Touch the Banner: Michigan basketball

Tuesday, May 12, 2015

Tyus Battle, Wolverine

Tyus Battle (image via Scout)

I don't cover much basketball here, because jack of all trades, master of none, right? But I am a big Michigan basketball fan, and I'm excited to see that Gladstone (NJ) Gill St. Bernards shooting guard/small forward Tyus Battle committed to Michigan yesterday. He's a 247 Composite 5-star and #12 overall in the 2016 class. Nobody seemed to be expecting Battle to commit to the Wolverines, at least not yet. Take the following with a grain of salt because I don't - I repeat, don't! - mean these players are the same caliber, but the way Battle moves around the floor, handles the ball, etc. reminds me of a young Kobe Bryant.

Friday, June 27, 2014

2014 NBA Draft Results

Nik Stauskas destroyed Florida (image via MGoBlog)

This isn't a basketball blog, but I'll certainly celebrate some Michigan basketball success when I can. Last night the program had a big chunk of success in the NBA draft.

FIRST ROUND
#8 Nik Stauskas - SG - Sacramento Kings: The selection of Stauskas earned CBS Sports' lowest grade of the top 13 picks (D+), but good for him. I have said before that Stauskas looks to me like a Jamal Crawford type of player, a guy who can be instant offense off the bench (although in different ways than Crawford). I am disappointed that he went to Sacramento because it's a small market team and we'll rarely have a chance to see him television, but that's the way it goes.

#21 Mitch McGary - PF - Oklahoma City Thunder: I don't think McGary could have found a better situation, and the Thunder got a good fit for their team, too. They have a couple established scorers, and McGary - when healthy - is a high motor player who can create some extra opportunities for Kevin Durant and Russell Westbrook. I'm surprised McGary went this high with the questions about his health.

SECOND ROUND
#40 Glenn Robinson III - SF - Minnesota Timberwolves: Robinson is sort of an odd fit in Minnesota, and he's almost exactly the same size (6'6", 220 lbs.) as starting SF Shabazz Muhammad (6'6", 222 lbs.). There are all kinds of questions about whether Robinson can bring together all the phases of his game, but he's a guy who I think can have a long NBA career, even if just as a backup swing player.

UNDRAFTED
Jordan Morgan - PF - Minnesota Timberwolves: Minnesota doesn't have a lot of bigs, but the starter there is a star in Kevin Love. I don't think many people are under the impression that Morgan can be an NBA starter, but he has a chance to make a roster somewhere as a role player. He doesn't have great size or athleticism, but he found a way to get the job done in college against guys who were bigger and more athletic.

Congratulations to all these guys, the coaches, and the basketball program!