Bortons Blog: Ones to watch
The NBPA Top 100 Camp has come and gone, but memories linger as to players, performances and personalities. Michigan fans have greater interest in some than others, and a talent evaluator who saw them all.
Former Wolverine, current college basketball analyst and National Basketball Players Association regional representative Tim McCormick attended the camp. He came away with a number of observations on individuals who have been linked to potential interest in Michigan.
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Here's a rundown on McCormick's observations of the following:
U-M commitment Ricky Doyle: "I'm really, really impressed. I thought that he really did a nice job during the week. He runs the floor very, very well. He has the ability to be an explosive athlete, once he gets in a college weight room on a consistent basis.
"There were a lot of little things in his game I think he could improve on. For instance, and it happens a lot with big guys, when all they see is high school competition, little things like the first step in transition aren't great. Big guys tend to look, they see, and they say, 'Okay, I need to start running,' then they start running.
"Whereas really explosive athletes just have that quick burst. He's not quite as big as I expected. He's listed at 6-9, and I don't think he was that big. But he's a very good perimeter shooter, and Michigan fans are going to be very, very pleased when they see Ricky Doyle.
"His dad has been really involved in his career, from a coaching standpoint, mentoring. He was a European pro, and he comes from that background, which I think is really, really helpful to have."
2015 big man Stephen Zimmerman: "He's really skilled. He passes, plays at the high post, can block shots, can rebound. He is a very good runner of the court, that I didn't think ran all the time. He's just such a John Beilein-type of player."
2014 shooting guard Devin Booker: "I had heard he's an Allan Houston type of player. He's a bit different than Houston. He's a big, physical jump shooter. He's also really tough.
"I spent some time with him and liked him a tremendous amount. We had some really good conversations about college basketball and his goals and his dreams. I would like to play with a guy like that.
"He's the kind of guy you win championships with. He's a very, very good kid, good family. He's originally from Michigan, and he's spending a lot of his summer in Michigan, in the western part of the state.
"When you go into Mackey Arena, or you go into the Kohl Center, tough venues, he's the kind of guy you want on your team. You walk out there into a hostile environment, and you feel good when Devin Booker is on your team. He's that kind of a leader.
"It was interesting, because I watched him throughout the week. All of the big-name players in the camp, the five-star guys, all gravitated towards him. When he sat down in the cafeteria for lunch, he was surrounded by big-time players. That tells me he has great respect amongst his peers."
2015 point guard Jalen Brunson: "I know his dad well. It doesn't really surprise me that he has the same approach to the game. He really understands angles and taking advantage of opponents' weaknesses. He's very much a winner with a high skill level who is definitely a point guard.
"Needless to say, I was a big fan."
2014 small forward/shooting guard Trevon Bluiett: "He's a physical kid. He played really well. He seems to be very much a winner and a playmaker. He's a big kid, at 6-5. I would imagine Michigan is going to have a pretty good chance for him. He might stay in state [he's from Indianapolis].
"He doesn't live very far from Butler. There are certain kids that are probably going to want to stay close to home. He's a scoring guard who can really shoot the three and gets to the rim. Defensively, he was very solid. I'm a big fan."
2014 small forward Kameron Chatman: "He's long. Sometimes players jump out and you say, 'Wow.' That kid is just taking over big games and making huge plays. I didn't get the sense that Kameron Chatman was that kind of player.
"He's more of a support guy. He makes smart plays, knocked down mid-range shots, and he's very, very good at passing the ball. He's a very good complementary player."
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