42 comments

VIDEO: Jon Horford vs. Jackson

By Dylan Burkhardt | Recruits | Posted on January 31, 2010 at 12:15 pm

Here is the video from Jon Horford’s Friday game at Jackson. Horford had 27 points, 21 rebounds, five assists and eight blocks on the night. We missed a little bit of footage at the start of the game (including a nice alley oop) but this should start to give you a decent idea about Horford’s game. Calvin’s scouting report is here, my impressions from earlier this year are here. (Sorry that the video is a little bit small, my Adobe Premiere skills are a bit lacking. I recommend putting it in HD mode and blowing it up to full screen.)

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  • Bluebufoon

    Would like to know (exactly) how tall annd much Jon Horford weighs ? It is obvious from this tape Mr Horford will need at least a full year to bulk-up to bang down low at the college level but there are some skillz there. Horford handles the basketball and passes the basketball real well for a young post player.

  • Blazerine

    It’s been clear for a while now that he’s not the type of player who’s going to be a banger. What makes Peedi Sims so good is that while he is more of a finesse guy like Horford…he can take his opponent to the block and make a move to the basket. Horford looks like a Jordan Morgan 2.0 to me. Better agility and coordination…but who he reminds me most of is Courtney Sims. He doesn’t “appear” to have that mean-streak/assertiveness that I feel like he’s going to need when the big men from East Lansing, Ohio State, Wisconsin, etc come calling.
    Looks like he can be a decent player…

  • gpsimms

    somebody asked me to post a link to that episode of the journey, i dont know if there is one. you might be able to find something here, but the video i saw only had the pregame/halftime stuff. http://www.bigtennetwork.com/journey/

    anyway, they run the journey like a thousand times a day, i’m sure you can find it on a few times today…

  • DaveR

    He seems to have good hands, good feet (moves well) and a decent shooting stroke from the line. Overall, he seems athletic and coordinated with significant upside. He seems to have a solid body (listed at 6’9″, 185 but seems to be more than 185 on tape) and a little more bulk would allow him to “bang down low” most effectively. If he has intelligence, good character and a good work ethic, he could be a great player.

  • fresh

    he comes from a basketball ball family he is going to know what it takes to win games and with added strength will be great down low……..lets not forget the kid is 17……..let him become a man and then see what he can do……….who is to say hes coming to michigan anyway

  • Erik

    Sorry I just don’t get excited by this video. I hope he proves me wrong.

  • AG2

    The way Georgetown embarrassed Duke yesterday, that’s what OSU is doing to Minnesota. Except they’re doing it with jumpshots. CBS just switched away from the game it was so bad. That being said, OSU is just streaky. They clearly didn’t shoot this well in the 2nd half vs. West Virginia, or against Iowa. But if this is indicative of their shooting at home, be very afraid.

    That being said, Minnesota has been exposed as a defensive team that doesn’t defend. Maybe if Tubby Smith could get some guards, he’s still using Dan Monson’s guys.

  • JB

    He moves really well (especially his feet) for a 6’9″ high school kid. he will definitely bulk up a lot. i understand he’s a project, but he’ll be a very good college player.
    Erik – I can see why this video/his game right now doesn’t impress you, but I am certain he has all of the tools (and more with his dad and brother) to develop into a great college player.

  • Bluebufoon

    Rivals has listed Horford as 220 pounds over the last six weeks and
    I’ve seen other articles listing his weight at 205, so that is three different weights listed by Hordford it would be nice to know what is accurate ?

  • beileinomics

    He definately looks like he has a lot of potential but you can tell he’s really raw at this point and utilizing his height primarily in this game. He also needs to hit those shots on the first try because college centers won’t allow him 4 or 5 offensive rebounds per possession.

  • JimC

    The Journey is on BTN tonight at 9:00 (the “Re-Airs” schedule is on the right side of that page)…Episode 4
    “Go behind the scenes of Tuesday’s nailbiter between Michigan-Michigan State”.
    I’m tuning in for Beilein’s post-game locker room talk.

    Thanks gpsimms.

  • gpsimms

    you’re welcome…i only recommend watching if you are a sucker for punishment. it is extremely painful.

  • Old Style

    Great coordination for his height. Missed a lot of bunnies and needs to be taught to box out but I think these are correctable things. He attacks the ball while rebounding which is a good thing. I like what I see.

  • WHATAP

    We need size and impact players in the post like I need a million dollars, so any skill/athleticism will help immensely. If JB even looks at another 3 point shooter from Indiana Im going to throw a fit. A while back I said we could use a guy like Dashonte Riley, or even a Derrick Nix, and there were many who disagreed with me to the end. I just believe you need a bit of presence in the post, and Im sorry folks but as good as Peedi is, he just isnt enough and he cant do it alone. We might be able to lay it all on the line for a game or two against a Uconn, or MSU, but to battle them game in and game out its impossible. They are just too physical, and have too much size. I just hope JB realizes where hes lacking and reacts/recruits accordingly.

  • http://www.umhoops.com Dylan

    I still don’t know how much DaShonte Riley, and certainly Derrick Nix, would have helped.

    Riley is averaging 10 minutes, 2 points, and 2 rebounds for Cuse. He’s certainly not setting the world on fire.

    I think the coaches thought that Cronin could give us at least that this year but he just never got over his injury.

  • maxwell’s demon

    I don’t think we need anymore depth or size at the 5 this year. Sims has easily shown that he can handle practically any 5 man in the country. It would be nice to have a real PF though. Next year will be a different story…

  • Brick

    Most big men can really use a redshirt year and this video is Exhibit A. He needs to add weight, muscle and another post move. He’s coordinated and can pass well. Looks like he can play D1 but I have no idea what his “upside” is.

  • Kevin in GR
  • Merlin

    In regards to horford if we can afford to redshirt him that would be great. Who remembers Deshawn as a freshman-brutal-could not finish-now you would have to say he is a great finisher. By the way Deshawn is an example of someone who has really improved in our program. Under Amaker that was hard to say about anyone exhibit A Petway. However I am disappointed in Manny’s progress this year in that he seems the same player as last year-more consistent and more patient but really has not developed a new part to his game.

  • Sam

    as for the weight, he was actually listed in the program at something like 223 or so. Not sure the exact number, but it was over 215, which he clearly is not yet. His legs are not big, but they aren’t Manny-skinny either. His calfs look fairly healthy and I think he’d bulk up well

  • Kevin

    I would actually argue Manny has improved some parts of his game. He’s definitely more explosive, and I’d argue he’s a better finisher in transition. And he has developed a nice little midrange jumper/floater in the middle of the lane (although sometimes it frustrates us).

  • JimC

    Yeah Deshawn has certainly improved: he averaged 3 pts per game as a freshman!

  • maxwell’s demon

    gpsimms – Watched that Journey episode. Brutal. I forget sometimes we’re just fans and that’s it. This is literally these kids lives and we are lucky to get to watch. Love Sims, love Michigan sports, and love college hoops.

  • YpsiTuckyBoy

    Merlin…great point. Amidst all the negative Beilein talk, I just don’t hear enough about the vast improvement Sims has clearly made under Beilein’s tutelage.

  • gpsimms

    Yeah…Peedi breaking the silence, “Man, I don’t even wanna play basketball no more.”

    What a sad thing to say.

  • fresh

    horford has enormous legs would easily be teh biggest on michigan this year behind maybe deshawn and maybe j morgan the kid has no upper body…….take another peek, if you think his legs then perhaps you have been watching the wrong kid

  • http://umhoops.com Mattski

    I’d kill to get this guy, and hope like heck they redshirt him. Michigan is not going to be a great team next year, anyway.

    Tenacity doesn’t always mean aggression. People always called Tim Duncan soft, and he hauled down 27 rebounds the other night. The guy is patient and always in position, one of my favorite players (a few inches taller, too; I know).

    Could be wrong, but I see a smart kid, learning from each step. Not every kid has been living and breathing hoop since he was 7. Anyone know how close M is to getting him?

  • Junderground

    He has the ability to really reach for a rebound, which would be valuable on a team that shoots threes and thus has some long rebounds.

  • intrpdtrvlr

    Project sure but I think any Michigan fan who thinks twice about wanting Jon Horford is nuts.

  • WHATAP

    Good points by all. I’m just thinking about the future as well. We should try to get into a position of a roster make up where we don’t have to rely on 1 or 2 guys( manny, peedi) if we can get some Post skill I believe it would releave some pressure. As it goes right now if manny or peedi can’t score it’s left up to our 3 point shooters, and we all know when the threes aren’t falling we are in serious trouble. Hopefully next year we can get a bit more production from our frontcourt. With Evan coming in, then we will have mcclimans, Morgan, and hopefully horford. I still think we could use more.

  • bird

    I was dinking around on Rivals and came across unsigned four-star 2010 recruit Julian Washburn (6′ 7″ with the note “energetic and athletic combo forward”). He has over a dozen teams listed, all as Medium, one of which is Michigan. He has offers, but not from us. Is there anything worth sniffing there?

  • JBlair52

    passing, positioning, footwork – those are the hardest things to teach and Horford seems to be good at them.

    Nice heighth and we can always bulk him up a little.

    I hope we add him.

  • Giddings

    I really liked what I saw in the video. He looks very fundamentally sound catching the ball, taking a dribble, getting into good position, and going up to score. Yeah most of his rebounds came simply because of his height and length advantage but it looked like he has strong hands. A little more meat on his bones and he could develop into darn good player. As good as his brother? Maybe that’s a stretch, but I do see potential.

  • Giddings

    By the way, just thinking about last year’s team vs. this year’s for a sec… interesting to note that if last year’s team had lost either the Savannah State or IU games (both were miracles, really) and this year’s team had won just 2 of the 5 “blown” games (Bama, @IU, NW, @Wisc, MSU), they would have identical overall records at this point (and this year’s team would have a better B10 record by at least 2 games).

  • Kevin in GR

    I looked up Al Horford when he was coming out of HS and he was listed at 6’8, 225 and was a 4 star. He’s now listed at 6’10, 245 with the Hawks. Jon looks to have some pretty long arms and I noticed the little left handed hook shot which was encouraging too.

    Something else I found encouraging was that he was asked about playing close to home and said that’s definitely going to be a factor as his friends/family are here. That’s good news if it comes down to M vs Providence.

    I hope M gets him!

    http://michigan.scout.com/a.z?s=162&p=8&c=1&nid=642980

  • Sam

    I’m fairly certain that if we offer, Horford is ours. He has repeatedly stated that Michigan is in the lead and a number of recruiting journalists have said that we are far and away his leader right now, it’s just a matter of if/when we offer.

  • Crazy Eyes

    I know Bieilein hasn’t been UM’s coach for long, but none of his recruits have shown any sort of consistency or growth at all. I hope I am proven wrong but I still see UM being consistently inconsistent for the foreseeable future.

  • Jay

    Al had that same build. Arms so long they can tie their shoes standing up. I’ll take him! The skills are there, and he knows his game (ala AL) you wont see him on the perimeter which this team needs alot. A coordinated true big, that only needs to add on weight? Can’t afford to pass that up again… we already passed on Dashonte Riley last year because of “his motor”! So he was good enough to play for Syracuse but not Michigan? Something is backwards to me..

  • Kevin in GR

    His dad (Tito) was 7’1 245!

  • Tx

    Hasn’t he already been offered?

  • JBlair52

    CrazyEyes – Beilein only has 1 recruiting class (2 players – Douglass/Novak) that have even been here for more than 6 months. That’s pretty pathetic to make such a statement considering such a small portion of data.

    Jay – How much did we “pass” on Riley? I thought we got Morgan pretty quick and we didnt need 2 “centers” in 1 class (especially considering we knew Cronin was RS’ing). We also needed to get a PF and PG. We couldnt wait around and hope Riley committed.

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