The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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2015 BASKETBALL RECRUITING ISSUE are being watched as early as sev- enth and eighth grade, Beilein and his staff won't be in a rush to throw offers around. "If anything, we'll slow down and watch them more. As far as offer- ing, we'll continue to move the clock back instead of forward," he said. "There's too much talent out there. There will be few certain ones we'll be on, but we will be watching every- body a long time and watching their development. "There may be situations where we'll recruit a kid a little harder ear- lier and try to build a relationship, but there are always players out there. We have to have that mentality where we're not going to offer just to offer. We're going to stay and recruit young men that fit, and then make an offer when we think both sides are very informed." MAINTAINING THE CULTURE Beilein has likened recruiting to being "a big puzzle," and chemistry and culture make up a huge part of it. When recruits visit and see some of Beilein's NBA talent in the build- ing, like Battle did during his trip, they get the sense that Michigan bas- ketball is as much what happens af- ter guys leave as it is when they're wearing the uniform. Though he wasn't allowed to min- gle with them due to NCAA regula- tions, Battle noticed them. He also spent his time with LeVert, his host on the trip and learned why the ris- ing senior returned when he might have been a first-round pick. Beilein didn't try to convince Le- Vert to stay; he only asked that he make an informed decision. In do- ing so, he landed a corner piece of his puzzle that trumps any one-and- done recruit — a proven, first-round talent who already has three years in the system. "It's an educational process that is ongoing until we get as much in- formation as we can," Beilein said. "You'd like to step back from it, look at all the options, look at all the other people who went pro at their posi- tions and overall and help them con- sider a lot of options, and then give them space to figure it out. "That was great for us. That young Guard Muhammad-Ali Abdur-Rahkman gained extensive playing experience in his freshman season, which will pay off for U-M next season and beyond, PHOTO BY LON HORWEDEL