It apparently took a while but Michigan has received a letter of intent from Tim Hardaway Jr. and Evan Smotrycz. For more on Michigan’s pair of signees, here are their commitment articles: Hardaway Jr., Smotrycz.
Here are the obligatory Beilein quotes:
“These are two multi-dimensional players that are very capable of playing several different positions,” said Beilein. “They have good length. They are outstanding shooters. They have a good feel for the game with high basketball IQs. They have great court vision. What really impresses me is their ability to pass which will be valuable down the road.”
Team Detroit security another AAU championship after beating D-One Sports 56-48 in the RBK Summer Championship. Team Detroit features a number of Michigan recruiting targets including 2010 prospects Trey Zeigler and Ray McCallum as well as 2011 prospects Brandan Kearney and Percy Gibson (5 star prospect Dominique Ferguson also played with Team Detroit this weekend). Zeigler led Team Detroit with 16 points and added 7 rebounds and 3 assists. McCallum had 11 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists while 2011 target Quincy Miller scored 16 points for the opposition.
Trey Zeigler: 5-Star Potential
Trey Zeigler seems to impress anyone that sees him play and this weekend was no different. Rivals already thought highly of him, but after seeing him in Vegas they are even more impressed.
Maybe we just didn’t see at first, but it looks like Zeigler’s is adding to his game. Whether it’s an extra gear or an added dose of confidence, Zeigler is continuously impacting the game. He is now in five-star discussion.
Zeigler has been a priority for Michigan for a very long time, and that will continue to be the case. Max Preps jumped on the Zeigler bandwagon as well after they saw him score 25 points in a game versus the New York Panthers. There is no doubt that Trey can score the ball as well as the best in the country.
The next step for Trey appears clear, he wants to trim his list to five schools by the end of August. It would be great if Trey wants to decide in the Fall but it’s also very possible that he waits until the spring.
Point Guard U, an Arizona basketball website, conducted a (slightly leading) video interview with Trey in Vegas.
For a little more Zeigler video, there is a nice little adidas Promo with a couple very short clips.
Casey Prather: Dancing and Singing
Memphis Roar caught up with Casey Prather for a video interview at a recent AAU tournament. Prather talks about his recruitment as well as his singing and dancing abilities.
Michael DeCourcy lists Prather as one to watch after seeing him play at the adidas Super 64 tournament this weekend in Vegas and mentions that roy Williams was there watching Prather. Here’s DeCourcy’s scouting report:
Prather is a solid ballhandler who effectively creates opportunities for himself. He tends to shoot the ball without arc, which causes him to be less accurate, but that could be corrected. Coaches from nearly a dozen schools would love to try: including Michigan, Clemson, Florida, Alabama and Vanderbilt.
Prather reportedly shot the ball with more confidence ($) over the weekend and with his length and athleticism, a consistent jumpshot would make him deadly. We all know that Beilein is one of the best shooting coaches in the country. I’m sure that has been a point of emphasis in his recruitment, his comments about skill development in the video interview are definitely encouraging.
Mentioning the filth that is associated with AAU basketball is becoming a broken record but it seems like there is always a new issue being pointed out. Pete Thamel wrote a New York Times piece this weekend about coaches being forced to buy a $295 roster packet at AAU tournaments. People that don’t think AAU basketball is a cesspool of corruption really need to open their eyes.
Ray McCallum continues to play well this summer as well. DeCourcy profiled McCallum over the weekend and MaxPreps is also a fan.
Patrick Lucas-Perry has flown under the national radar a bit this summer and he played in Orlando over the weekend ($). Here’s a recent scouting report from Slam Online: “This rising junior has good court vision and did a great job moving the ball up the floor. He made a couple of impressive entry passes and also found a way to get himself to the rim. Patrick can knock down the 3-ball and also does a nice job in getting to the free throw line. He is definitely a sleeper!”
Evan Derman got a chance to meet with Tim Hardaway Jr’s shooting coach. NBADraft.net also saw Hardaway Jr. in action: “Tony Wroten was guarded by 6′5″ shooting guard Tim Hardaway Jr., the son of former all star point guard Tim Hardaway. Hardaway Jr. has a solid package of tools (decent athleticism ball handling, defensive abilities and a thin yet strong body), but his shooting ability is really the only thing that would allow us to consider him a pro prospect.”
Jonathan Arledge played well over the weekend but reports of a Michigan offer appear to have been false. In a recent Rivals update, Arledge lists offers from “George Mason, Temple, Penn State, Vermont, Tulane, Siena, Providence, Fairfield, Niagara, and Vanderbilt” and interest from Xavier, Boston College, Michigan, Michigan State, James Madison, VCU, and Georgetown.
Michigan (and surprisingly Dayton) didn’t make Adreian Payne‘slist of five.
There is endless coverage of this weekend’s AAU events on the internet and I was away all weekend. So if I missed something and you have seen other worthwhile articles or scouting reports, make sure to post them in the comments.
We know Tim Hardaway Jr. can shoot it but apparently he has a little bounce as well…
… OK, he’s not Brent Petway but it’s a nice dunk but he certainly looks like a capable athlete. Here’s another video as well (thanks to Illinois HS Basketball).
Zeigler Playing Well
Trey Zeigler has had a phenomenal summer and he kept it up at the NY2LA Summer Jam where he earned MVP honors. Here’s NY2LA’s scouting report:
Skilled and fundamental guard, Zeigler packs an extra punch around the rim, not afraid to elevate and finish over and through contact. His vertical dunks surprised and wowed those watching, and once again his ability to pass and finish in transition was among the very elite at the event. An active defender who understands the importance of playing both ends, Zeigler prefers to defend slashing athletes, and gets his own offense started by attacking the cup from the baseline. Co-M.V.P. of the 17u Platinum Division, Zeigler improved each game, and really picked up his scoring once bracket play began.
The scouting report on Zeigler is so consistent at this point that it’s clear whoever lands Zeigler will have an instant impact player. He is the perfect wing man in Beilein’s offense, a guy who can score the ball but also has tremendous basketball IQ and athleticism.
On the Road Again
After a little bit of down time, college coaches across the country are back on the road. Most eyes will be focused on Las Vegas where three of the premiere AAU tournaments in the country tip off tomorrow. Most of Michigan’s targets and commitments will be playing in Vegas as well. Evan Smotrycz (Mass Rivals) and Casey Prather (Nashville Celtics) will both be playing in the adidas Super 64 while Team Detroit (Zeigler, McCallum, Kearney, etc.) will be playing in the RBK Summer Champships (team list).
The select AAU tournaments that are open to coaches this year are even more important because the NCAA reduced the number of live events. It’s a fun time for recruiting junkies and you can be sure that scouting reports and rumors will be spreading across the internet. As always, I’ll do my best to bring them together here. I’ll also be re-tweeting relevant bits that I come across on Twitter from those social-media savvy scouts out there.
Daniel Poneman from IllinoisHSBasketball.com caught up with Tim Hardaway Jr. at the Peach Jam in Georgia for a nice video interview. Hardaway talks about Michigan, why he plays with the Mac Irvin Fire, and appears to forget Matt Vogrich’s name.
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Trey Zeigler has had a phenomenal summer and he kept it up at the NY2LA Summer Jam where he 
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