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LEV FACHER/Daily

LaVall Jordan will be the next head coach at Wisconsin-Milwaukee next season.

8 — Thursday, April 14, 2016
Sports
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com

Jordan says goodbye to ‘M’ at end-of-season banquet

By LEV FACHER

Daily Sports Writer

A newly minted head coach, 

LaVall 
Jordan 
walked 
onto 

the floor at Crisler Center on 
Wednesday for 
the 
Michigan 

men’s basketball 
team’s 
postseason 
awards 

ceremony. He made a beeline for 
John Beilein and gave his former 
boss a hug.

After six years on Beilein’s staff, 

Jordan says he finally gets it.

“It comes at you quick, and 

there’s decisions to make,” Jordan 
said.

The move “26 inches over,” from 

the assistant coach to the head 
coach’s seat, has changed Jordan’s 
perspective ever since he accepted 
the head-coaching position at 
the 
University 
of 
Wisconsin-

Milwaukee last week. There’s 
simply a level of accountability 
at the head-coaching level that’s 
impossible to envision or prepare 
for, Jordan said. 

So after years of trying to 

understand the inner workings of 
Beilein’s mind, Jordan finally got 
a real glimpse inside. Though he’s 
spoken with Beilein daily since 
accepting the Milwaukee job, the 
hug was still necessary.

Jordan will have a familiar face 

alongside him as he takes over at 
the Panthers’ helm. Pending a few 
dotted Is and crossed Ts, Michigan 
video coordinator Will Vergollo 
will become one of Jordan’s first 
hires.

The loss of Jordan, known as 

something of a guru for backcourt 
players, is a big hit to Beilein’s 
staff, 
which 
has 
remained 

perfectly intact for the last six 

seasons.

“In my opinion, he’s one of the 

best in the business at what he 
does,” said senior guard Spike 
Albrecht.

In Jordan’s absence, director 

of player personnel Chris Hunter 
will 
hit 
the 
recruiting 
trail 

alongside Beilein. In the last week, 
the rest of Michigan’s staff gave 
Hunter the go-ahead to actually 
coach players during workouts, 
and Beilein said Hunter impressed 
immediately with an observation 
about rising sophomore forward 
Moritz Wagner’s mechanics.

Beilein 
didn’t 
rule 
out 

considering 
Hunter 
for 
the 

position, but said he’s in no rush to 
make a decision.

“Measure twice so you only 

have to cut once,” Beilein said, 
saying that even the Pope 
would have to go through a 

background-check process were 
he to apply for the position.

The vacancy could soon gain a 

twin, as Michigan assistant Bacari 
Alexander remains among the 
rumored candidates for the still-
unfilled head-coaching position at 
Detroit. But in the meantime, it’s 
business as usual.

“He’s 
going 
on 
the 
road 

(recruiting) this weekend,” Beilein 
said.

In terms of players, Beilein 

still 
doesn’t 
expect 
further 

attrition after Ricky Doyle and 
Aubrey Dawkins announced their 
departures from the program 
last week, and says he’s checked 
in with everybody on the roster 
regarding their status for next 
year.

“That’s the plan with everybody 

right now,” Beilein said.

Wagner 
was 
among 
the 

players whose summer plans 
were most in flux, but he appears 
to have solidified them: Beilein 
said Wagner will spend the early 
months of summer at home in 

Germany before returning for 
July and August to participate 
in “Camp Sanderson,” strength 
coach Jon Sanderson’s famed 
summer workout series.

