The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1147681
AUGUST 2019 THE WOLVERINE 79 MICHIGAN IN THE PROS the New York Knicks and Dallas Mavericks (he was traded from New York to Dallas Jan. 31). Hardaway started 63 of the 65 con- tests he appeared in between the two teams, averaging 31.6 minutes, 3.4 rebounds and 2.4 assists a contest. He also connected on 34.0 percent of his three-point attempts and 84.1 percent of his free throws. The 6-6, 205-pounder 's ability to score in bunches proved to be an as- set as well, with Hardaway eclipsing the 30-point plateau on six different occasions. 4. Taylor Lewan, OT Tennessee Titans (NFL) The Arizona native continued his consistent success with the Titans in 2018, starting 15 contests at left tackle (he missed one game due to a concussion), marking the fourth straight year he'd begun at least 15 tilts. Lewan's efforts earned him his third Pro Bowl appearance in five NFL seasons. Pro Football Focus (PFF) wound up awarding him with an overall season grade of 76.4, pegging him as the best offensive tackle in the AFC South. They also tabbed him with a 12.57 run blocking success rate, which was the third best in the NFL among players at his position. "After only five NFL seasons, Tay- lor Lewan is already one of the AFC South's most decorated left tackles," Luke Tucker of LastWordOnProFoot- ball.com wrote in July. Lewan ranked just outside of the top-10 tackles in 2018 according to PFF, despite earning the lowest grade of his career. "His combination of size, strength and speed make him a perfect can- didate to protect a franchise quarter- back," PFF noted. 5. Rich Hill, LHP Los Angeles Dodgers (MLB) Hill started 24 regular-season games for the National League cham- pion Dodgers in 2018, racking up an 11-5 record and 3.66 ERA in 132 2 ⁄3 in- nings. He also put together a 150-41 strikeout-to-walk ratio, helping him finish with a respectable 1.12 WHIP (walks and hits allowed per inning). The lefty was especially effective in the postseason for Los Angeles, finishing with a 2.16 ERA in 16 2 ⁄3 in- nings of work. His best start actually came in game four of the World Series, where he threw 6 1 ⁄3 innings and allowed just one run against the Red Sox (Boston went on to win the game 9-6, and the series in five contests). "In the second half [of the season], Hill threw 77 1 ⁄3 innings of nearly ace- level baseball, with a minuscule 3.03 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 90 strikeouts," Jack Trent Dorfman of DodgersWay. com wrote. "The story really isn't one of two halves, but one of just two months. If you take out Hill's poor 26 2 ⁄3 innings in March, April and May, he had a much better year than even just his second-half numbers would suggest. "In his 108 innings pitched after May 31, Hill pitched to a 2.33 ERA and a 0.98 WHIP with 125 strikeouts to just 28 walks." 6. Caris LeVert, G Brooklyn Nets (NBA) Like Hardaway, LeVert also en- joyed the best year of his NBA tenure, setting new career highs in points per game (13.7), rebounds per contest (3.8) and minutes per outing (26.6), to go along with 3.9-assist average. The story of LeVert's 2018-19 cam- paign, however, involved a grue- some leg injury he suffered Nov. 12 that kept him out until Feb. 8. The 6-7, 204-pounder came back to play the rest of the way and shined during the Nets' five playoff games (a 4-1 series loss to Philadelphia). LeVert averaged 21.0 points throughout the five playoff tilts (scoring at least 23 in three of the five), while also pulling down 4.6 boards per game and connecting on Left-hander Rich Hill compiled an 11-5 record with a 3.66 ERA and 150 strikeouts in 132 2 ⁄3 innings for the National League champion Los Angeles Dodgers in 2018. PHOTO BY JON SOOHOO/COURTESY LOS ANGELES DODGERS