Dusty May’s Michigan Wolverines have one of the most formidable teams this season. While most people had their focus on Dan Hurley’s UConn, Jon Scheyer’s Duke, Tommy Lloyd’s Arizona or Bill Self’s Kansas, Dusty May and his team proved they are a force to be reckoned with.
They ended the regular season at the top of the Big 10. They only lost one game in the conference and three overall. The only games they lost were against Wisconsin, Jon Scheyer’s Duke, Matt Purdue’s Purdue. Other than a couple of scares here and there, most of their wins were pretty convincing.
Despite a pretty convincing run, Stephen A. Smith was doubtful about Michigan’s capability to go deep in the NCAA tournament. He called Dusty May’s team “too erratic” and inconsistent. He even picked Iowa State over Michigan to advance to the Final Four. Now as Michigan recorded another impressive win to reach the Final Four, Stephen A. Smith stands corrected and issued an apology to Michigan.
“I’m ashamed of my position, Jay, on Michigan. I owe the Michigan Wolverines an apology. I’ve completely underestimated this team,” Stephen A. Smith said.
He recalled watching Michigan play vs Duke at a neutral site. He shared how he wanted to either see them play Duke at home or at Cameron. He wanted to see them in an environment to make a judgement about their grit and character.
He continued, “But whether it was Cadeau or Burnett or whatever, I just wasn’t sold on their guard play. I remember walking away feeling that way about them. Didn’t seem seamless to me, composed. They seemed incredibly athletic, very gifted, but in the same breath, a team that could be rattled, right, and you could take it. You could take them.
“That is not who I have watched in this NCAA tournament. They’ve ran roughshod over the competition. They’ve been head and shoulders above anybody they’ve gone against. And they put it on Tennessee yesterday. I mean, it was a romp in the first half. It was over, okay? You might as well just went out for a walk or whatever. It was just bad, okay? And I’m watching them and I’m like, listen, they could beat anybody. They could win a national title.”
Stephen A. Smith Gives Yaxel Lendeborg his Flowers
After issuing an apology to Dusty May’s team, Stephen A. Smith made sure to appreciate one of the major contributors for the Wolverines. He started with mentioning the Fab Five of Michigan basketball who could not manage to win a national championship. He recalled the heroics of Chris Webber, Jalen Rose, Juwan Howard, Jimmy King and Ray Jackson.
He then compared the current team with the legendary Fab Five. He claimed that this team is just as good if not better.
“If Michigan pulls this off [win the NCAA title], we got to look at them with profound respect, no doubt about that. And this kid, [Yaxel] Lendenburg, I mean, yo, he can play,” Smith said.
“He can play. Big body, NBA body, got a handle, can pull up, hit a can get to the hole on his own. I’m like, yo, I underestimated Michigan, and whether they win or lose, I did not give them respect that they deserved coming into this tournament. And I was wrong, plain and simple.”
“They deserve major, props. I like what I’m seeing from Michigan. They could win it all. Arizona’s got their work cut for them,” he concluded.
Read more:
UNC Head Coaching Search: No End In Sight For Tar Heels As Hubert Davis Replacement Still Wide Open
College Sports Network has you covered with the latest news, analysis, insights, and trending stories in baseball, tennis, college football, men’s college basketball, women’s college basketball, and college baseball!
