Michigan Basketball: Land Robin Benzing

from MGoBlue.com
http://mgoblue.com/basketball-m/article.aspx?id=138520

German National Team's Benzing Becomes Fifth U-M Newcomer

May 22, 2008

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- University of Michigan men's basketball head coach John Beilein announced Thursday (May 22) the signing of 6-10 forward Robin Benzing (Seeheim-Jugenheim, Germany) to a National Letter of Intent for the 2008-09 season.

The Wolverines will have five newcomers to the roster next season, with Benzing joining signees 7-0 center Ben Cronin (Syracuse, N.Y./Henninger HS), 6-3 guard Stu Douglass (Carmel, Ind./Carmel HS) and 6-5 guard Zack Novak (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton HS) -- as well as 6-3 guard Laval Lucas-Perry (Flint, Mich./Flint Powers Catholic HS), who transferred from Arizona last season.

"With a lot of hard work, we feel Robin will be a valuable asset to the program," said Beilein. "He is long, versatile and at 6-10 has a high skill level. The recruitment of foreign players is a bit more complicated now than in the past. The NCAA's current academic and amateur certification process may affect Robin’s initial eligibility to play at Michigan. We will follow the situation closely and hopefully know more as soon as possible."

Benzing has played for both the German Under-16 and Under-18 National Teams. During 2006, he played in six games at the 2006 International Tournament in Mannheim, Germany -- the unofficial Under-18 World Championships -- and averaged 6.7 points and 3.2 rebounds per game. He played in eight games at the 2006 Under-18 European Championships in Amaliada, Greece, and averaged 7.3 points, 4.4 rebounds and shot 54.1 percent from the field. He also competed at the 2006 Adidas Superstar Camp and was named to the All-Star team and was the Best Defensive player.

During the 2007 Under-18 European Championships in Madrid, Benzing played in eights games and averaged 9.8 points, 3.5 rebounds and 1.3 steals per game. He was named the 2007 All-German Premier South Newcomer of the Year and All-Newcomers Team by Eurobasket.com.

Michigan will lose only one scholarship player from 2007-08, senior Ron Coleman (Romulus, Mich./Romulus HS).

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What others are saying about him:

from Draft Express
http://www.draftexpress.com/profile/Robin-Benzing-1377/

U-18 European Championship: The Wings

August 31, 2007

Perhaps the most freakish combination of size relative to his position, Benzing plays like a real wing despite standing around 6-10. However, he’s a very raw player, particularly in terms of his physical profile. He’s a long and skinny kid who shows a pretty average frame, enough for a perimeter player but rather underwhelming if we envision a possible future at the power forward position. His lack of strength limited his effectiveness on court, not allowing him to operate comfortably on both ends of the court.

Anyway, it’s pretty remarkable to see a 6-10 guy like Benzing putting the ball on the floor as easily as he does. He’s not the quickest guy around, but he can attack the basket going both ways and shows nice footwork. Still, he struggles finishing his slashing attempts, lacking some ability to score around the basket in traffic, but also some aggressiveness to attack the rim. He can pass the ball off the drive with mixed results: his intentions seem pretty interesting, but he’s not that precise with his passes. In the shooting department he looks quite inconsistent. He enjoys range out to the three point line, but his mechanics probably need to be polished. Benzing barely uses his size to post-up his opponents, emerging as virtually a pure face-up player at this point. Perhaps when he gains some strength he will try harder to cash in off his size. Defensively, he enjoys the lateral quickness of a small forward, although again he sometimes gets outmuscled.

A long term prospect, Benzing displays raw, but intriguing characteristics. Still, we’re yet to see how much of that potential he can fulfill, because he looks a bit of a soft player at this point.

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from NBA Draft.net
http://www.nbadraft.net/admincp/profiles/RobinBenzing.html

Right now Robin is too skinny but reminds some of Dirk Nowitzki at the same age, but a better defensive player. He lacks Dirk's frame however, with thin shoulders. He takes pride in good defense and taking charges. Besides that, he has quite good ball handling and can shoot threes pretty well. Competes hard, strong motor. The top talent in the 89 class in Germany by far. Has a long ways to go, but decent talent and size.

Notes: Has a twin brother named Marian who is, however, only 6-5.
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from European Prospects
http://www.europeanprospects.com/1989-born/forward-1989-born/thierno-agne/german-prospects-on-the-move/

German prospects on the move

May 15th, 2008 at 7:56 pm by Christophe

The NCAA is still a very popular destination for some of Germany’s best prospects. And despite some problems with the NCAA regularization last year (you surely remember the case of Lucca Staiger and Fabian Böke who got suspended for one season), there is still a number of players that want to join the College league.


The most prominent case is surely Robin Benzing. Being recognized as one of the top talents in Germany of the 1989 born generation, Benzing has played this season with the Langen NBBL U19 team as well as with the ProA team. And the ProA is considered as a professional league by the NCAA board as there are players in this league that earn money. This has been the argumentation to suspend Lucca Staiger and Fabian Böke for this season, two players that have played with Urspring.

But the risk of being suspended for one season does not stop Benzing’s dream to play in the NCAA. In a recent article in the German press, he states that he will do extra session in the weightlifting room while the other guys are practicing. He has even rejected a professional offer by the German team of Frankfurt Skyliners in order to go to the States. And after some rumors sending him to Fresno States, there are currently only two teams left on the list that he may join: San Diego or Michigan. Michigan coach John Beilein even went to Germany and visited Benzing recently in order to explain him the advantages of moving to Ann Arbor.

But first of all, Robin will have to get his High School degree and play the Final Four of the U19 League with Langen on the 31st May and 1st June. I will be present for the two days of the tournament and give of course a detailed scouting report about his progress.

UPDATE: Benzing’s team Langen got eliminated this Saturday and will not play the Final Four.

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My take:

Well this worked out for Coach Beilein when he went over to Europe when he thought Epke might be leaving and he wanted to look at a couple of prospects.

The big thing right now is they need this kid to be able to play this year and not have to sit out, but that is all up to the NCAA right now. In the past the kids had to sit out a year so we will have to wait and see what happens. One thing is for sure what he will help out on is in practice and bring competition to the floor every day and that is something in the past the Michigan basketball program has been lacking.

Good pick-up, but I am still wondering where this will lead Michigan in recruiting for the 2009 season and beyond. Be interesting to see how this changes anything. Also wonder how long Benzing is planning on staying in college. He was a upcoming star in Europe.

written by ErocWolverine

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