The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/106890
men's basketball Five Questions With ESPN Analyst Dan Dakich How good is this Michigan team, in your estimation? Dakich: "They're really good. They're as good a basketball team as I've seen play this year. Duke's really good, Indiana is really good, Louisville is really good, and Michigan's really good." Is Mitch McGary the key off the bench to lift this team? Dakich: "I could be wrong, but McGary is going to have to be a big-time player, in my opinion. You need some depth somewhere. Spike Albrecht's got to help. You've got to be able to spell guys, but I really think McGary is the guy. He's the kind of guy who has real ability, real upside. He can change a game with his energy. "People get enamored with depth too much. Most coaches would rather play six or seven guys if they could. But I do think at some point, you keep going on the road and playing the way they're playing, somebody is going to have to play, and I think that's McGary." What is it that you like about how John Beilein's team plays? Dakich: "I just love their team. They and Indiana are the most fun teams I've seen this year, for different reasons, but for some of the same reasons. "They play really hard, they're connected to each other, they share the ball, they do things the right way. I really like it. I really like what they're doing." What do you think of Michigan's recruiting? Dakich: "I think he's doing an unbelievably good job. I coach the [Mark] Donnal kid, and I think he's going to be super for them. The get of Glenn Robinson was spectacular. Purdue kind of used up all of their scholarships early on kids. "I saw Glenn Robinson as a 6-3, 170-, 180-pound kid. He was going into his junior year. Now look at him — he's a pro. And they knew that. You could see that Glenn had real talent. It was just a matter of when he was going to grow into that talent. "With Trey Burke, they got a little bit lucky there. He committed to Penn State then backed off. There's a little bit of luck, and a little bit of hard work and knowing how good this kid really was. I'm not sure a lot of people did know. They did. "Jeff Meyer, Barcari Alexander and LaVall Jordan have done a really good job of continuing what John did, whether it was at Canisius, West Virginia or wherever, of getting long guys. John knows what he wants and goes after it. He doesn't really waver from it. "I know Jeff, and worked with Jeff. He's a tireless recruiter. I've never worked with the other two, but I've seen through the recruitment of Mark Donnal, really good things. I know how hard they work. I know how diligent they are. I know how honest they are. It's really no surprise." Did you have an early sense about Beilein's success at Michigan, after