Analyst puts Michigan basketball back as the leader in the Mitch McGary sweepstakes
On Thursday, Brewster Academy power forward Mitch McGary said he'll make his college choice next week, and he'll choose between Michigan, Duke and Florida.
On Friday, one national recruiting analyst offered his opinion on the situation.
"In this case, Michigan appears to have overcome the objections and has itself positioned to nab the top power forward in the country next week," ESPN national recruiting analyst Dave Telep wrote in a recent blog post on ESPN.com.
Telep even cites the opinion of an unnamed college basketball assistant coach who feels the same way on McGary's lean toward Michigan.
“I think the kid’s getting kind of burnt out with it,” one college assistant said. “I think the kid’s going to Michigan.”
Telep explains how he perceived Michigan to be the leader for McGary all along, and nearly scored a commitment from him. However, writes Telep, other schools sensed this and began to throw a heavy counter-attack during McGary's recruitment process.
According to Telep, though, the Wolverines may have weathered the storm.
"This situation has changed before, therefore it could change again," he writes, "but right now it’s on autopilot and the guy flying the plane likes the Wolverines."
Telep is ESPN.com's senior national basketball analyst, and his college basketball scouting service, according to ESPN, is used by more than 225 colleges and several NBA teams.
The 6-foot-10, 250-pound McGary is a consensus top five national prospect, and ESPN.com rates him as the top power forward prospect in the class of 2012.
Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.
Comments
81wolverine
Thu, Nov 3, 2011 : 7:51 p.m.
Michigan has signed highly rated players before like McGary, but at this point in Michigan's climb back to the top echelons of college basketball, his commitment would be huge for the program. With him next year, Michigan would have all the pieces to contend for a Big Ten title and a deep run into the NCAA's. And the next year could be even greater. Beilein will accomplish great things at Michigan with his coaching ability if you give him great athletes like McGary. And Coach B is well on his way to stocking Michigan with far more talent than he ever had at West Virginia. Let's hope for Mitch to Go Blue later this afternoon!
golfer
Fri, Oct 28, 2011 : 9:54 p.m.
i sure hope so. i want to see the basketball program get to where it was a while back. full house going nuts.
UlyssesSwrong
Sun, Oct 30, 2011 : 9:18 p.m.
I hope so too, Michigan is horrible in the paint and they need this kind of player if they expect to be able to compete in the Big 10, especially for the OSU game coming up.