Right now the Michigan Wolverines basketball team is ranked #1 in the country for the first time since the 1992-93 season, when the Fab Five were on the court. Before the season started I posted that this is Michigan's best since that Fab Five team and they are proving that. This weekend Michigan plays at #3 Indiana, but how would this year's team fare against its counterpart from 20 years ago?
2013 PG Trey Burke 6'0, 190 lbs, 17.9 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 7.1 apg
1993 PG Jalen Rose 6'8, 210 lbs, 15.4 ppg, 4.2 rpg, 3.9 apg
This is the best matchup of the five positions. Right now Trey Burke is the best point guard in the country and a top three overall player. The thing I love about Burke is his low turnover rate. He is averaging 7.1 assists and only 1.9 turnover per game. Burke's ability to create his own shot while still getting his teammates involved is what sets him apart from other players. Jalen Rose was a small forward playing point guard. Rose was placed in the position because he was the best ball handler on the team but he was definitely a scorer. His 6'8 frame was something that posed a lot of problems for opponents because he was able to post up smaller players and was usually too fast for bigger defenders. Which is what Burke would have trouble with. But his speed and quickness would also cause problems for Rose. It's really close but I have to give it to Jalen. I know Rose was never a player of the year candidate but he has the athletic ability and length to challenge Burke and I don't think Burke can handle him in the post.
2013 SG Nik Stauskas 6'6, 190 lbs, 12.7 ppg, 3.0 rpg, 49% 3FG
1993 SG Jimmy King 6'5, 210 lbs, 10.8 ppg, 4.4 rpg, 3.1 apg
The shooting guard spot puts a shooter against an athletic slasher. Nik Stauskas was the third piece of this years recruiting class behind Glenn Robinson III and Mitch McGary but he is proving his worth. Stauskas is among the nation's leaders in three point percentage and still has the ability to drive and finish at the rim. He does have decent size but it would be tough for him to contain Jimmy King's athleticism. King was the high flyer for the '93 team and ran the fast break great with Rose. He was their biggest three-point threat in the starting lineup and was a solid defender but it's really hard to overlook Stauskas' shooting ability. The fact that he's able to hit half the threes he takes is more important than any dunk King can throw down. Gotta take Nik, eh.
2013 SF Tim Hardaway Jr. 6'6, 205 lbs, 15.5 ppg, 5.0 rpg, 48% FG
1993 SF Ray Jackson 6'6, 220 lbs, 9.0 ppg, 4.1 rpg, 49% FG
Tim Hardaway Jr. has vastly improved his game between his sophomore and junior seasons because he's letting the offense come to him instead of forcing things. It's evident in his shooting percentage as it's jumped from 42% to 48% from the field and 28% to 41% from three. Hardaway is also the Jimmy King to Trey Burke as he runs the break exceptionally well. Ray Jackson is the forgotten member of the Fab Five but he was the defensive stopper for the team. He was also the last of the five to get into the starting rotation their freshman year. Even though his D was solid, I still have to give the edge to Hardaway's superior offensive skills.
2013 PF Glenn Robinson III 6'6, 210 lbs, 12.0 ppg, 5.8 rpg, 60% FG
1993 PF Chris Webber 6'9, 245 lbs, 19.2 ppg, 10.1 rpg, 2.5 bpg
Glenn Robinson III is a great athlete and isn't afraid to crash the boards as he is second on the team in rebounds. He's a great fit for John Belein's offense because he doesn't mind playing down low and can be a math-up nightmare for the opposing team's power forward. But, like Rose, he's playing out of position. His natural spot is at small forward and unlike Rose, he can't make up for the sheer size and strength that Chris Webber brings to the table. Webber was dominant in college averaging a double-double in both of his season at Michigan. From the moment he stepped on the court he was a force to be reckoned with on both ends of the floor as he also averaged 1.5 steals and 2.5 blocks. Robinson is a great prospect and will continue to improve, but he's fighting an uphill battle against a player that was drafted #1 overall.
2013 C Jordan Morgan 6'8, 250 lbs, 6.4 ppg, 5.2 rpg, 0.2 bpg
1993 C Juwan Howard 6'9, 240 lbs, 14.6 ppg, 7.4 rpg, 2.6 bpg
This is the most lopsided matchup we have. Jordan Morgan is able to finish above the rim, a decent rebounder, but a below average defender. Morgan has a lot of trouble creating his own offense unless he's set up by Burke. Juwan Howard was a very skilled big man offensively and defensively. He put up good numbers in '93 but they improved even more when Webber left and he averaged 20 points and 9 boards. Howard also averaged well over 2 blocks per game in his time at Michigan. Howard would be too much for Morgan to handle and would control the paint on both side of the ball.
2013 Bench - Mitch McGary, Caris LeVert, Jon Horford
1993 Bench - Eric Riley, Rob Pelinka, James Voskuil
The bench for Michigan this year doesn't give them much outside of a rotation between Morgan, Mitch McGary and Jon Horford. One thing I love about McGary though is his intensity. The guy doesn't care if he's starting or coming off the bench, he's always going to play hard and be the first guy cheering his teammates on. He reminds me of Kevin Garnett, the way he puts his heart into every game. For the '93 team, Eric Riley was a great backup big man to have. Before Webber and Howard arrived he averaged 10 points, 8 rebounds and 3 blocks. As for Rob Pelinka and James Voskuil, they provided the occasional three but that's about it.
I have to be honest, I think the 1993 team would have its way with the 2013 team. Not to say the 2013 team couldn't win, but it would be tough. The fact that the Fab Five would dominate the boards would be hard to overcome. Not only did Webber and Howard do work on the glass, the rest of the starters all averaged over four rebounds a game. The best chance the 2013 team has is if they are hitting from beyond the arc. They have four players that can hit from distance and get hot on any given night. One thing you have to remember about the Fab Five is not only did they have great careers in college but Webber, Rose, and Howard all went on to be 20 point scorers and play 10-plus years in the NBA. In a seven game series I've got the '93 team in five.
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