The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/418536
Rivals.com three-star ranked outside of the top 150 nationally. The only other four-stars in the bunch besides Harris and Mor- ris, Brundidge and forward Evan Smotrycz, transferred after their first and second years, respectively. Of the six 2014 signees, only two — forwards Kameron Chatman and D.J. Wilson — were four-stars ranked among the nation's top 100 nationally. Beilein loves the group, though, and his (and his staff's) eye for talent has proven to be among the best in the country. "Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway weren't as highly recruited, either," he said with a grin. "Or the [junior guard] Caris LeVerts and Spike Albrechts. I think we've all learned in time, as we continue to look at those lists, that those are just lists." Michigan's highest pick in the 2014 NBA Draft, Nik Stauskas, had only a handful of offers and none when Beilein saw him in a gym in South- borough, Mass., during the shooting guard's freshman year and made him a priority. His class, with five-star Glenn Robinson III (No. 11 nationally) and four-star Mitch McGary (No. 30), LeVert and Albrecht all playing key roles, helped the Wolverines reach the heights Beilein imagined when he took over the program. It wasn't the stars next to their names that made them good, Novak noted. That group took it to the next level with its work ethic. "I thought I was a hard worker and I did always play hard, but Nik and Caris, I guess they never left the gym," Novak said. "That was the class. We might have gotten the program back, but they took it over the top." Even then, Novak played a part. He had been instrumental in helping land former Chesterton, Ind., teammate Mc- Gary, never pressuring him but letting him know he'd be a great fit. That class made the national title game in its first year, with every single freshman con- tributing, from five-star Robinson to Zack Novak arrived at U-M in 2008, and over the course of four seasons he pro- vided great leadership that helped turn the Michigan program around. PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL