Michigan

NBA draft decisions looming for Michigan basketball trio

Published

3 years ago

April 14, 2022

NBA draft decisions looming for Michigan basketball trio

Whether or not Michigan has to exchange its complete beginning lineup subsequent season or merely a few of it hinges on the selections of a trio of Wolverines.

Hunter Dickinson, Caleb Houstan, and Moussa Diabaté are all thought of NBA prospects. In addition they all have school eligibility remaining. Will they declare for the draft? If that’s the case, will they maintain their names in?

We’ll have our first indication quickly. The NBA’s deadline for underclassmen to declare is April 24 (at 11:59 p.m. ET).

All Michigan’s coaches can do is wait — and work. They’re aggressively recruiting the 2023 class, though Michigan has no open scholarships. They’ve made it a program coverage to take each name from anybody representing a participant who’s within the switch portal, even when it received’t result in something.

And so they’re guiding the present Wolverines via the pre-draft course of.

Earlier than turning into Michigan’s head coach, Juwan Howard spent 25 years within the NBA. He alone might present helpful suggestions to his gamers on their draft inventory. Assistant coach Howard Eisley was additionally an NBA veteran (as a participant and coach), and Michigan’s different assistants and employees members are properly linked. There is no such thing as a scarcity of NBA draft insights to be discovered inside Crisler Middle.

And but Wolverines are inspired to get an official evaluation from the league.

“The view from others is invaluable,” Michigan assistant Phil Martelli mentioned. “Gamers having an opportunity to get the NBA analysis is an efficient factor.”

It’s a secure guess that Dickinson, Houstan, and Diabaté requested suggestions from the NBA’s undergraduate advisory committee, or will earlier than the day ends (Thursday, April 14, is the ultimate day to so do). Why wouldn’t they?

The committee, composed of NBA staff executives, gives a confidential projection of a prospect’s possible draft place. A participant is informed if he’s prone to be drafted within the lottery (picks Nos. 1-14), later within the first spherical, early within the second spherical, late within the second spherical, or by no means.

In some instances, there’s a follow-up cellphone name, however particular person abilities are sometimes not mentioned presently. In different phrases, Houstan may be informed he’s considered as an early second-round decide, however he received’t be informed it’s as a result of he’s a tall shooter who must work on his protection. That comes later, together with precise exercises, ought to a participant formally declare for the draft.

So what’s going to these Wolverines hear from NBA groups?

Dickinson, a 7-foot-1, 260-pound heart, has been a extremely productive participant for 2 seasons at Michigan, main the staff in scoring and rebounding every of these years. Strictly a put up presence as a freshman, he made 21-of-64 3-point makes an attempt as a sophomore. He’s additionally a very good passer.

However as a number of draft consultants have informed MLive, Dickinson could also be a university star who’s not match for the trendy NBA.

“If this was the Seventies, he may be a first-round decide,” one scout mentioned.

Dickinson will flip 22 in November. “He’s who he’s,” the scout mentioned. “He’s not going to have the ability to guard the decide and roll. He’s not going to have the ability to rise up and down the ground the way in which you’d like. However he has actually good arms, he can shoot the three, and he can rating.”

Dickinson entered the NBA draft final 12 months solely to withdraw and return to Michigan. On the time he made it look like it might be his last school season, however mentioned after Michigan’s last recreation he hadn’t thought of it but.

A pair of Michigan freshmen should do some pondering of their very own.

Houstan, a 6-foot-8 wing who turned 19 in January, began all 34 video games for Michigan. He shot 60-for-169 (36 %) from 3. The aforementioned scout has seen Houstan listed as a late first rounder in mock drafts. (In publicly obtainable mocks posted on the web, it is not uncommon for no Wolverines to be included.)

The scout believes potential exercises will likely be important for Houstan. “If he can go some place and shoot the hell out of it, at his dimension…”

Exercises will likely be essential for Diabaté, too, if he chooses to declare. “He’s everywhere in the board,” the scout mentioned with amusing. “The variance with him is loopy.”

Diabaté was Michigan’s beginning energy ahead a lot of the season. He turned 20 in January and remains to be a uncooked prospect in some ways. He’s tremendous athletic and a very good rebounder on each ends, however he confirmed little means to attain exterior of the paint, and infrequently had bother defending the higher forwards within the Massive Ten.

“I feel the child’s acquired an opportunity to be fairly rattling good,” the scout mentioned. “However is he a (heart)? Is he a (energy ahead)? Can he shoot? He’s an attention-grabbing prospect.”

Any participant who enters the draft hopes to get invited to the pre-draft mix, held in Might in Chicago. Dickinson was not invited final 12 months and as an alternative competed within the G League Elite Camp.

The scout believes all three Wolverines have an opportunity to get invited to the mix. Dickinson, regardless of his draft inventory, is large, and NBA personnel will need some dimension selection on the occasion.

Regardless, prospects who declare for the draft may be invited to particular person staff exercises. Operating via drills designed to imitate NBA in-game situations, they’ll showcase abilities that weren’t essentially a part of their roles at Michigan. There’s an interview portion as properly.

Gamers have via June 1 to withdraw from the draft and retain NCAA eligibility.

The scout identified that it solely takes one staff to love a prospect. So maybe Dickinson is, to 1 staff at the very least, price a second-round decide. Houstan? “I wouldn’t be shocked if he left,” the scout mentioned. “He’s acquired good dimension and might shoot: These are two large issues within the NBA.” Primarily based on how this scout’s franchise views Diabaté, it might point out he’d flip professional. However the scout is aware of different groups see him as, at greatest, a second-rounder. It makes him a very troublesome prospect to venture.

Michigan has already misplaced its beginning backcourt: Eli Brooks is out of eligibility and DeVante’ Jones, after 5 years of faculty, can be shifting on. It’s wait-and-see on the opposite starters.

Michigan isn’t alone there.

“I feel all applications are up within the air,” Martelli mentioned. “Whether or not it’s transfers or in our case whether or not or not they pursue an NBA profession or at the very least get an evaluation.”

The Wolverines’ season led to March. They received’t play once more till November. What occurs in between is simply as essential.

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Michigan

Mega Millions numbers for Friday, Dec. 27, 2024

Published

2 minutes ago

December 28, 2024

Press Room

Mega Millions numbers for Friday, Dec. 27, 2024

Mega Millions winning numbers are in for the Friday, Dec. 27 drawing with a jackpot that reached an estimated $1.15 billion ($516.1 million cash option).

The winning numbers for Friday’s Mega Millions drawing are: 3, 7, 37, 49 and 55. The Mega Ball is 6. The Megaplier is 3x.

Check back to see if anyone won the Mega Millions jackpot.

The next Mega Millions drawing is Tuesday, Dec. 31. Drawings are held at 11 p.m. every Tuesday and Friday. The jackpot will be at least $800 million ($401.8 million cash option).

How late can you buy a Mega Millions ticket?

In Michigan, in-store and online ticket sales are available until 10:45 p.m. on the night of the draw.

Mega Millions costs $2 to play.

What’s the Megaplier?

The Megaplier feature increases non-jackpot prizes by two, three, four or five times. It costs an extra $1 per play. The Megaplier is drawn on Tuesday and Friday before the Mega Millions drawing. The pool includes 15 balls. Five are marked with 2X, six with 3X, three with 4X and one with 5X.

What are the Mega Millions prizes?

Match 5 White Balls + Mega Ball: Jackpot
Match 5 White Balls: $1 million
Match 4 White Balls + Mega Ball: $10,000
Match 4 White Balls: $500
Match 3 White Balls + Mega Ball: $200
Match 3 White Balls: $10
Match 2 White Balls + Mega Ball: $10
Match 1 White Ball + Mega Ball: $4
Match Mega Ball: $2

What are the odds of winning the Mega Millions jackpot?

The odds of matching the five white balls and Mega Ball to win the Mega Millions jackpot are 1 in 302,575,350.

How do I find the Mega Millions winning numbers?

You can watch Mega Millions drawing on YouTube. The winning numbers are also posted to the Mega Millions website and on the Michigan Lottery website.

What happens if I win the jackpot?

A jackpot winner has the option of taking an annuity or cash payment.

The annuity is paid out as one immediate payment followed by 29 annual payments, according to the Mega Millions website. Each payment is 5% bigger than the previous one.

“This helps protect winners’ lifestyle and purchasing power in periods of inflation,” according to the Mega Millions website.

The cash option is a one-time, lump-sum payment that is equal to all the cash in the Mega Millions jackpot prize pool.

If two or more people win the jackpot in the same drawing, the money is shared equally among all winning tickets.

Follow the Detroit Free Press on Instagram (@detroitfreepress), TikTok (@detroitfreepress), YouTube (@DetroitFreePress), Twitter/X (@freep), and LinkedIn, and like us on Facebook (@detroitfreepress).

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Michigan

JUST IN: Michigan gets big boost at QB ahead of ReliaQuest Bowl

Published

12 hours ago

December 27, 2024

Press Room

JUST IN: Michigan gets big boost at QB ahead of ReliaQuest Bowl

The quarterback picture for Michigan has been fluid in recent weeks, with two of the QB’s announcing they’d be entering the transfer portal. One of those quarterbacks to enter was Alex Orji. During his three year career in Ann Arbor, Orji appeared in 20 games at quarterback and made three starts during the 2024 season. But with Orji entering the portal, along with veteran QB Jack Tuttle announcing his retirement from the game during the season, there were real questions about Michigan’s QB depth heading into the Reliaquest Bowl against Alabama.

With the team now in Tampa to prepare for the matchup, a team spokesman confirmed to MLive that Orji did travel with the team and still intends on playing in the bowl game. Having Orji available is huge for a Michigan team that doesn’t have much depth or experience at the position at this point in the season.

Michigan QB Alex Orji is here in Tampa and planning to play in the ReliaQuest Bowl, team spokesman confirms to @MLive.
— Aaron McMann | MLive.com (@AaronMcMann) December 27, 2024

Although he’ll participate in the bowl game, the expectation is that Orji will still transfer in the near future. And given Michigan’s activity at that position in recent weeks (the signing of Bryce Underwood and landing veteran Mikey Keene out of the portal), it’s hard to see a scenario where Orji could make a meaningful impact at the position moving forward. There was some speculation that he may be open to making a position change, but any position he’d be moving to (tight end, linebacker, or even running back) already has guys who are well-established at the position.

But regardless of what happens in the future, there’s no question that having Orji available for the Reliaquest Bowl is huge for the Michigan Wolverines.

– Enjoy more Michigan Wolverines coverage on Michigan Wolverines On SI –

For additional coverage of University of Michigan athletics:

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Michigan State Spartans Insider Podcast: Are the Spartans Big Ten Contenders?

Published

20 hours ago

December 27, 2024

Press Room

Michigan State Spartans Insider Podcast: Are the Spartans Big Ten Contenders?

Michigan State men’s basketball seems to be back.

For the past few years, the Spartans seemed to have fallen behind in the Big Ten, scrapping and clawing just to keep their tournament streak alive when the regular season began winding down.

It wasn’t the standard that had so long been in place for Michigan State basketball, a team that had regularly been competing for the conference title year in and year out.

Finally, it seems the Spartans may have gotten back to that point. Michigan State is currently tied for first place in the Big Ten and will likely head into 2025 11-2.

On this episode of the Michigan State Insider Podcast, our Aidan Champion and host Bryan Anthony Davis discuss whether the Spartans truly are conference contenders again.

You can watch the episode below:

Below is a partial transcript from Michigan State coach Tom Izzo’s opening statement from his press conference that followed the Spartans’ win over Florida Atlantic last Saturday:

Izzo: “Man, nothing’s easy. I really like that team. We said it on film. We actually did a pretty good job on a couple guys. [Baba] Miller, one. The big kid inside got in some foul trouble, did a decent job with him. I thought Jeremy [Fears Jr. ] did a hell of a job on [Leland] Walker. I really like Walker, too. But Miller is a good player. We did not do a good job on [Tre] Carroll. He was really good. And I think he is really good. I think that team has a chance to win a lot of games. This will probably be a good test for us. It wasn’t good when you’re going home for Christmas, because there was a couple sleepless nights on these guys. I told some of you I thought they were good. And yet, we started out the second half 4-of-17. Missed a gazillion layups — putbacks for Szymon [Zapala] and Jax [Jaxon Kohler], of all people. And they really — 4-of-17, I don’t know how we. I’m trying to figure out how we scored 86 points. But again, we shot pretty well from the free throw line. We offensive rebounded, we didn’t turn it over too much. I mean, it was a good win for us; I didn’t like the way it was played at all the time. I thought we got stagnant with the ball. But I was really impressed with Jeremy. And Coen [Carr] will probably never shoot another 3, so he can lead the history of Michigan State — it will be 100%. … I appreciate our fans appreciating him. And you saw our players. Last time I saw an eruption like that was when Steven [Izzo] hit a shot. That was pretty cool. I think that tells you a lot about how they feel about each other. And that was really important to me and, I think, to our coaching staff. So, Coen, no doubt, was the star of the game. Jaden came around the second half and did some good things.”

Don’t forget to follow the official Spartan Nation Page on Facebook Spartan Nation WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE, and be a part of our vibrant community group Go Green Go White as well WHEN YOU CLICK RIGHT HERE.

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