Michigan played for a national title for the first time in 20 years this season, and although coach John Beilein has been building toward this for six seasons, it was a three-week span of events in the summer of 2010 that was the major catalyst for the Wolverines' current success.

A confluence of events led Trey Burke to Michigan - and it all happened fast, according to assist coach Jeff Meyer.

That summer, leading up to point guard Darius Morris' second season, the Wolverines began seriously considering adding another point guard to the 2011 class. That's when Meyer received a call from Rick Burby, who was an assistant on Meyer's staff at Liberty in the late 1980s.

Burby is now retired and lives in Columbus, Ohio, where he is still has a passion for the game. He knows the Burke family - and urged Meyer to give Burke's father, Benji, a call.

"Rick Burby is the unsung hero in all of this," Meyer said. "He was the guy who said, 'Michigan might have some interest, and you can trust those guys, because they're good guys.' He called me three or four times, saying, 'Look, this kid wants to play in the Big Ten.'"

Meyer remembers that, at the time, Burke was extremely close to committing to home-state Cincinnati, though the family wasn't 100-percent set on the decision.

So Meyer - not knowing much about Burke - gave Benji a call. After two visits, one to see the campus and one to see practice, Burke went back home to Columbus to mull over his choices.

The Wolverines, on the other hand, traveled to Europe for a team-bonding trip and to play games over semi-professional teams.

"I was riding a sight-seeing bus in Paris with my wife," Meyer recalls. "I get a call, and it's Benji Burke. He said, 'Coach, if you want Trey, I think he's ready to make a decision.' I said, 'We love him, and we love the family. I understand you're trusting Rick Burby in a lot of this.' The Burkes and us kind of built a relationship overnight. I said, 'Let me call Coach Beilein and let's do this.' In late August, we caught lightning in a bottle."

Even Meyer, looking back, is surprised at how quickly it all unfolded.

Under Beilein, the Wolverines have gained a reputation on the recruiting trail for getting in on kids early and building strong relationships, sometimes lasting years before it comes time to make a final decision.

For Burke, it happened nearly overnight.

"There is a lot to be made about how we're doing what we're doing," Meyer said of Michigan's recruiting process. "People on the outside are asking, 'How are you getting involved with kids and making decisions?' We haven't been 100 percent, but we've been pretty good at putting the pieces together. One of the things we're doing is looking at transcripts, walk campus with them, spend time with them and do a thorough uncovering of character, what they're like as young men.

"There are a lot of coaches who walk out of the gym and say, 'That kid can play,' and pick up the phone to offer a scholarship. We just do not do that. We go through a thorough checklist to see if they fit the culture we're trying to build. One of the things Dave Brandon and Brian Townsend have taught us is that culture and talent drive winning. We're recruiting to a culture of high-achievers, of kids that who are talented on the court but are committed to their academic achievements, too. Trey passed those tests in flying colors, and he microwaved it. It wasn't the slow cooker that we take with most kids."

Burke committed in August, brought his entire family - including grandparents - to a football game in September to solidify the decision and signed in November.

And then Burke exploded as a senior at Columbus (Ohio) Northland, tallying 23.3 points and 6.7 rebounds per game, earning Ohio's coveted Mr. Basketball award in the process.

"He had a great senior year," Meyer said. We saw him a couple times that year, and we really knew we had caught a break in this whole process. He was a true point guard. However good he was, he got better as a senior, and it was exciting."

When Morris decided to forego his final two years of eligibility and enter the 2011 NBA Draft, it opened a door for Burke to start as a true freshman.

But Michigan still had Stu Douglass, who had run some point in his first three years, and Carlton Brundidge, a four-star prospect from Southfield, Mich., was coming in with Burke.

"We can't watch preseason practice, and Zack [Novak] and Stu were the ones who said, 'We got ourselves a point guard.' They knew he was special, right from the get-go," Meyer said. "That summer, he put in time and work to get ready for his freshman year. He prepared himself for the season, and he was ready to take over, there's no question about that. Trey is such a cool, classy young man. In his heart of hearts, he knew he was going to come in and win that position. When Darius decided not to come back, it was one. We had Stu coming back and Carlton coming in - it wasn't a foregone conclusion, but he went to work and earned everything he got."

By then middle of Burke's freshman season, Meyer found himself saying, "Thank God for Trey Burke," before every game.

"That year, he was basically making everything work for us," Meyer said. "He is an unbelievable player, and he was listening to Zack and Stu, learning everyday, and then he was just out there winning ball games. At some point, you realize you're dealing with a special talent."

Two banners - a 2012 Big Ten Championship and a 2013 Final Four - a slue of 2013 National Player Of The Year awards and consensus All-American honors later, Burke has ended his collegiate career, deciding to enter the 2013 NBA Draft.

But it has been one heck of a ride.

"I have been a coach for 34 years, 16 as a head coach," Meyer said. "These last two years have been so energizing. I feel like I'm 35 years old, not mid-50s. It is fun. I'm having the time of my life, because we're dealing with the kind of kids we have."