Morris at the 2 spot.  How cool would it have been to see a Morris backcourt pass to Burke for a 3 point shot?  Beilein has shown he's willing to think outside the box to utilize guys and this roster would have been a perfect example.

You also have to think that Michigan would have been right in the Big Ten title race, especially considering that Burke would have been the guy pulled off the bench to get the offense going again.  I certainly think the team would have done better near the end of the year as well with less wear and tear due to the massive playing times of guys like Burke and Hardaway.  Morris could have made all the difference and maybe we would have gotten a big tourney run a year earlier.

The 2012-2013 Season
Now, this is the area where it gets really speculative.  One would think that Morris would have jumped pro following the 2011-2012 season if he had not jumped originally after the 2010-2011 season.  This would have put sophomore Burke into the starting role and things would have probably been pretty similar to the roster makeup of the past season.  Maybe Spike is recruited, maybe not, but Beilein would have probably brought in a point guard regardless of Morris staying since many signs would have pointed to him leaving the next year.

If for some reason Morris would have opted to stay for his senior year all bets are off on what the lineup would have looked like for this season.  Morris would have gotten better certainly, but this would be the season where Burke was the national player of the year candidate.  We don't know if he would have still been at this level, but if he was this good, would Morris still be on the court more than Burke?  Sophomore Burke was better than Morris was at anytime during his Michigan career and even if Morris had 2 more seasons to improve, I'm not sure he could gotten to that level.  Burke was much better than he was as a freshman and I think you can
make an argument about freshman Burke against junior Morris, which implies how good of a player Burke was for Michigan.

Regardless, if Morris was on last year's roster, the team would have been insanely loaded and both guys would have got some solid minutes.  I can honestly imagine a Morris, Burke, Hardaway, GR3, and Morgan/McGary lineup for the last season.  Stauskas and LeVert would have come off the bench and Spike would have certainly been redshirted.  That is a really good lineup.  It's certainly not crazy to think Michigan could have beaten Louisville with Morris on the roster.

Overall
Morris obviously didn't stay, but it's still a fun topic to debate and breakdown.  How much of a difference would Morris have made by staying?  In my opinion, the main difference would have been during Burke's freshman year when he was still improving his game.  This would have allowed players to rest and probably would have made Michigan better at the end of the year when they had a discouraging collapse against Ohio State then Ohio in the NCAA Tournament.  Either way, both players should be in the NBA next year and maybe we'll get a chance to see them compete there.

What If Trey Burke Had Gone To Penn State

Trey Burke was committed to Penn State for almost a year.  Yes, Michigan's outstanding point guard, All-American, and Player of the Year at one time pledged to be a Nittany Lion.  Of course, he eventually switched to the Wolverines, but what would have happened if Burke had remained with Penn State?  Recruiting battles occur almost everyday and recruits change their minds constantly, but how would things look for both teams if Burke had not changed his mind.  This discussion of course changes nothing and Michigan fans are surely happy to have Burke, but it is an interesting concept.

Penn State
The Nittany Lions took two guards in the 2011 recruiting class, but have received mixed at best results from both.  These two guards were Matt Glover and Trey Lewis (Lewis has been described as the player recruited to replace Burke).  This is largely due to the timetable from when Burke decommitted and when Lewis committed.  Unfortunately for Penn State, both players ended up transferring from the program.  To say this is a downgrade is an understatement.  There is no proof that Burke would have worked out with Penn State, but going from Player of the Year to two transfers is a pretty big loss for any program.

So undoubtedly, the addition of Burke would have made an impact.  It would have been particularly interesting to see the impact last season, when Penn State had Tim Frazier.  Frazier was one of the top point guards in the conference and actually made 1st team All-Big Ten.  The instinctual decision would be to put both players on the floor at the same time, which would make things really interesting.  Who goes at the 1 and who goes at the 2?  As great as Burke has been this season, it seems likely that Burke would have been forced to slide over the 2 to get both players on the court.  They are both great scorers and passers, but Burke is probably a better 3 pt shooter than Frazier.  Penn State would not have been dominant in 2011-2012, but they certainly wouldn't have finished in last place in the Big Ten.  At least not with that backcourt.  It seems probable that they might have been able to sneak into the NIT Tournament, but going from last place in the Big Ten to a NCAA Tournament berth would still have probably been too much, especially with Burke as a freshman and not as a sophomore.

This year, Burke's services would have been much more valuable, considering that the Nittany Lions lost Tim Frazier at the beginning of the year.  Burke would have filled a much needed role and boosted a team struggling for leadership.  Penn State won 2 games in conference play.  Could Burke have changed that?  Almost certainly.  Now, it's not like he could have turned Penn State into a championship team, but they definitely would have been better.  NCAA Tournament bid?  Probably not without Frazier and Burke, but NIT bid?  That would have certainly been possible.

Michigan
This section can be a lot shorter.  Unless the Wolverines would have been able to land another point guard recruit in the 2011 recruiting class, they would have been in for a very rough season.  Darius Morris left for the NBA and the main players that could be used at that point were Eso Akunne and Stu Douglass.  Douglass would have been able to do alright, but he's much better suited to the 2 than he is to the point.  Along with this, Akunne is not a point guard that can take a team to that next level.  He's been a solid player for Michigan, but he's just limited in his abilities.  Instead of a Big Ten title, Michigan would have struggled just to make the NCAA Tournament without Burke.  This would have been a huge hit for the team and the program.

This season, the Wolverines would have definitely been able to find somebody to fill that point guard spot if they weren't able to grab Burke.  They had Spike in this recruiting class, but if there was a serious problem with the position in the season prior, they would have recruited it much harder and probably would have a bigger name recruit to show for it.  Spike has been a good surprise for Michigan fans this year, but a bigger name would have certainly been in the 2012 recruiting class if Burke never arrived in Ann Arbor.  However, this is still a true freshman or a true sophomore replacing a Player of the Year candidate.  No way Michigan enters the season so highly rated and makes it to the title game without Burke.  They probably could have made the NCAA Tournament, but the Wolverines would have looked a lot different in this scenario.

Overall
Burke staying committed to Penn State wouldn't have changed the world, but it would have put a serious dent in Michigan's long-term success.  Along with this, it would have probably boosted Penn State up quite a bit.  Not to the point of domination for the Nittany Lions, but certainly better than last place in the Big Ten.  This discussion may not change the scenario for either team, but it is interesting to see the impact of a player like Trey Burke on an upward trending Michigan and a bottom program like Penn State.

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

Previewing The Roster: Guards

I'm reaching the end of basketball preview season and I've already went through Michigan's wings and bigs for this year. Last up are the guards.  Michigan's guards should be outstanding this year and have repeatedly received love from the basketball analysts and national media.  Michigan loses very little at the position and brings in a few players that have the chance to make a major impact both now and in the future.

Last season, Trey Burke, Tim Hardaway, and Stu Douglass dominated the position.  Once in awhile, Beilein would bring in Matt Vogrich or Eso Akunne, but this was a position primarily dominated by those three players.  Douglass will be gone, but all the other guys are back for the season.  This was Michigan's strongest positional group last season and the loss of Douglass shouldn't be too significant of an impact for the position and team, especially with the recruiting additions.

New recruits that could make an impact the position this year are Spike Albrecht, Nik Stauskas, and Caris LeVert.  Glenn Robinsion III could get a little time at the 2 spot, but I don't see him doing anything significant at the position.  I think he's a much better fit at the 3 and he does play the 4 in the smaller lineup for Michigan, so I don't see him being at the 2 for very long, if at all.  So after adding the new recruits, that gives us 7 players that will likely be making contributions in the backcourt for Michigan this season.

Michigan vs. Northern Michigan: Quick Reactions

So now that I've had a few hours to digest Michigan's first exhibition of the season, I think it's a good time to give some comments on what happened tonight, especially for those that weren't able to see the game.  There were a lot of expectations leading into the game and for the most part, I thought Michigan did a pretty good job living up to them.  Of course, nothing's going to be perfect during the first game of the season, but for a team losing two starters, two captains, and the team's best 6th man, they did pretty well.

I'll start with the obvious.  The starting lineup for tonight was Spike Albrecht, Matt Vogrich, Tim Hardaway, Glenn Robinson III, and Jordan Morgan.  Obviously, Spike only got the nod because Trey Burke was suspended for the first game, but it's still pretty significant for a true freshman who didn't have a lot of recruiting hype to start the first game.  I didn't expect Vogrich to start, but given that Mitch McGary doesn't seem fully ready (I'll cover this below) and Jon Horford is out with injury, it's not that surprising.  Vogrich was the best option at the time and he did pretty well.  The last three starters seemed pretty obvious and I projected them to start earlier this year.

Recapping 2012 Commit Spike Albrecht

The latest addition to Michigan's 2012 class and one of the more unexpected commitments in recent years was Spike Albrecht.  At the time of his commitment, Michigan was in the middle of Trey Burke's decision on whether or not to enter the NBA Draft.  Most speculate that the decision to offer and sign Albrecht to Michigan's 2012 recruiting class was primarily an insurance move in case Burke decided to take his talents to the NBA.  While this is true and Burke decided to return for his sophomore year, Albrecht has a lot to offer to both this and future Michigan teams.

Albrecht is a very different type of point guard than Burke.  They are both smart players that can get others involved, but Albrecht primarily uses his high basketball IQ to move the ball and get others involved.  Burke uses his knowledge of the game, but he also uses his exception handle and athleticism to pass the ball and attack the basket.  Burke can also be reckless at times with the basketball, which is the complete opposite of Albrecht.  He very rarely turns over the ball and makes sure to avoid wasteful turnovers.  He is nowhere near the athlete of Burke and can struggle a bit with his defense, but he easily has the ability to run an offense and has the potential to grow into a solid point guard.

Previewing The Roster: Josh Bartelstein

One of the lesser known players on Michigan's 2012-2013 roster is Josh Bartelstein.  Not only because he is clearly a "depth" player, but also because his slight contributions have actually been decreasing during his career.  He may not get time in any significant games this year, but he does play an important role for the team in terms of depth for both this season and beyond.

Bartelstein will be a senior, but has done little during his career.  His first year was the 2009-2010 season, but he played in just 5 games and averaged 2.6 minutes.  He played in 11 games last year, but his average time decreased to 1.3 minutes per game.  One could argue this is because Bartelstein took a step back, but I I would credit this more to circumstances.  If you look at last season, many of the games were close for long segments of time, which makes it hard to get bench players like Bartelstein on the court.

Updating 2013 Commit Derrick Walton

Michigan's highest rated commitment of the 2013 recruiting class is Derrick Walton.  He's a point guard from   Harper Woods, Michigan and appears to be Michigan's point guard of the future once Trey Burke leaves.  With all the drama that followed the 2011-2012 season regarding Trey Burke and his NBA Draft decision, it is at least somewhat reassuring to have someone waiting to replace him.  Compare the situation to when Darius Morris went pro.  He was a great point guard for the Wolverines and was going to be a challenge to replace, but with Trey Burke already coming to Ann Arbor, it made Morris' move a little less concerning.  The same should happen after this season, assuming Burke will go pro, because Walton will be arriving on campus just in time to replace Burke.


Walton certainly has the perfect size to play the point guard position, standing at 6'0" and weighing around 170 lbs.  He has great court vision and passing skills.  These are the things that drive his game, but his scoring has also improved over the last year as he scored 20 points or more in 10 of his last 11 games last year.  He also kept up his assist numbers and should be able to make an instant impact when he shows up at Michigan.  He probably won't be as good as Trey Burke immediately, but he has a much higher ceiling and a lot more potential than Burke in the long term.

Michigan Basketball's 2012 Recruiting Class Review

Photo Credit: AnnArbor.com

With the commitment of Caris LeVert, Michigan's 2012 recruiting should finally be finished.  Many, including myself, thought Michigan's 2012 recruiting was finished after Spike Albrecht committed, but nobody could have predicted that the head coach of Ohio (green one) would leave and LeVert would re-open his recruitment.  Regardless, Michigan's 2012 basketball recruiting should be finished, barring some crazy events.

Knowing this, we can finally take a look at Michigan's entire class and see how it might impact Michigan both next season and in the future.  Recruiting has become a key component in building a successful college basketball team and Beilein has done a great job at assembling a class that addresses both the short-term and long-term needs of the program.  Obviously, a lot of developments changed the look of this class, including things like Trey Burke returning to Ann Arbor and the post-season transfers, but I do think Beilein did his best to get a recruiting class that addressed these concerns.

A key example of this can be seen in Spike Albrecht.  Now, he was primarily recruited to replace Trey Burke, since many assumed Burke was going pro, but he still fills a big need for the team.  Right now, there's a significant void at the point guard position.  Yes, Burke is there right now and is an outstanding player, but he will likely go pro after next season, which will leave a huge void at the position.  Derrick Walton, a very hyped 2013 point guard recruit, will be arriving on campus and will be the favorite to replace Trey Burke in 2013, but relying on a true freshman is never a great move.  Albrecht will likely be a redshirt freshman and will probably be a somewhat capable player.  So, even though the major need for Albrecht, which was replacing Trey Burke, isn't needed anymore, he still fills a big role for the team.

Along with this, Michigan was able to add a significant amount of size and talent for the future.  Michigan will be bringing in three players listed in the ESPN 100.  Each of these players have received grades of at least 92 from ESPN, are above 6'6", and will likely get playing time next season.  In fact, I predicted that Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary would each get a starting spot next season*.  For a team as solid as Michigan was last year, this is pretty impressive.

Michigan had a great year last season, but there were a few basic elements that the team lacked and the most obvious was size.  Addressing this is key and with the addition of McGary, Robinson, and Stauskas, this should be a problem of the past.  Now, whether all three of these recruits reach their full potential is something that is a question mark, but I think it's a safe bet that at least some of these guys will be making a significant impact both next season and in the near future.

And finally, Michigan filled out its class with the late commit Caris LeVert.  LeVert hasn't received much love from the scouting services (rated as a 2* by ESPN), but I think he may find a useful role with the team.  He certainly isn't going to start next year and I'm not sure if he'll get any playing time, but I believe he is Michigan's best "steal" in this class.  If there's one player in this class that will be a pleasant surprise, it will be LeVert.  He has a lot of raw talent, but I think he simply got overlooked by the scouting services to an extent.  I'm not saying he's going to be the Big Ten Player Of The Year or something, but I think he could develop into a Novak-type player and could be very productive for the team.

Overall, I would say this class deserves an A- as a rating.  It has a very elite recruit (Robinson III), a solid big man (McGary), a great shooter (Stauskas), a steal (LeVert), and a player to fill depth for the next few years (Albrecht).  Some of the recruits probably could have been a little better, primarily LeVert and Albrecht, but ultimately, it's tough to demand much more given the circumstances.  Few thought Burke would deeply consider the NBA at the beginning of the year, which made it very difficult for Beilein to recruit for the future.  Along with this, nobody could have predicted several players would transfer late, opening up even more depth for the team.

Considering these circumstances, this is a great recruiting class and one that could really solidify Michigan as a basketball team and program.  No recruit or recruiting class will make a team or a program, but with Michigan's recent momentum and Beilein's great coaching, I see no reason why this class won't be very productive both next season and the future.  Fans should be very excited to see these guys arrive on campus next fall, as they'll likely continue Michigan's recent winning traditions.


* - Note: My predictions were made before the Trey Burke announcement, so ignore Spike Albrecht as the starter

Caris LeVert Commits To Michigan

Photo Credit: TripleDouble

After de-committing from Ohio (the green one) and visiting Michigan's campus, Caris LeVert has decided to commit to Michigan.  He is a class of 2012 recruit and ranked as a 3* by Rivals and a 2* by ESPN.  He is a 6'4" guard that weighs 175 lbs and will probably be playing SG at Michigan, although I think there is a chance that if needed, he can play another somewhere else.

He was originally projected to commit on Wednesday, but delayed his decision to Friday.  Almost everybody projected him ending up in Ann Arbor because he should be a great fit in Beilein's system and has connections with the school.  He currently attends the same school as 4* defensive end Taco Charlton and I don't think anybody doubts that this was at least a factor in his decision.

If there is a recruit in this year's class that is under the radar, it's LeVert.  He has not received much love from the recruiting services and is not going to be hyped like other Michigan recruits such as Mitch McGary or Glenn Robinson III, but I see no reason why he won't perform well once he arrives next fall.  He has some great skills and was also being recruited pretty heavily by some other Big Ten programs like Purdue.

He probably won't contribute a ton early just because of Michigan's immense depth over the next few years, but I think he could be a big factor for Michigan.  He's one of three guards selected in the 2012 recruiting class for Michigan (the others being Spike Albrecht and Nik Staukas).  Staukas will likely be playing the same position as LeVert, which is a major reason I'm not sure how much of an impact he will have for the team early, but both of them could easily play on the floor together.

Now, just because LeVert hasn't received a ton of love from the recruiting sites doesn't mean he's not talented. He not only led his team to the state championship while averaging 19 points per game, but also won Ohio's prestigious JJ Huddle Player of the Year Award.  The previous winners include players such as Trey Burke, Jared Sullinger, and William Buford.  Obviously, winning the award puts him in good company and remember, Trey Burke didn't receive a lot of love either as an incoming recruit.

Overall, this is a solid pick-up for Michigan that fans may not appreciate right away, but is going to be important in the future.  The kid can seriously play and I think fans will see that once he gets a chance.  As I said, he may not get his chance early, but when he does, I think he's going to impress a lot of people.

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.

Michigan Basketball In Position To Land Transfer Julius Mays

Photo Credit: Scout

It looks like this crazy year of recruiting for Michigan's basketball program has taken another twist today as CBSSports reported that Julius Mays would be transferring from Wright State.  Typically, this wouldn't matter that much, but it was also reported that Mays had listed Michigan as one of his top schools.  Mays is a 6' 2" guard that played at both North Carolina State and Wright State.  He averaged 14.1 points, 2.8 rebounds, and 2.5 assists per game last season at Wright State.  He's a very capable player and has experience playing in both the ACC and some big games.  Along with this, from what I understand of his situation, he will be eligible to play next season.

Right now, he's considering Michigan, Purdue, MSU, Kentucky, and Cincinnati as transfer destinations.  Do I think he'll end up here?  Probably not, but if Michigan doesn't land what appears to be its only remaining prospect in the 2012 recruiting class, Caris LeVert, I think there's a chance Michigan lands Mays.  However, because he's originally from Indiana, I think he will be leaning towards Purdue.  Plus with their lineup, they probably have more room for him than Michigan.  At Michigan, where he'd be for one year, he'd likely be competing against players like Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway, Jr. for playing time.  Whether he could pass either of them for a starting spot is pretty debatable.  Along with this, Burke and Hardaway play a lot of minutes last season, so playing time would certainly be an issue if Mays came to Ann Arbor.

The one significant advantage Mays would bring to Michigan would be increased depth.  Typically, when a team adds a player, they have to give up a scholarship for 3-4 years and are bringing in a true freshman.  In this situation, Michigan would only have to sacrifice a scholarship for one year and get a very experience and capable player.  Along with this, Michigan's only point guard in the 2012 class, Spike Albrecht, would probably be able to redshirt next season, which would do a lot to help Michigan in the long run because Michigan has been short on point guards as of late.  Whether he'd backup Hardaway or Burke is something that's unclear, but there's no doubt if he came to Michigan he would be on the floor for a good chunk of time.  I don't see him starting, but if Burke or Hardaway had a bad night, I could see Mays playing as many, or more, minutes than Burke or Hardaway for that night.

For Michigan fans, I wouldn't get my hopes up too much, since I really believe he's going to end up playing for the Boilermakers, but there's no doubt that he could be useful for Michigan if he ends up here.  There doesn't seem to be an exact timeline for his decision, but I couldn't see it going too much longer because he'll certainly want to become acquainted with the staffs and his fellow players.

On a side-note, if he ends up at Purdue, which I expect, this could do a lot to chance the balance in the Big Ten.  Purdue probably won't be a championship favorite by any means, but with Mays and their solid incoming recruiting class, I could see them being able to upset teams like Indiana, Michigan, and MSU.  Don't expect them to be dominant, but Purdue certainly pulled off some impressive wins last year when they were consistently the underdog team.  In other words, keep an eye out for Mays whether he lands up at Michigan or not, because fans will probably know him well by the end of the season.

One More PG? Amedeo Della Valle Visiting This Weekend

Although Michigan basketball has been blessed over the last week with Spike Albrecht's commitment and Trey Burke's announcement, Michigan is still  recruiting point guards.  Whether this is to truly advance the position or simply to ensure point guard depth remains unknown, but what is known is that Michigan is actively pursuing some solid recruits and still has a good chance at securing them for next season.

The most likely candidate to commit has become Amedeo Della Valle from Henderson, Nevada.  There had been some discussion about other point guard prospects such as 2013 point guard Monte Morris, but he practically eliminated all speculation when he said, "Michigan still is recruiting me, but I'm not sure how that's going to work out".  Obviously, this probably has a lot to do with Spike Albrecht and Trey Burke returning to Michigan more than it has to do with anything else.

Regardless, Amedeo Della Valle has become the only legitimate option for the 2012 recruiting class and likely one of the few remaining prospects for Michigan over the next few seasons as well.  Certainly, a lot could change for the 2013 recruits, but there's no doubt Della Valle is going to be Michigan's last prospect for 2012.  Della Valle is 6'3" and weighs 180 lbs.  He is rated as a 3 star by both Rivals and Scout, but is listed as a point guard by Rivals and a shooting guard by Scout.  Personally, I see him more as a point guard in the Beilein offense, but he'll definitely be able to play both positions with some experience, which will be a major advantage for Michigan and Della Valle.

Della Valle will be on campus this weekend and I certainly think there's a great chance to get a commitment in the near future.  From what I've seen, it looks like he wants to make his decision by the end of April.  Whether this is to confirm the team rosters after NBA Draft, I don't know, but I don't see him waiting past the end of April.  He's being recruited by several other big name teams such as Arizona, Texas A & M, and Ohio State, so Michigan will have a recruiting battle on their hands if they are trying to secure a commitment.

Michigan certainly has the room to offer him, with two open scholarships following the three recent transfers and I think this would be a good place to use the scholarships.  Certainly, this isn't a recruiting battle that will make or destroy next year's Michigan team, but adding point guard and shooting guard depth would be very good for the next few years.  There's no doubt Burke will be going to the NBA soon and yes, Derrick Walton is coming to Michigan in 2013, but Michigan and Beilein are not trying to get into the same situation as they faced next year if Burke went pro, virtually no point guard depth.

Della Valle is a good point guard and what's nice is that he wouldn't have to play a lot next year and either he or Spike Albrecht could likely red-shirt next season.  Having at least one experienced point guard on the roster would be great, especially if Walton has a rough college transition, which is always possible.  Either way, Michigan has a great chance at landing him this weekend, when most are assuming Beilein is going to offer Della Valle a scholarship.


Photo Credit: Point Guard U

Projecting The Basketball Starting Lineup

Michigan will be returning a solid squad for the 2012-2013 season and is bringing is a very talented recruiting class. The major question early on was whether Trey Burke would stay or go pro, but now that he has decided to stay, the main questions are just about how quickly some of the new recruits can transition into college basketball and Michigan's system.

Bringing in 5 commitments, including 3 ESPN100 players, will go a long way towards building depth on a team that desperately needs some.  Michigan had a solid starting lineup and some decent contributors off the bench such as Evan Smotrcyz and Jon Horford, but with the loss of Zack Novak, Stu Douglass, Smotcryz's transfer, and Horford's season ending injury last season, Michigan will need to find some players that can fill these voids.  I think with some of Michigan's current players and with their incoming recruiting class, filling these voids shouldn't be as difficult as many first assumed.  The big question mark will just be whether these players can meet or exceed the production of last year's team and build off their great success.

Spike Albrecht Commits To Michigan

Well, as I predicted earlier this week, Spike Albrecht has committed to play for the Wolverines' basketball squad starting next season.  This move was not very surprising, as this is Albrecht's biggest scholarship offer, but it's something that may pay big dividends for Michigan in the near future.  Albrecht is not Trey Burke and shouldn't be expected to perform the way Burke did this season, but he is a solid player that could get a lot of playing time next year if Burke opts to go to the NBA Draft, which seems very likely.

Albrecht is the kind of player that could do very well for Michigan next year.  Not because he is a top 10 recruit and brings amazing talents to Ann Arbor, but because he is a solid player that understands the game.  This may sound ambiguous, but when you look at what Albrecht has done, you will likely understand.  He is very good with ball control and limits turnovers.  Along with that, his mindset seems to always be "pass first" instead of attempting to do the offensive work himself.

Normally, a point guard that can do both of these things would be preferred, but for next season's team, I'm not convinced that's true.  Having a point guard like Trey Burke (scoring leader and assists leader) is great, but look at the players that will surround Albrecht.  The starting lineup surrounding point guard appears to be: Glenn Robinson III, Tim Hardaway Jr., Mitch McGary, and Jordan Morgan.  Obviously, this is purely speculative, but even so, that lineup looks frightening for opponents!

With this in mind, distributing the ball with that lineup shouldn't be that difficult.  They should be able to put up a lot of points and create opportunities themselves.  Albrecht (assuming he starts if Burke leaves) will still have to make some key plays, but he's going to have a much stronger supporting cast than Burke had this season, which should make the job a lot easier.  Albrecht's ability to reduce turnovers and spread out the ball should be some great tools for this team.

This late-season commitment could turn out to be just what Michigan needs if Burke decides to go pro.  Beilein has been very good at finding players that other teams don't recruit and making solid players out of them and I think he's going to do that again with Spike.  Albrecht did not get the attention many recruits received from big programs and I think Beilein has a chance to prove his coaching pedigree once again.

Fans should be excited and rest a little easier knowing that there is at least some help on the way if Burke does what many predict, and opts to go to the NBA.  Spike brings a great skill set to the Wolverines and shouldn't have to carry the entire load himself this season, which should help the transition from high school to college.  I expect he'll play a lot this year and have a solid season, whether Burke stays or goes pro.


Photo Credit: NEPS

Will Michigan Replace Trey Burke Today?

The speculation about Trey Burke leaving for the NBA Draft continues to come in on an almost daily basis now. One minute he's gone and the next minute he's staying, but one things for certain; Michigan has some big holes at point guard that they need to address.  They've been recruiting several point guards in the last few weeks and appear to have cornered on a few solid prospects.

The big thing to note is that there is really nobody left in the 2012 recruiting class that has much of a chance of equaling Burke's production this season.  Yes, there are a few that may turn out to be better than expected and could develop into a player as good as or better than Burke, but they probably aren't going to come in and repeat Burke's accomplishments last season.  What Burke did last season was simply astounding and it's not something that's going to be replicated on a regular basis.

Having said that, there's no reason why someone can't come in and at least minimize the loss of Burke.  Yes, Michigan would probably move backward if Burke left for the NBA, but look at the incoming recruits.  They are outstanding.  Every position on the court should be taking an upgrade except point guard.  Now, I'm a huge believer in the point guard's importance to a basketball team, but people need to remember that Michigan is bringing in some great guys for next season.  If they can have a functional point guard, this team could be pretty solid.

There have been a few candidates that appear to have caught Beilein's eye, but it looks like Spike Albrecht is the most likely candidate to commit.  He will be visiting campus today and I think a commitment will be soon in order.  Maybe not today, but I think there's a strong likelihood Michigan will land him in the next few days to week.  This will mean that there will be at least one incoming point guard that can potentially fill the gap left by Burke.  I don't think anybody is predicting his production will be even close to Burke's from last season, but it's still something to be excited about.

Albrecht has played in many high-profile games and tournaments including games with Michigan commits Mitch McGary and Glenn Robinson III.  He is 6'1" and weights 180 lbs.  He is also noted as having an extremely high assist to turnover ratio, which Burke struggled with at times this year.  He may not be the 5* recruit that sends fans in a frenzy, but I think he's a guy that could have an impact, especially on a team without a definitive point guard, but has a great surrounding cast.

As I said, keep an eye.  Michigan may have some bright news among the horror that has become the Trey Burke Draft evaluation.


Photo Credit: Preps

Michigan Recruiting Point Guards

With Trey Burke's recent announcement that he is considering entering the NBA Draft, there's been a lot of controversy surrounding who would be the replacement if Burke decides to leave Michigan.  As of now, because of transfer issues, Michigan doesn't have a clear-cut point guard that could fill in for Trey Burke next year.  Assuming Burke goes pro, Michigan only has one person that would at least be capable of replacing him right now and that's Eso Akunne.

Now, Akunne is a decent player and I think he could develop into a solid back-up for a guy like Burke, but he is not a guy you want starting at point guard for your team, especially not right now.  Yes, he's done well in a few games while here at Michigan, but he ended last season with an injury and never truly led the team from the point guard position like Burke.  Yes, if he's forced into the starting point guard position next year he'll likely have more help than Burke had this year, but he is not going to be able to dominate like Burke did.  He can contribute in some capacity, but I just don't see him as a game-changer like Burke, which will set this team back a lot.

As a result of this situation, Beilein and the coaching staff have begun a frantic search in an effort to find either a replacement for Trey Burke, or somebody that can play back-up now that Carlton Brundidge has left.  Brundidge was Burke's backup for much of the year, but has decided to transfer from Michigan.  Unfortunately, at this point, there aren't a ton of solid point guards left in the 2012 recruiting class.  Yes, there are a few guys that might be able to come in and contribute right away, but they are few and far between.

Now, there are some great guys in the 2013 recruiting class, but Michigan already has Derrick Walton coming in, who should be a great point guard for the Wolverines.  Along with this, any 2013 recruits won't be on campus for next season, which is the exact time that Michigan desperately needs a point guard replacement.  So, in order to make this frantic search a bit easier, I've highlighted some of the likely candidates to replace or back-up Burke next season:


Amedeo Della Valle
Amedeo is a 6'3" point guard out of Henderson, Nevada and is rated as a 3* recruit by Rivals.  He certainly is a talented player and his recruitment appears to be finishing.  If he decides to commit to Michigan, he probably won't get much playing time unless Burke goes pro.  I do think he has some potential to be a very solid player and has been recruited by some big schools including Gonzaga and OSU.  He probably will be commiting to a school within the next few weeks, but I can't see him signing to play with Michigan until he sees what happens with Trey Burke (I know that personally I would want to wait).  Beilein was actually visiting Amedeo last week.

Spike Albrecht

Albrecht hasn't received much publicity and is only 5'11", but he has shown some promise in a lot of games, including a game against Mitch McGary's team.  He was named the MVP of the AAA high school tournament and averaged 9 pts and 7 assists during the season.  Another important note is that he's from the same high school as Zack Novak and Novak's only had positive things to say about him.  He's also noted as having few turnovers and as being well conditioned (played 40 minutes in the AAA Final).

Derrick Walton 

Now, I only put Walton on this list because if Michigan doesn't land one of these two they are probably going to be relying on Eso Akunne to carry them through next season.  After that, I think Walton will come in as the starting point guard and make some major contributions.  Walton is 6'0" and is rated as a 4* recruit by Rivals.    He is also credited with having a great basketball IQ and as a true point guard by Scout.  I think he'll work out to be one of the best incoming point guards in recent memory, even including the sensational season Burke just had for the Wolverines.  However, if Michigan's point guard depth depends on Walton, they're going to be in major trouble for next season.


Photo Credit: AnnArbor.com, Draftology, MGoBlog, NY2LA