Derrick Walton
I avoid posting much about basketball until after National Signing Day, because there’s too much football-related stuff going on for a part-time blogger to cover everything. However, it’s nice to sit back, relax, and enjoy some good college basketball when things settle down after NSD. In the aftermath of Michigan’s win over Tulsa and loss to Notre Dame in the NCAA Tournament, here are some thoughts from a football coach on Michigan basketball.
G Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman
I was thoroughly impressed with Abdur-Rahkman down the stretch. He has been a pleasant surprise after not doing much in 2014-2015. MAAR is the one guy on the team who can attack the basket in the half-court and make things happen. Add in the fact that he doesn’t mind getting dirty and making hustle plays, and I might even suggest that he was Michigan’s best player at the end of the year. If not the best, then he was at least the most consistent. He averaged 13.6 points/game in Michigan’s final nine contests after only topping that average once in the first fourteen games of the season. He’s not a future NBA star because he’s not particularly quick or explosive, but he’s on par with some of the guys who were the team’s stars in Michigan’s lean years.
G Spike Albrecht
Albrecht was one of two seniors for Michigan this season, but hip problems – for which he had surgery last summer – derailed his season. It was announced at one point that he wouldn’t continue his basketball career at Michigan, but others have suggested recently that he could use this season as a redshirt year to return in 2016-2017. If he does come back, he would be a great backup point guard to Derrick Walton, and Michigan’s offense has enough wiggle room to allow Walton, Albrecht, and incoming freshman Xavier Simpson all to get minutes. (It would also hopefully ensure that Andrew Dakich doesn’t have to play a crunch-time role, which would be great.)
F Kam Chatman
It was fun to see Chatman hit the three-pointer to win the Indiana game, and not only because it was a win for Michigan. Chatman was about the last person I would expect to hit a dagger like that, but he pulled it off. You can see his talent, but he needs to get stronger. He’s also one of those kids who would benefit from an influx of confidence, and maybe the finish to his season would help him get there. It would be excellent if he could develop as an option at the four, so Zak Irvin doesn’t have to play out of position. Michigan could use his presence in the frontcourt not only next year, but in 2017-2018 after Michigan has lost Albrecht, Irvin, Derrick Walton, and maybe Mark Donnal.
Hit the jump for a rundown of the rest of Michigan’s key players.
G Aubrey Dawkins
Dawkins shot the ball well from three-point range (44%), but I was very disappointed in his instincts for the game. It’s surprising to me that he doesn’t show a good feel for handling the ball, rebounding, defensive awareness, etc. He’s also an outstanding athlete who seemed to lose some confidence late in the season after missing some easy breakaway dunks. He needs to get that confidence back, and going into his third season, being a defensive liability should no longer be an issue.
F Mark Donnal
A lot of blame for last night’s loss to Notre Dame was placed on the shoulders of Donnal, who shot just 44% (7 points, 3 rebounds, 1 block, 1 asssist in 29 minutes). He did not have a good game, and 44% is a poor percentage for a big. However, I thought Donnal looked significantly improved from his 2014-2015 season. He was stronger and much more confident this season, and he shot 58% on the year. Michigan classified him as a junior this year despite him technically redshirting as a freshman in 2013-2014, and maybe that spurred some improvement. If we look at the way Michigan’s fives have improved over the past several years, Jordan Morgan turned into a very good player, Jon Horford played significant time at Florida after transferring, and Max Bielfeldt became the Big Ten’s Sixth Man of the Year after transferring to Indiana. I think Donnal has some good basketball ahead of him, and it would be a mistake to give up on him too early.
C Ricky Doyle
Doyle seems like a center who doesn’t really fit John Beilein’s offense, so he’s a bit of a square peg in a round hole. He does make his shots (64% on the year), but he doesn’t have great hands and can’t handle the ball in the high post. It’s good to have him on the team to match up against more traditional centers.
G/F Zak Irvin
Irvin came in with a lot of hype a few years ago, but I liked him more when he was a spot-up shooter off the bench a few years ago. He hasn’t developed much in the way of a handle or playmaking skills, and Michigan has tried to make him something he’s not. That’s by necessity because of injuries and departures, but that doesn’t make it any less true. He shot under 30% on three-pointers this season (he shot 43% as a freshman) and is shooting just over 40% overall in the past two seasons. Michigan is better off with him playing a support role rather than trying to be an alpha male, even though he hit a few clutch shots here and there.
G/F Caris LeVert
It was very disappointing to watch this team not have its best player for long stretches. He averaged over 16 points/game, shot over 50%, hit almost 45% of his threes, distributed the ball well, and played defense. With him on the floor, Michigan is probably still playing in the Tourney. Kind of like Antonio Bass or Matt Gutierrez, it’s a “What could have been?” situation that will never really be answered. Every team suffers injuries, but Michigan needs to look at its training methods and medical staff to figure out why people like LeVert, Albrecht, and Walton have missed chunks of the past two seasons with lower body injuries.
G/F Duncan Robinson
Robinson was a welcome addition to the team this season after transferring from Division III Williams College. He’s a great shooter, and he helped pick up the scoring slack without LeVert on the floor. Robinson needs to understand who he is and not try to do too much. People like to compare him to Nik Stauskas because of his three-point shooting prowess, but Robinson can’t handle the ball as well and needs to make better decisions. He does not do a good job of throwing entry passes and needed to keep the ball on the perimeter rather than trying to be a playmaker.
C Moritz Wagner
Wagner was another late-season surprise. His confidence seemed to grow late in the year, and his defense and rebounding were much needed. He made some silly mistakes handling the ball, fouling, etc. that will be fixed with maturity. His body needs to mature, as well, but I think Wagner should eat into Ricky Doyle’s minutes next season. Michigan has always seemed thin at the five spot under John Beilein, and while no one is clearly destined to be a star, right now the Wolverines have three capable players there for 2016-2017, even before the incoming freshmen arrive.
G Derrick Walton
Walton is a good all-around point guard in the Big Ten. He can’t take over a game like a Trey Burke, but he’s a good defender who can be physical and can stay in front of opposing guards. He also plays passing lanes well, can hit the three, and takes care of the ball. He’s not a difference-maker as a creator in the half-court, which is a role that Abdur-Rahkman handles pretty well. He did a good job handling the ball against Notre Dame, but in the prior couple of games, he uncharacteristically made some very bad turnovers. With a few good point guards graduating or potentially leaving for the NBA, Walton might be near the top of the conference at his position next year.
What do you think about the team next year? Who will be Michigan’s star player with LeVert gone? Will Michigan make the Tournament again?
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