'09 MI PF Derrick Nix (MSU Verbal)

[AASpartan]

4/22/2008

Rivals - "Rapidly Improving Nix Fits MSU's Needs" - $

Real nice article from Comp at SpartanMag. Worth a read.

[gw73]

Greenandwhite.com: Big man Nix says yes to Spartans

[BeantownSparty]

From the Greenandwhite.com article...

"I always watched them on TV and then I went to some games. And players get better there."

I think his head is in the right place anyways...Even if all the negative criticism on this kid is true, he knows with a little hard work combined with Izzo's coaching that he will improve in this program, which is all any of us should ask for: constant improvement.

My guess is that a college workout program involving some weights will turn this kid into a beast by the time he is a soph/junior...

I could careless if this kid has any scoring ability... Did anyone else see how that thug Joey Dorsey was pushing around Neitzel and another player (I forget...) in that Memphis game??? That **** would not have happened with this type of kid around. We need to recruit some strength and size down low... Good pick Tom...

[ninowesco]

Originally Posted by gw73

Greenandwhite.com: Big man Nix says yes to Spartans

they really need a better picture of him

but that article says it all

izzo watch this kid play against the AAU competition and grabbed him early because he knew he would have to

we need to keep the Detroit kids in house cause we aren't getting Chris Allen's every year

[TripleGreen]

Just something I was thinking about regarding the Nix committment.

You have to assume that Izzo and his staff pay attention to the Big Ten's recruiting landscape, especially in regards to their closest competitors (ie. Wisky, OSU and Purdue). If someone is loading up in a certain area that the staff feels may give MSU a problem down the road, logic would tell you that they might try to recruit someone to help alleviate that potential disadvantage.

I wonder if MSU's biggest bugaboo the past few years, Bo Ryan and the Wisconsin Badgers, were in mind at all when Izzo offered the 6'9" 285 lb Derrick Nix? Why do I think that could be the case? Just take a look at some of Wisky's frontcourt depth and size next season.

Ian Markolf, 7’1” 255 lbs (frosh)
Jared Berggren, 6’10” 245 (frosh)
Keaton Nankivil, 6'8" 250 (soph)

Now I don't know about the talent level of those three players (though I know Berggren is highly though of), but that's some serious beef at the hands of MSU's chief competitor and a competitor I might add who's known for squeezing the absolute most out of its' talent. It would be foolish to think that those three players aren't going to be key contributors for Ryan over the next four or five seasons.

Nix and probably Sherman as well seem to match up (at least on paper) with those future Badger frontcourts pretty darn well. Hell, maybe Izzo knows what he's doing more than some of those DE'ers in the peanut gallery think.

[gw73]

MSU was eaten up when Deandre Thomas went 5-9 in 16 minutes. The best Thomas looked all year but MSU had no answer for him down low.

[detroitsportscity]

Originally Posted by mdm2005

Suton was one of only a few Spartans (KLIF-11pts & Chris Allen-20pts) not to back down from Memphis! Give the kid credit for standing up and fighting! He was as close to a beast as we've seen from him against some of the best bigs in the tournament only a couple weeks ago!

Is your memory that bad???!!

He scored 23 points against them including 9 rebounds! He was only two pts shy of Chris Douglas Roberts (25) and four of Derrick Rose (27)! Dozier had 4 fouls and only 9pts, while Dorsey was held to only 6pts.

Suton has arrived as a D1 big man!!

I think you misunderstood. Suton has gotten infinitely better over his time as a Spartan. Naymick went from a non-entity to one of the better defensive bigs in the B10. Granger was crap, then was an integral part of us winning a title.

That was a post of compliments, not disses.

[Ari Gold]

Originally Posted by mdm2005

Suton was one of only a few Spartans (KLIF-11pts & Chris Allen-20pts) not to back down from Memphis! Give the kid credit for standing up and fighting! He was as close to a beast as we've seen from him against some of the best bigs in the tournament only a couple weeks ago!

Is your memory that bad???!!

He scored 23 points against them including 9 rebounds! He was only two pts shy of Chris Douglas Roberts (25) and four of Derrick Rose (27)! Dozier had 4 fouls and only 9pts, while Dorsey was held to only 6pts.

Suton has arrived as a D1 big man!!

Hey *******, I was saying that people judged him too soon. Learn to read.

[DrTre11]

I totally thought of the Wisconsin/Big Ten angle with this kid as well. Remember that I said it, this kid will be one of our favorite players on MSU's team for years to come. The kid is going to throw his leaner/stronger body around once he gets completely in shape and he'll dominate the paint with strong defense, rebounding, and finishes inside. He's perfect for the BT. He's going to carve muscle out of that body and be an absolute force, mark that ***** down. He'll be a Wisconsin beater, Izzo is adapting.

[ninowesco]

I'm all for the optimism

but I don't understand why you guys think this kid is being brought in specifically for wisconsin

every forward izzo has ever brought in has been big. not necessarily fat, but big. this kid is just the '09 version, but a little shorter and a little fatter.

hopefully his post scoring translates to the college level - green too

we've been missing that for a while

[Jersey Spartan]

Here's what Sam Hosey said on the scout board. He's DA CHAIRMAN if you don't allready know.

Scout.com: Michigan State Forums List

SamHosey Redshirt Freshman 30 posts this site Ignore this Member Send Private Message

Nominate | Report Posted: Yesterday 9:24 PM No Nix earned the offer on his own merits. Trust me on that one. Coaches from OSU, Pitt, (MSU) and elsewhere were calling Derrick's people all weekend trying to either get in on Derrick or get a committment. MSU did its homework and laid a strong foundation with Derrick even when he was at Murray-Wright. Last summer at the Izzo Shootout they showed Derrick a lot of attention. I saw that with my own eyes. So now that he blew up this spring (and yes, I'd call going from unknown to Top 75-caliber recruit as blowing up), it was easy for MSU to turn up the heat and get things done where most schools outside of Michigan were just finding out who Derrick was. But trust me when I say that MSU liked Derrick all along and he kept on making strides. I've made mention of this on another message board. Anyway, I was told by scouts that they heard MSU coaches saying, "Derrick is the one we have to get." To me that says a lot, and none it has to do with Keith Appling.

[darlin16]

What's the Appling reference too? Are they friends? I didn't quite get that one. Well if MSU coaches said they need this guy I'm not at all worried about him. When did we offer him the scholarship and how long after did he commit? Like a week or so? I still think we need a big hitter in this group. Jamil would be nice add, or one of the guys from Georgia.

[TripleGreen]

Originally Posted by darlin16

What's the Appling reference too? Are they friends? I didn't quite get that one. Well if MSU coaches said they need this guy I'm not at all worried about him. When did we offer him the scholarship and how long after did he commit? Like a week or so? I still think we need a big hitter in this group. Jamil would be nice add, or one of the guys from Georgia.

I believe Chair meant that MSU recruited Derrick Nix because of Derrick Nix and Derrick Nix alone. ie. They didn't recruit him so that it would make the Appling recruitment any easier. Like Chair said, he earned the scholarship on his own merit.

[St8 Law]

Originally Posted by Jersey Spartan

Here's what Sam Hosey said on the scout board. He's DA CHAIRMAN if you don't allready know.

Scout.com: Michigan State Forums List

Da Chair! Whatever he says I believe. That man knows what he is talking about when to comes to BB

[TripleGreen]

Originally Posted by ninowesco

every forward izzo has ever brought in has been big. not necessarily fat, but big. this kid is just the '09 version, but a little shorter and a little fatter.

There's a BIG difference btwn 6'10" 230 lb high school juniors and 6'9" 285 lb high school juniors. Wisky has been MSU's stiffest competition and they're going to have some massive frontcourts over the next handful of years and MSU didn't yet have have any comparable size. Could you imagine Herzog having to bang with a 7'1" 260 pounder? I can't.

[Crow]

this is what I was talking about in regards to not being able to finish -> http://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=801698 (i think it's subscriber only)

He does appear to be moving better, and he's good at getting position & getting the ball. But his lack of athletiscm really hurts his ability to finish. I was hoping this would improve my optimism...but it mostly just reminded me of what I saw last month @ Breslin.

[StatsETC]

Nix can't finish

The Family struggled to find much consistency from it's team. Coming off a commitment to Michigan State, Nix showed some nice moves in the post but struggled to finish time and time again at the rim.

[IzzoisdaMan]

Originally Posted by Crow

this is what I was talking about in regards to not being able to finish -> http://michiganstate.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=801698 (i think it's subscriber only)

He does appear to be moving better, and he's good at getting position & getting the ball. But his lack of athletiscm really hurts his ability to finish. I was hoping this would improve my optimism...but it mostly just reminded me of what I saw last month @ Breslin.

There are some pretty ugly attempts in that video but it is encouraging to see him attack the basket when he gets the ball down low. He does a great job of establishing position in the post, uses his body well. He makes strong moves and initiates contact when trying to score instead of shying away from it. He obviously needs to work on finishing plays but there is A LOT to work with.

[TripleGreen]

Nix is a prototypical redshirt candidate. A lot of upside but he needs a lot of work too.

[Jersey Spartan]

Originally Posted by TripleGreen

Nix is a prototypical redshirt candidate. A lot of upside but he needs a lot of work too.

If MSU get's wilson in '09 that will be able to happen. Wilson is not a typical big but he can play both inside and out. Sherman is the one who will play right away. I don't see MSU taking 4 in '09.

[TripleGreen]

Originally Posted by Jersey Spartan

If MSU get's wilson in '09 that will be able to happen. Wilson is not a typical big but he can play both inside and out. Sherman is the one who will play right away. I don't see MSU taking 4 in '09.

So MSU is done garnering committments (for '09) until next March when Wilson announces? I like the confidence but doesn't that kind of place a few too many eggs in one basket? What if it's a two or three horse race right up until the end and Jamil decides on another horse? Considering what is and what could be leaving after the 2008 season...that is a risky hand for Izzo to play.