Dick Weiss on College Basketball
College basketball lost one of its most innovative coaches and finest ambassadors when John Beilein announced he was leaving Michigan to fill the coaching vacancy with the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers.
Beilein has coached at every level of basketball – coaching high school, junior college and Division III, II and I. The final step in a journey that brought him an 829-468 college record. He coached Michigan to two Final Fours in 2013 and 2018, an Elite Eight appearance in 2014 and two Sweet 16 appearances in 2017 and 2019 as well as four Big Ten tournament and regular season championships in his 12-year run at Ann Arbor.
Beilein, 66, has thought about the NBA for several years and had two discussions with two franchises—the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons—last year before deciding to return to Michigan.
Beilein and his wife did not want to move too far from Michigan but the Pistons’ borderline playoff roster with little financial flexibility made it less appealing. Cleveland’s rebuild status, with guard Collin Sexton and a high lottery pick appealed to him.
Expect AD Ward Manuel to contact former Michigan assistant and Butler head coach LaVall Jordan NBA and current assistant Luke Yaklich, who has received accolades for Michigan’s vastly improved defense the past two years. Beilein had just signed a new contract worth $3.8 million per year last summer, so most NBA coaches are out of the Wolverines’ target range.
College basketball lost one of its most innovative coaches and finest ambassadors when John Beilein announced he was leaving Michigan to fill the coaching vacancy with the NBA Cleveland Cavaliers.
Beilein has coached at every level of basketball – coaching high school, junior college and Division III, II and I. The final step in a journey that brought him an 829-468 college record. He coached Michigan to two Final Fours in 2013 and 2018, an Elite Eight appearance in 2014 and two Sweet 16 appearances in 2017 and 2019 as well as four Big Ten tournament and regular season championships in his 12-year run at Ann Arbor.
Beilein, 66, has thought about the NBA for several years and had two discussions with two franchises—the Orlando Magic and Detroit Pistons—last year before deciding to return to Michigan.
Beilein and his wife did not want to move too far from Michigan but the Pistons’ borderline playoff roster with little financial flexibility made it less appealing. Cleveland’s rebuild status, with guard Collin Sexton and a high lottery pick appealed to him.
Expect AD Ward Manuel to contact former Michigan assistant and Butler head coach LaVall Jordan NBA and current assistant Luke Yaklich, who has received accolades for Michigan’s vastly improved defense the past two years. Beilein had just signed a new contract worth $3.8 million per year last summer, so most NBA coaches are out of the Wolverines’ target range.
