Michigan Basketball: How John Beilein’s departure impacts recruiting

The timing for John Beilein’s departure from Michigan basketball was never going to be great but in terms of recruiting, it was downright awful.

Long-time Michigan basketball coach John Beilein certainly earned the right to leave when he wanted to and he didn’t need to worry about any timeline that would help the Wolverines.

Talks between Beilein and the Cavs accelerated according to reports over the weekend and he informed Warde Manuel Monday that he would be leaving his post as Michigan basketball coach.

Obviously, it was a day that no Michigan fan wanted to come but after 12 incredible seasons, we should have nothing but gratitude for Beilein and what he did resurrecting Michigan basketball.

That being said, in terms of 2019 recruiting, his departure is going to kill the Wolverines.

Just this weekend, the hot topic surrounding Michigan was the recruitment of Franz Wagner, the younger brother of Moritz Wagner and whether he was going to come to an agreement with his German professional team or possibly come to Ann Arbor.

After Beilein’s announcement Monday, it’s probably a moot point. Beilein was likely a big reason why Wagner was considering Michigan and without him and without a head coach, it’s unlikely Wagner or any player would commit.

If Michigan acts quickly, it could still get into the mix, but more than likely, the loss of Beilein will mean the loss of Wagner. It also will probably mean the loss of Oakland graduate transfer Jaevin Cumberland.

Cumberland visited Michigan last week and was offered by Beilein. He said he was planning to make his decision soon and that was last week. The Wolverines have a glaring need at shooting guard, with or without Beilein, but again, it would be shocking to see a player commit without a coach in place.

The other contenders are Oregon and Purdue, although the Boilermakers added another graduate transfer guard so it may be the Ducks and Michigan. If UM targets Oregon head coach Dana Altman in its search, things could get really interesting.

Nah’shon Hyland is another four-star guard that was offered recently. He hasn’t provided a timetable, so if Michigan gets a coach in place, that could be a possibility.

It still hurts though because depending on whether the assistants Saddi Washington or Luke Yaklich are kept, an entirely new relationship will need to be built, which can be tough to do in a short period of time.

In terms of Jalen Wilson, the gem of the 2019 class, he indicated he had no idea Beilein was leaving but said he was still committed to Michigan in an interview with the Detroit Free Press.

“I was just in shock,” Wilson told the Free Press. “I didn’t want to believe it. It’s news, so I was really just shocked, you know? Looking at what it’s going to be.”

Wilson said he was called by assistant coaches and Cole Bajema likely was too along with Zeb Jackson, the cornerstone of the 2020 class. However, Jackson also seemed uneasy about the move which could put his commitment in jeopardy.

This also leaves many of the 2020 targets in limbo, but that’s just the way it is. While Manuel wants to be timely with his decision, the short-term impact on recruiting would be nothing compared to the long-term failure that could come with hiring the wrong coach. (See Rich Rodriguez).

If Michigan wants to build on what Beilein did, it needs to open its pocketbook for a guy like Billy Donovan or even Mark Few — offer the world. If not, find one of the many up-and-coming guys that will be drooling for this job.

But either way, Michigan can’t rush things to address short-term recruiting needs. The reality is that more than likely, the new coach is going to come in without an experienced two-guard and possibly a couple of open scholarships.

Yet, with all the other pieces like Zavier Simpson, Jon Teske, Isaiah Livers, Colin Castleton, Brandon Johns, David Dejulius and Jalen Wilson, a solid nucleus can exist for next season, even if Beilein’s departure isn’t doing UM any favors on the recruiting trail.