Michigan basketball’s true freshman class consists of three guards who could crack the rotation in their first year. Here’s everything you need to know about Justin Pippen, Durral Brooks and L.J. Cason:
The Michigan Wolverines are going to feature a lot of new faces in Dusty May’s opening season at the helm, and with all the additions in the transfer portal, a trio of players that sometimes get lost in the shuffle are Michigan’s freshman class.
Justin Pippen, Durral Brooks, and L.J. Cason are all players May said could rack the rotation earlier this offseason . Let’s evaluate the youngsters who could make an impact at Crisler Center for years to come.
Before Michigan
Pippen stands at 6-foot-3, but he may not be done growing, considering his father — NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen — is 6-foot-8. He played with a lot of good players at Sierra Canyon, notably both of LeBron James’ sons. Considered a late bloomer in the class, he ranked just outside the top-100 in his class on the 247Sports composite and is the highest-ranked player in Michigan’s class.
Brooks is 6-foot-2 and is ranked just outside the top-200 on the composite . He’s coming off a high school season at Grand Rapids Catholic Central where he was named Michigan’s Mr. Basketball . He averaged 27.1 points, 8.1 rebounds and five assists per game for the Cougars (20-5), who with the help of Brooks made it to the DII state title game.
Cason stands at 6-foot-2 and was previously committed to May and Florida Atlantic, with FAU Owls Nest reporting at the beginning of this month he was granted the release from his letter of intent. The Lakeland, Florida native is rated as the 35th-best combo guard in his class and the 22nd-best recruit from his state according to 247Sports .
A quick breakdown of their games
Pippen: He’s got a tight handle and the ability to blow past defenders before finishing at the rim. He sees the floor well in transition and does a good job contesting shots without falling on the help-side. Like his dad, Pippen is a solid defender who can instantly start a fast break after anticipating an incoming pass and intercepting it. He stays focused on defense, moves his feet well, gets his hands on a lot of passes and rotates well when not guarding the ball.
Watching film, he reminds me of a young Lonzo Ball — minus the funky jump shot — thanks to his comfortability running the break, good court vision, solid ball-screen navigation and high basketball IQ.
Brooks: He has an excellent feel for the game. He never panics when double-teamed and has solid court vision when defenders crowd him. He’s quick, not fast, so he stays under control when bursting to the rim. That said, he’s got real speed and may be the fastest player on Michigan’s roster. He’s got a beautiful jumper that goes in more often than not. He’s a great finisher around the rim and isn’t afraid of contact, leaping around defenders with his outstretched limbs while absorbing contact and scoring. He’s a blur in transition who can make you pay with craftiness near the rim.
Cason: He is quick off the dribble and has a smooth handle. He’s a great one-on-one player, as May mentioned at the local media day on Friday, saying he’s one of those guys that can get a bucket when called upon. He has some real range, as his three-point shot goes in consistently. He’s got a crafty step-back that he’s not afraid to unleash off the pick-and-roll. He’s also lightning quick, finishing through contact at the rim and leading the break well in transition. He may have the best looking jumper out of the three. I see shades of Malik Monk when watching him play.
Quotes on the freshmen, and quotes from the freshman
May on Cason’s durability and being able to contribute right away: “Cason has been a real bright spot. His durability, I don’t think he’s missed a practice yet. He’s performed at a high level, and to be honest, his ability to create one-on-one opportunities is what he does best. And even though we don’t play that much as a group, when teams switch and bulk you down, you need someone that can create that advantage on their own. He’s been as good as anyone on our roster at creating offense, I think he’s shooting almost 50 percent off the bounce from three over 30-50 practices, pretty big sample size. He’s a guy that’s very confident, he won state championships in high school, he won big-time games in the AAU circuit and so, past performance will predict that he’s going to be ready to help us as a freshman.”
May on Pippen: “Pip probably got off to the best start. The first couple of weeks that he was able to work out, he looked like a seasoned vet. He was tough, he was poised, you would think he’s a sixth senior with a medical redshirt as far as his pace and way he plays. He hasn’t practiced much since he had a medical procedure, but he’ll be back very soon.
May on Brooks’ ball skills: “Brooks had an injury this summer, he came in with a knee issue so he didn’t practice I’d say the first five or six weeks. Lately he’s really coming into his own, he’s more comfortable in his jump shot, extremely disruptive defensively. I don’t wanna say this too loud, but he can play out in front of 110,00 fans on a Saturday as far as his ball instincts. He just brings a lot to the table, his intangibles, he’s a great teammate. I don’t think there’s been one minute of a practice where I didn’t think “man, I love coaching Phat Phat, he’s started to play much better recently.”
Danny Wolf on Cason: “I wouldn’t be surprised if, in two years, he’s the best player in the Big Ten. He’s that good of a player.”
Cason on why he wanted to play for May: “Obviously we’ve built a connection over the years since I committed right before my senior year. That whole year, I built a connection with him, but also him believing in me, to ask me to come and play at Michigan, I feel like that’s a really big thing, going from mid-major to high major. I talked to my family and it was a no-brainer to come here.”
Pippen on his strengths and areas of improvement: “I think I shoot the ball well, I feel like I got a really high IQ, I feel like I still need to work on my strength, I feel like that’s a really big part of basketball.”
Brooks on Cason: “What I’m most impressed with, I’ve never seen a freshman be able to score the ball like him. His scoring ability is crazy whether it’s off the dribble, catch and shoot.”
Brooks on why he re-affirmed his commitment: “Just (May) being a winning coach. I just think him winning, him caring about his players, him wanting the best for us, also him trying to set up his players to be set in life, not just in basketball but outside as well.”
Conclusion
We know May will run a ball-screen-heavy offense based on sets he ran at FAU , and when taking that into account, it’s clear to see why May recruited Pippen and Cason and convinced Brooks to stay committed after initially pledging under the Juwan Howard regime. All three guys can thrive as modern guards who can run the pick-and-roll, score at multiple levels and make you pay in transition.
May has said Cason is the most like a lead guard of the trio, and combine that with the hype he’s received, I think he has the best chance of getting the most playing time this season. Cason is one of this team’s best scorers, and I could see him contributing right away as a freshman, as May said. That isn’t to say the others don’t also have a shot — I could see Pippen and Brooks starting in the backcourt at some point in their careers.
You can never have enough good guards, and hopefully the veterans like Rubin Jones, Roddy Gayle Jr. and Nimari Burnett help these guys get better. There’s a lot to like about May’s first recruiting class, and we’ll keep track of their progress all season long.