Michigan Thursday: Basketball is Stealing Headlines

John Beilein's program has done a great job the last few years is shifting the focus of Michigan fans from the inconsistent football program to a championship level basketball program.    That trend continues this week as two sophomores declared for the NBA Draft and we still await the decision from Michigan's low post player and pre-season All-American Mitch McGary.

What were the odds that Michigan would go through two football coaches and zero Big Ten Championships to John Beilein's two in a similar time frame?  I sure didn't expect the success this program has had.

The Michigan Basketball coaches aren't wasting any time trying to find a few guys to fill the spots left by Nik, Glenn and Jon.   Reported yesterday, "The Champ" Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman is taking an official visit to Ann Arbor this weekend.   He will now be joined by Johnny Dawkins son, Aubrey, who is also expected in this weekend. 

Aubrey Dawkins, is not rated by Rivals but a 6'4 180 pound shooting guard from New Hampton Prep.   We know coach likes sons of former NBA guys and Aubrey fits that mold.   Coaches are a pretty tight group, I don't know if John and Johnny are close but Michigan did play Stanford this year in Brooklyn.  So there might have been a call placed (one way or the other) regarding Aubrey.

A fair question is, why isn't Aubrey going to Stanford?  Could be the difficult admission policy or maybe they are full.   Right now he has offers from Dayton and Rhode Island, which are two solid basketball programs. 

Muhammad Ali Abdur-Rahkman is also 6'4 and 180 pound guard and hails from Allentown, PA .   Rivals rates him as a 3 star prospect, with offers from Bucknell, Rice, Robert Morris and George Mason.   He is known as being more of slasher/driver of the basketball then a shooter and a good defender.

Coach does give out offers without a visit to Ann Arbor, which both prospects will fulfill this weekend.  Would the Wolverines take both?  I expect both would jump at a Michigan offer.     

• Caris LeVert did ask the NBA Draft Advisory Board for a review of where he would go.  He is for sure coming back.  He also got invited to Kevin Durant's Skills Academy this summer.