The rosters of Michigan and UCONN indicate the quality level needed to compete for a national title.
Looking at the starting Michigan 5 and 247 Sports high school rankings, here's what I found: 12 Cadeau, 15 Mara, 31 Johnson and 38 Burnett. Missing is Lendeborg as he performed so poorly in academics throughout high school, eligibility problems kept him from spending much time on the basketball court. As a result he played his initial 2 collegiate years at a junior college.
The same talent story can be told at UCONN where Alex Karaban has the lowest high school prospect ranking of the starting 5 (#118). Despite the ranking coming out of high school, Karaban was highly recruited by over 20 schools, included were offers by Indiana and Purdue.
Along with the starting 5's, the rosters of Michigan and UCONN are loaded with highly ranked bench players.
Recruit rankings aren't an end all but the reality is DeVries and company need to add players to the roster that have the capability to compete with the best. Will wait for results on the court next season but call me skeptical if a number of mid-major and/or unheralded high school players are part of the 2026-27 roster.
So what do we know about the Olsen kid that is supposedly committing? I don't like it.
Where are you reading about this commit? Where is this kid from?
Where are you reading about this commit? Where is this kid from?
Twitter. South Alabama. Shooter and not much else. Fine if he's a bench player. Not fine if he's a starter.
On the eve of the portal opening (and in an effort to NOT think about Braylon Mullins and UConn taking on Dusty May and Michigan for the title)...here are the latest (at least somewhat) credible rumors:
-I am continuing to hear that IU is seriously exploring the international market and looking for players that can contribute right away.
-The big names the Hoosiers are really pursuing: Jalen Haralson and Markus Burton.
-Rowan Brumbaugh of Tulane and Adam Olsen of South Alabama are at minimum drawing IU interest and could be early names to commit when the portal opens. Notable attributes of Brumbaugh: good creator and really good at attacking and getting fouled. He shot 234 free throws (79.9%) with a free throw rate of 57.8% (that's elite). He's also a good finisher at the rim (66.4%) and has an effective field goal percentage of 52.2. Takes good care of the ball and is not a total traffic cone on defense. Ideal fit: a combo guard capable of playing either guard spot and if he's the first guard off the bench, you feel great. If he's your second or third option on offense? Kinda scary.
-Adam Olsen: he's a stretch 4 with good size. Olsen is elite at one thing: catch and shoot threes. Olsen was 101-252 (40.1%) from three. He rarely turns the ball over and would be a good sniper off the bench. The concern would be that he has basically no experience against high-major competition and brings little else to the table. Olsen does not rebound and he's a very bad defender. If Nick Dorn ends up leaving, I think Olsen can replace the role of sharpshooting forward that offers nothing else. If he's hot, you play him and if he's not, he sits. If Olsen is being counted on to start at the 4? The rest of the lineup would need to be really darn good. The coaches surely know this and I am confident he would not be brought in to start.
Buckle up, the next couple of weeks should be fascinating!
So what do we know about the Olsen kid that is supposedly committing? I don't like it.
Stats are not pretty. 40% 3 pt shooter, 84% FT, so there is that. Has size to shoot over people at 6 8. But at 6 8 225lbs he gets a little over 4 rebounds for every 40M he plays. Not a ball handler/passer. He was 2nd team All-Sunbelt, so there is that.....Looks slow as hell on highlight.
Only way I see value, even as a back-up, is if we have a dominant shot-blocking 5 like Bidunga and a distributing pg.
On the eve of the portal opening (and in an effort to NOT think about Braylon Mullins and UConn taking on Dusty May and Michigan for the title)...here are the latest (at least somewhat) credible rumors:
-I am continuing to hear that IU is seriously exploring the international market and looking for players that can contribute right away.
-The big names the Hoosiers are really pursuing: Jalen Haralson and Markus Burton.
-Rowan Brumbaugh of Tulane and Adam Olsen of South Alabama are at minimum drawing IU interest and could be early names to commit when the portal opens. Notable attributes of Brumbaugh: good creator and really good at attacking and getting fouled. He shot 234 free throws (79.9%) with a free throw rate of 57.8% (that's elite). He's also a good finisher at the rim (66.4%) and has an effective field goal percentage of 52.2. Takes good care of the ball and is not a total traffic cone on defense. Ideal fit: a combo guard capable of playing either guard spot and if he's the first guard off the bench, you feel great. If he's your second or third option on offense? Kinda scary.
-Adam Olsen: he's a stretch 4 with good size. Olsen is elite at one thing: catch and shoot threes. Olsen was 101-252 (40.1%) from three. He rarely turns the ball over and would be a good sniper off the bench. The concern would be that he has basically no experience against high-major competition and brings little else to the table. Olsen does not rebound and he's a very bad defender. If Nick Dorn ends up leaving, I think Olsen can replace the role of sharpshooting forward that offers nothing else. If he's hot, you play him and if he's not, he sits. If Olsen is being counted on to start at the 4? The rest of the lineup would need to be really darn good. The coaches surely know this and I am confident he would not be brought in to start.
Buckle up, the next couple of weeks should be fascinating!
Love Brumbaugh, hate Olsen.
Another site basically says Olson & JP Estrella from TN (6-11, 245 lbs, TN) have/will likely commit. Estrella has played 3 years at TN, was a parttime starter this year, including all tourney games. Nice stats scoring & rebounding, but is not a running rim-protector type. Not an outside shooter. Fair FT shooter. Would be ok, imo, for 20M/game if paired with another good big, but would not be a real exciting get.
Fru seems to have gone bye bye as an IU target? One poster on another site said he may return to France.........
Are you not hearing anything about IU pursuing Bidunga?
olsen played in canada his first two years then went to south alabama.
one thing i did find interesting is that he and milan momcilovic are the only two players 6'8 or taller to hit 100+ 3s (got this gruworld1 on twitter who was replying to my post about olsen).
olsen took 8.4 3s per game and made 3.4. the kid can flat out shoot. he looks a lot more like a nick dorn replacement than a starter.
if iu does add him and he is a starter to save a bit of money while paying a pg (burton), another wing (haralson), they need sompto cyril or another elite center to pair with him.
here is what tipton is saying...who knows though:
https://twitter.com/bigbluekodakk/status/2041142640456941842?s=20
@mushroomgod Which other site has J.P. Estrella as a likely commit? I have not come across that and have not heard that. I do think IU is interested in him given the connection with Rod Clark and he's a darn good player (I think you are selling him short). He has two years of eligibility remaining and just averaged nearly 20 minutes a game and had a 7.1 BPM (boxscore plus/minus) on a team that reached the Elite Eight. He's a good rebounder, good athlete, true shooting percentage of 61.2...I like him and he'd be a very nice addition.
Anyway, on Bidunga...his NIL asking price is sky-high and I do not believe IU is pursuing him. I also don't think Bidunga would be particularly interested even if IU did pursue. I'm writing profiles on a whole lot of players, just to be prepared for any commitments, and Bidunga is not on my list to have ready. I could be wrong about that but he's not a player on my radar.
The rosters of Michigan and UCONN indicate the quality level needed to compete for a national title.
Looking at the starting Michigan 5 and 247 Sports high school rankings, here's what I found: 12 Cadeau, 15 Mara, 31 Johnson and 38 Burnett. Missing is Lendeborg as he performed so poorly in academics throughout high school, eligibility problems kept him from spending much time on the basketball court. As a result he played his initial 2 collegiate years at a junior college.
The same talent story can be told at UCONN where Alex Karaban has the lowest high school prospect ranking of the starting 5 (#118). Despite the ranking coming out of high school, Karaban was highly recruited by over 20 schools, included were offers by Indiana and Purdue.
Along with the starting 5's, the rosters of Michigan and UCONN are loaded with highly ranked bench players.
Recruit rankings aren't an end all but the reality is DeVries and company need to add players to the roster that have the capability to compete with the best. Will wait for results on the court next season but call me skeptical if a number of mid-major and/or unheralded high school players are part of the 2026-27 roster.
Yep and Michigan is bringing in another stud recruiting class. They just landed a five star and I assume they will get several top players in the portal. They may not be the end all but DD proved last he will have to have a massive talent upgrade to finish near the top of the big ten.
George Lettice RTed this saying there's an On3 article that says we are out wrt Haralson.olsen played in canada his first two years then went to south alabama.
one thing i did find interesting is that he and milan momcilovic are the only two players 6'8 or taller to hit 100+ 3s (got this gruworld1 on twitter who was replying to my post about olsen).
olsen took 8.4 3s per game and made 3.4. the kid can flat out shoot. he looks a lot more like a nick dorn replacement than a starter.
if iu does add him and he is a starter to save a bit of money while paying a pg (burton), another wing (haralson), they need sompto cyril or another elite center to pair with him.
here is what tipton is saying...who knows though:
https://twitter.com/bigbluekodakk/status/2041142640456941842?s=20
Beggars can't be choosers. (I don't think that saying is p.c. ... So, make it, the unhoused should be careful about turning down good faith assistance.).. Twitter. South Alabama. Shooter and not much else. Fine if he's a bench player. Not fine if he's a starter.
Jasai Miles has officially entered the transfer portal...he won't be the last one. Both Drake and Miles are now officially in.
A Tennessee reporter mentioned that IU is a team to watch for J.P. Estrella and could also be a fit for Bishop Boswell (he believed NC State would get Boswell, ultimately). 247 reporter Eric Bossi mentioned IU getting traction with Wake Forest wing Juke Harris. He's one of the best players in portal and would be a massive get but I would not get excited about that yet.
yeah, i think george is just reading the article...
i have no idea how haralson would be a fit at osu given their roster with incoming freshman thompson and bynum seemingly in pen in the 3 / 4 spots...i also don't think mobley is a pg so he's at the 2. would just a be a tough fit for haralson there.
but you never know...i guess if iu (shockingly) added juke harris to go along with burton and brumbaugh or something, maybe they are out on haralson. i don't know though.