[Ace Anbender/MGoBlog]
The Michigan basketball team held their media day yesterday at the Crisler Center, and the theme of the afternoon was a familiar one: the team's youth. The players discussed leadership, the progress of the six freshmen, and much more; here's what I managed to get on the recorder yesterday.
Soph. Guard Derrick Walton
On his shooting getting better last year: “I understood that there were guys like Nik and Caris, the guys that waited their turn, it was their time to do the things that they’d sat and watched other guys do. I was very comfortable letting those guys make the plays and just contribute to the team any way I could, and that was one of the ways.”
On what prompted him starting: “Just starting to feel more comfortable, getting back and doing the things I was used to doing. Like I said, I was just happy contributing any way I could last year.”
On being comfortable becoming assertive this year: “Of course I have. We talk about it almost every day, just how it important it is for me to be aggressive this year. I want to be successful, so I take it upon myself, and my teammates encourage me every day, so I think I’m doing a good job with it.”
On being the point guard: “I try to find my balance and know that there are other guys who are very capable of making plays. It all depends on the situation. It’s hard to predetermine what may happen, so I just try to play it as is.”
On getting the ball into the post: “To be honest with you, this is the exact same thing we did last year. It just so happens this year we’re getting the ball into the post more. That’s the way it’s been thus far. I honestly don’t see a big difference between what we did last year and what we’re doing this year, there’s just guys getting more looks in the post.”
On his comfort level in the system this year: “Yeah, just knowing all the ins and outs of the offense, knowing how and when to pick my spots, just having a year under your belt in the system, it’s a big leap, that’s all I can say, from freshman to sophomore year, there’s a lot of stuff now that I didn’t even recognize last year.” (2:56.8)
On playing more with the ball in his hands this season: “That’s kinda been my M.O. my entire life. Just sitting back and having to watch another guy do it wasn’t a big deal. I’m just capitalizing on the opportunity I have right now.”
On this year being a return to normalcy for him: “It was different in some ways, but like I said, I was focused on winning and helping the team in any way. That was the role I was given, so I just tried to excel in it as much as possible.”
[Hit THE JUMP for quotes from Caris LeVert, Ricky Doyle, DJ Wilson, and Andrew Dakich.]
Junior Guard Caris LeVert
On coming back from his offseason foot injury: “I think it’s definitely all the way back now. I think in Italy I was still a little rusty with my conditioning, but I’m all the way back now.”
On how he’s improved from last season: “I got a little big stronger. It was tough because, obviously, I broke my foot, but I think I got a little bit stronger, and I improved my shooting and ball-handling. I really just improved on each and every part of my game.”
On the freshmen: “They’ve really come along well. Since day one, they’ve been really eager to learn our system, learn our terminology and things like that. They’re really ready to get going. … I think all six of them, they really pick up things really fast. They’re really eager to learn, they pay attention really well. They’re a really fun group of guys to be around.”
On preparing to initiate more of the offense this season: “I watched a lot of film of Nik, and then like I said I’ve just been working on my overall game, just whatever it takes for the team to get wins this year.”
On how he’s rounded out his game: “I’ve watched a lot of film of Nik, of Trey, of Tim, the guys that have really succeeded in the offense, and I’m just trying to implement those things in my game.”
On what he’s getting from each of those players: “Each of them brings a different part of the game. So I’m just trying to bring bits and pieces of each one of their games into mine.”
On Zak Irvin: “Zak was a big recruit coming in and then he was really all about the team last year. He really did what we needed him to do, come off the bench, provide great energy for us, knock down open shots, play good defense, so Zak really played a great role last year for us. … He got a lot stronger in his upper body and lower body. He got a lot more athletic as well. His shot’s always going to be there, he’s a great shooter, but he’s doing more things this year, like rebounding, pushing the ball on the break, things like that.”
Freshman Center Ricky Doyle
On the combination of him and Mark Donnal: “Thunder and lightning. Mark’s a great shooter. I’m the one with the bang and he’s the one with that strike.”
On his relationship with Donnal: “He’s been great. We get along really well. Off the court we talk, hang out sometimes, but on the court we go at each other—to the end result we know we’re making each other better, that’s why we’re doing it. The competition is high in practice. We like to go at each other. We’re both real competitive players, but in the end we’re both trying to get better.”
On competing to start right away: “Whoever gets that five spot is up to Coach Beilein. Max, Mark, and I are all working real hard in the gym to fill that spot.”
On having the team’s lone senior in his position group: “Max is helping us a lot. He’s been a part of this program for a long time. He’s really helping—especially me, Mark’s been here for a year already—he’s been really helping me learn the five spot. Even though I’m playing against Max, he’s like, ‘you need to go this way,’ or ‘you need to set a screen for this guy.’ He’s still helping me understand. That a leadership role—I feel like he really helps the underclassmen understand the game more.”
On whether he’s further along on offense or defense: “Everything is really getting thrown at me. I’m working real hard. Coach BA is working with me with the post moves and post defense. Coach Beilein is just helping me with the knowledge of the game, learning the plays. I’m just working on everything.”
On if his physicality is the main thing he brings to the team: “My physicality and, you know, I have an ability to finish in the low post, box out, get rebounds, I can set screens—I bring a post player’s ability to the table.”
On getting some post touches: “I don’t really know. If I get a guy sealed, say, in practice if I seal a guy, Derrick is such a good passer with the ball that he’ll see the open player. So, yeah, we’ve been getting touches in the post. Me and Mark are working really hard offensively and the guards see that. We have an ability to finish around the rim, and the guards, they want assists, too, so we try to help out the guards and try to help out the team.”
On who gets credit for the huge bruise on his shoulder: “Oh, the bruise? I dunno. I think it was DJ. I give credit for this bruise to DJ.”
Freshman Forward DJ Wilson
On what he brings to the team: “Versatility.”
What he’s working on: “Whatever the coach needs out there. If he says to play one position, then I know what I need to work on a little bit extra to excel at that position.
On difference between wing and center: “The speed and the strength. The wing position, that goes with the speed, and then down low, the strength.”
Does he have a preference?: “Nah, I like both of them.”
On why he wanted to play for these coaches: “They were like a family. Coach Vall was the one who started recruiting me at the beginning, and I’ve got a good relationship with him. Then B.A. and Coach Meyer and Coach Beilein, they were the only coaches out of all the schools that were recruiting me that really came to my school and really sat down and talked to me and my family, stuff like that. From there I could just tell that it was a family-oriented program. That’s what stuck out to me the most.”
Soph. Guard Andrew Dakich
On Beilein calling him on the leaders of this year’s team: “We’re so young, we consider the ‘upperclassmen’ as sophomores and juniors, so everyone’s trying to take on a role. They’ve really stressed to us on how we [sophomore] were gonna have to step up because there’s only two juniors and one senior, so I think it’s been very crucial for us to all kinda step up out of our comfort zone and take the freshmen under our wings.”
On his growth as a leader: “I’m more vocal and more comfortable. I know the offense, I’ve been in their position, where you know you’re not gonna have a great day, you’re gonna go through adversity, especially when you’re trying to figure out spots, who’s going to be playing where and stuff like that. So just kinda encouraging people.”
On the freshmen: “They’re handling the transition better than we did last year, I think. This is a special group. The upperclassmen have a lot to do with it, the coaches have a lot to do with it, and they have a lot to do with it. It’s kind of been crazy, the transition. The [Italy] trip helped, and I think it’s a very tight basketball team.”
On his bench celebrations: “To be honest, it was just my natural instinct, and it just kinda blew up a little bit. I just get kinda amped for these guys because I see them every day, and to see them succeed on the court, it feels like I succeed as well.”
On whether we’ll see more of that: “We’ll see. You guys stay tuned.”