Michigan Thursday: Worried About The Basketball Program

The Michigan Basketball Team just won a Big Ten Title and now the ship is starting to leak.   It was clear this team went sideways after the Purdue game this year.   Something was different and they really didn't play well after.   

The signs of what was wrong is starting to show it's face with three transfers. 

Evan Smotrycz is the biggest loss.  He had a up and down season.  He started off hot and played well in Maui but struggled early in the Big Ten season but started to re-show signs of getting out of his slump late in the year.  He then dribbled the ball off his foot in the final seconds of the Miami game and took a ton of negative hits on Facebook and Twitter.   He gave this quote to ESPN  “It’s just a matter of what I thought was the right fit, something my family agreed on,” Smotrycz said. “I don’t want to say too much right now in being sensitive to the coaching staff. But it was a decision I had to make to be somewhere I was happy.”  He was in great position to start and play a ton next year. 

Christian & Brundidge are not a huge losses.  Christian was taken late in the recruiting class a few years ago when Michigan needed some size.  He was supposed to be a rebounder and defensive stopper.  He really never saw any time.  Brundidge got caught up in the Trey Burke bright light and it was rumored he was planning to transfer for the past 6 weeks or so.  Not sure why he wasn't redshirted this year anyway, he looked a bit out of shape and when he got in late in games didn't really show much.

Now are you ready for this?  The latest is Trey Burke is now considering the NBA.  His dad said they are leaning towards coming back but are open to the NBA.   This really isn't a surprise but we could have a situation like Darius Morris last year where agents are telling him he is a first round prospect but in reality he wasn't.   Many NBA services don't have Trey ranked in the 1st round at this point, so we will see what happens. 

Michigan is down 3 players who played a ton of minutes and maybe 4.   Novak, Douglass and Smotrycz are now gone and Burke could be next.   Yes, Michigan has a number of high quality recruits coming in next year but these are some big losses.   That is why I don't understand Evan leaving, he would have been a starter next year.  They needed his length, if he added a low post game he would have been a tough match up. 

Trey Ziegler?  Many insiders are saying he is probably not coming to Ann Arbor.  It sounds like with Austin Rivers heading to the NBA he wants to step into that role at Duke.   The problem here is he would have to sit for a year.  Michigan lost 5  (maybe 6) players who could have played next season, they need to find guys that can play right away.   As of yesterday, Michigan hadn't contacted Ziegler. 

I guess the coaches need to get out on the recruiting trail and find a few "Burke" type of players.   The future was so bright just a few weeks ago, now that light is dimmer for sure.