Trey Burke says if he and Michigan have a great 2012-13 season, he'll likely lean toward NBA
Trey Burke's made no bones about how difficult his recent decision was.
The Michigan basketball point guard eventually opted to return to the Wolverines for his sophomore season, rather than try his hand early at the NBA draft.
But what about next year?
"If I have a great season, and we go far, I probably will lean towards coming out," Burke told Dime Magazine in a recent Q&A interview. "I can’t really speak on that right now, it’s too early.
"But I definitely will look into it and my coaches will help me look into it because they understand the type of situation I’m in."
Michigan point guard Trey Burke discusses his decision to remain in school during a press conference earlier this month.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
The co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year ultimately opted to return to Michigan with the hopes of competing for a Big Ten and national championship, putting his NBA dreams on hold.
For now.
"It got stressful a couple times, for the simple fact that I really didn't know what I (was going to) do," Burke said earlier this month. "You hear voices from everywhere and people surround you. You don't really know who to listen to besides your family and the coaching staff. It got stressful a couple times.
"It was a learning experience, (because) I'd never experienced anything like that."
In the Dime Magazine interview, Burke said he and his parents' main concern during his decision-making process was making sure he was solidly projected as a first-round choice if he decided to come out. In the end, Burke told Dime his parents felt "it was safer for me to come back and get another year of education."
Burke added that he spoke closely with Michigan coach John Beilein about the entire process, as well as Detroit Pistons general manager Joe Dumars -- father of former Michigan guard Jordan Dumars.
Burke has continually chose not to discuss the results of the NBA's undergraduate advisory board's report, per Beilein's request.
"I just felt like it was the right decision for me to make," Burke told Dime. "After talking it over with my family, the coaching staff, we kind of pretty much just broke down the pros and cons of leaving and staying, and I felt like the right decision was to stay.
"With the recruits we have coming in, with the players that we have coming back, we have a great chance of being a Final Four, if not a National Championship team."
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.
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Comments
boo
Mon, Apr 30, 2012 : 2:07 a.m.
kid has every right to go pro if he wants to. I'm happy for Michigan that he is back. But don't please posters, don't get all righteous. Like any of you would turn down a better opportunity if it came your way tomorrow. Don't be sorry ass hypocrites. Go Blue!
UlyssesWrong1
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 7:11 p.m.
Trey Burke is a great young point guard coming off his freshman year. Don't vilify the kid for looking at his NBA options, that's why he went to Michigan, because he felt it would get him ready for the league. Burke has great skills, and even if he went to the NBA, his skills would be developed there. People hate Darius Morris for leaving after his sophomore year but eventually he will be up to par. Compare these two with Manny Harris, who stayed long enough at Michigan while Michigan was pretty below average, and then went to the pros with all his college experience and is riding the bench still. Do you think staying for his senior year would have made him any better? Doubt it. Go for the money and be a professional basketball player, easy career choice. Michigan fans are going to need to get used to recruits who are only willing to stay one or two seasons because those are the best players these days. Or do you want us to get more Stu Douglas and Zach Novak's?
djm12652
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 6:26 p.m.
How about getting his degree first? Then moving on to a professional career...but can he even graduate if no one will take his tests for him?
SalineBob
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 4:36 p.m.
"I can't really speak on that now, it's too early". Then he proceeds to speak on it now.
Blue1997
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 2:53 p.m.
I believe you can't blame the young man for exploring his options, that being said IMO he made the right choice for his development coming back for a year. With a good Soph year he will probably be a 1st round pick, with hopefully another big ten championship.
craigjjs
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 11:51 a.m.
I hope Coach Beilein points out to Burke that telling the press you will spend the next season focused on making yourself attractive to the NBA is not likely to instill confidence in your team mates. If you are going to be on the team, please focus your efforts on the team's success or, at least, have the good judgement to keep your priorities to yourself.
JimB
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 2:49 p.m.
@Forever, I disagree with you. Look at MSU's Draymon Green. He was a talented player but his attitude and leadership skills not only made him better, it made his whole team better. He made that decision to be a leader for himself, took a team that had low expectations and made them a champion. On the other hand, look at MSU's team the year of 2010-2011.They were stacked with talent and came back from the national championship game the year before. They were ranked #2 to start the season. They went on to have one of the worst seasons ever because they had no leader Guys like Durrel Summers, Kalin Lucas & Chris Allen were only in it for themselves. It was very obvious every game. The whole season was disfunctional and a disaster. The team played off of those guys. Good luck to Beilein.
Forever27
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 12:38 p.m.
If you think his teammates hold false illusions of him staying, you're sadly mistaken. They all know the reality of college basketball (or any sport for that matter), teams are temporary, you make the best of what you have, when you have it. Every year the team is different and every year players have to adjust to their new teammates. it happens at every level. so to say that Burke's teammates will be scorned by this is just flat wrong.
Joe Kidd
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 10:19 a.m.
I agree with the comments that urge him to just go now. He just announced this next year his concentration will be on himself and not the team. That is not Michigan.
JimB
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 3:22 a.m.
He should just take off now. How dumb is it for him to talk about leaving so soon after he was 'offended' from all the hype surrounding his NBA prospects. NOT a team player. Give us Novak and Douglass type players anyday.
JimB
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 2:37 p.m.
Do you think you're going to win a championship with guys who are talking about leaving evey week? Do you think those type of players will do the 'little things' it takes to win? Or be a leader who pushes the rest of the team to play harder? ...develop other players around them? Even the Fraud 5 were the ultimate team players while they were on campus. That's what got them to the Championship, not individualism.
Joe Kidd
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 10:20 a.m.
Sure RJ if they stay through their senior year.
RJ12688
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 5:37 a.m.
As great as those players were, your not going to win a championship without some NBA level talent.
a2grateful
Thu, Apr 26, 2012 : 11:52 p.m.
Trey . . . Glad you decided to stay . . . Think bigger than the NBA . . . How about a UofM JD degree on graduation day? We'll support your decision either way!
MRunner73
Thu, Apr 26, 2012 : 11:41 p.m.
Trey Burke will stay one more year regardless of the team's success or lack of. The only way he'll stay is of he regresses and I wouldn't bet on that scenario, either. Too soon to be talking about the post season of 2012-13 and foolishness on Trey's part.
michboy40
Thu, Apr 26, 2012 : 9:06 p.m.
Big time college basketball is not about the universities anymore. They are just the inconvenient connection between HS ball and the NBA.
heartbreakM
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 12:14 a.m.
How right you are. How sad that is.
wardsa
Thu, Apr 26, 2012 : 8:27 p.m.
Hey Burke, just go now. Make room for someone that is a team player and isn't talking about leaving before the season even starts. Hard to get excited for someone you know would rather be somewhere else. Move along......next.
Forever27
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 12:36 p.m.
@joe kidd, Kentucky starting 5 consisted of sophomores and freshmen.
Joe Kidd
Fri, Apr 27, 2012 : 10:23 a.m.
I disagree Dtones. Seems as though the final four teams are lead by great seniors, sometimes Juniors. Not Freshman and Sophomores.
dtones520
Thu, Apr 26, 2012 : 8:59 p.m.
Players leaving early is the price you pay to have a good bball program. If youd rather us go back to making the tourney once every 5 years, maybe, we can start recruiting those type of players again.
81wolverine
Thu, Apr 26, 2012 : 7:45 p.m.
The main thing Burke should be concentrating on is getting better as a basketball player. He simply isn't ready for the NBA yet. From where he is right now, I'd say it will take him 2 more years at Michigan to get into the upper half of the first round. That would be worth it financially for him (to wait). I don't necessarily think that's what he'll do. But, it's more realistic. His game is just too raw right now. The talent is there for sure. He could develop his game faster by starting at Michigan vs. sitting on the bench in the NBA.