The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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"Watching on Selection Sunday and knowing we weren't going to get called was extremely disappoint- ing, and going through and watching the tournament, you just know how much fun it is to play in those games on that stage," he said. "It's a point of emphasis with the focal point being we want to get back to the tourney, back to playing Michigan basketball and knowing we belong." Proving he belonged was step one on what's been an incredible journey, one that's winding down. Playing overseas remains a goal post-Michi- gan — "I've put in so much time for so many years that it would be kind of hard to think I'd have to give it all up after this year," he noted — but there's still plenty to accomplish this season before he takes off the U-M uniform for good. Others believe he's destined to re- main in basketball as a coach. "I guess I really don't have any- thing for sure set in stone," he said. "I guess I'll cross that bridge a little bit later on, but I don't know if I want to get into coaching or not. Basketball is definitely my passion, but coach- ing — especially at this level, where I don't know if I could deal with 18- to 22-year-olds on a daily basis, just the whole recruiting process and all that stuff." It isn't something he has to think about right now. Instead it's all about the 2015-16 team, one he believes has great potential. "We're not where we want to be, but it's early on," he said. "We want to get better as the season goes on, which is typically what we do. "But it's been incredible. Sitting back and thinking, I remember the picture of us six freshmen. Now it's just Caris and me. It's amazing how fast time flies." ❏ Michigan's Best Late Bloomers Michigan has had several players evolve from their first season to their senior campaign over the years, saving their best showings for last. Here's a look at five of the best late bloomers over the last 30 years. Garde Thompson: Thompson was a backup for his first three years, never averag- ing more than 4.9 points per game, but the lethal shooting guard benefited from the implementation of the three-point line in 1986-87. He averaged 14.5 points and 4.7 assists as a senior and shot 48.1 percent from three-point range. He held the Big Ten record with nine triples in a game (versus Navy) until it was finally broken in 2003. Demetrius Calip: A shooting point guard, Calip first emerged as a valuable backup on the 1989 national championship team during his sophomore season. He averaged 2.0 points that year and 8.5 points and 1.9 assists as a junior before exploding in 1990-91, averaging 20.5 points and 3.9 assists per game. He spent time with the Los Angeles Lakers in 1991 before moving on to a career in the CBA and overseas.