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Thursday, June 29, 2017
The Michigan Daily — michigandaily.com
SPORTS

SAM MOUSIGIAN/Daily

D.J. Wilson became the sixth Wolverine to be drafted in the first round since 2014 when the Milwaukee Bucks took him 17th overall.

Conry named head coach

Six weeks ago, Michigan athletic

director Warde Manuel announced
the firing of men’s lacrosse coach
John Paul, the only head coach the
program has known.

Wednesday, Manuel found his

replacement when he announced
the official hiring of Kevin Conry,
formerly the associate head coach and
defensive coordinator at Maryland.

Conry spent five years in College

Park — a span during which the
Terrapins went 67-17, including a
third straight Big Ten title and a
national championship this season.
Under Conry’s guidance, Maryland’s
defense ranked in the Top 10 in
fewest goals allowed in four out of
five seasons.

Instead of trying to defend a

national title at a perennial power
next season, however, Conry’s next
task will be to continue building a
program from the ground up.

Maryland and Michigan may

share conference affiliation, but aside
from that, the two programs could
hardly be more different. Maryland’s

lacrosse
program
has
existed

since 1924, and is one of the most
prestigious in NCAA history — the
Terrapins are the only major college
team that has never had a losing
season, and have won 31 conference
titles and three national titles while
making 40 NCAA Tournament
appearances.

The Wolverines, on the other

hand, only added varsity lacrosse in
2012, and have had just one winning
season in their history. That one
winning season, however, took place
just this year, when Michigan went
8-6 and defeated a ranked opponent
— No. 10 Penn — for the first time
ever.

“My wife, daughters and I could

not be more excited to join the
Michigan Athletics family, and Ann
Arbor community,” Conry said in
a statement. “The University of
Michigan represents a standard of
excellence that I look forward to
upholding. I would like to thank sport
administrator Bitsy Ritt and athletic
director Warde Manuel for their
commitment to the sport of lacrosse,
and this amazing opportunity to
be a head coach in the best lacrosse
conference in the country.”

MEN’S LACROSSE

JACOB SHAMES

Summer Managing Sports Editor

Wilson drafted in first round by Bucks,
Irvin, Walton to play in summer league

The 2017 NBA Draft took place

Thursday night at the Barclays
Center in Brooklyn, N.Y.. Three
former Michigan players — Derrick
Walton Jr., D.J. Wilson and Zak Irvin
— anticipated possible selections,
waiting to learn their next basketball
destination.

Wilson, however, was the only

one to find out Thursday, as the
Milwaukee Bucks drafted the 6-foot-
10 forward with the 17th pick in the
first round.

Walton and Irvin were not

among the 60 players selected in the
draft, but both players reportedly
accepted invitations to play in the
NBA Summer League — Walton with
the Orlando Magic as reported by
MLive’s Brendan Quinn and Irvin
with the Miami Heat according to
ESPN’s Chris Haynes. If Walton and
Irvin impress in Summer League
competition, they can earn an
invitation to an NBA training camp
in hopes of eventually signing a
professional contract.

Most
sources
had
projected

Wilson as a late first-round pick,
while Walton and Irvin were both
predicted to either go late in the
second round or undrafted.

Wilson
becomes
the
sixth

Wolverine in the last five years to
be drafted in the first round, joining
Trey Burke and Tim Hardaway
in 2013, Nik Stauskas and Mitch
McGary in 2014 and Caris LeVert a
year ago.

This scenario didn’t seem likely at

the onset of the Sacramento, Calif.
native’s college career. With injuries
and inconsistency playing a role,
Wilson averaged just 5.9 minutes
and 2.3 points per game his first two
seasons.

However, Wilson was finally able

to show off his unique skill set this
season, and shot onto NBA teams’
draft radars. He used his 7-foot-3
wingspan to average 5.3 rebounds
and 1.5 blocks per game, and also
displayed a smooth shooting stroke
for a player his size, knocking down
37 percent of his three-point attempts
and scoring 11 points per contest.

The Bucks, a young, lengthy

and athletic team built around
6-foot-11
star
forward
Giannis

Antetokounmpo, were attracted to
Wilson for his physical tools and
versatility.

“Watching him on film, he fits

the DNA of the Bucks, being able
to play multiple positions,” said
Milwaukee coach Jason Kidd in a
press conference after the draft.

Walton, a four-year starter at point

guard for Michigan, averaged 15.5
points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.0 assists
per game as a senior while shooting
42 percent from distance. The Detroit
native also ranks fourth in Wolverine
history in assists and three-pointers
made. Despite Walton’s decorated
college career and his ability to score,
rebound and run an offense, he was
only projected to be drafted late in
the second round if at all, due in large
part to his short stature at just six feet
tall.

Irvin appeared in 142 games in his

Michigan career, tied for the most all-
time, and also ranks third in program
history for three-pointers. In his final
season as a Wolverine, he averaged
13 points and 4.5 rebounds per game.
His outside shooting and perimeter
defense are his main strengths that
he will hope to take to the next level.

JACOB SHAMES

Summer Managing Sports Editor