What Happened to the Basketball Recruiting Class of 1999?

The Michigan Wolverines Recruiting Class of 1999:
 
Position Name High School
SG Jamal Crawford Rainer Beach (WA)
C LaVell Blanchard Ann Arbor Pioneer (MI)
SF Gavin Groninger Plainfield (IN)
G Kevin Gaines Clark (NV)
F Leland Anderson Attleboro (MA)
     

Jamal Crawford (6’6” 190 lbs.) – Crawford’s career in Ann Arbor lasted just seventeen games. He was suspended twice, once for his living arrangements in high school; another time for reportedly attempting to enter the NBA Draft after signing his letter of intent to Michigan. Crawford entered the 2000 NBA Draft and was drafted 8th overall by the Cleveland Cavaliers. He would later go on to win the Sixth Man of the Year Award for the 2009-10 NBA Season.

YEAR PTS REB AST FG% FT%
1999-00 16.6 2.8 4.5 .412 .784
           

LaVell Blanchard (6’7” 215 lbs.) – Came to Michigan heralded as one of the top recruits in the nation. Only player in the history of Wolverine Basketball to ever lead the team in scoring and rebounding for four straight years. Since graduating from Michigan, Blanchard has played professionaly in France, Germany, Italy, Ukraine & played last season in Bosnia for BC Igokea Aleksandrovac.

YEAR PTS REB AST FG% FT%
2002-03 16.2 6.8 1.0 .422 .814
2001-02 14.8 6.3 1.4 .432 .832
2000-01 17.8 8.4 1.8 .442 .788
1999-00 14.4 7.9 1.5 .448 .827
           

Gavin Groninger (6’5” 205 lbs.) – Groninger came to Michigan and immediately made an impact from long range averaging 7.2 points a game his freshman season. His game often went up and down with his confidence level. From his freshman season on, his playing time decreased year after year until he played half as much his senior year.

YEAR PTS REB AST FG% FT%
2002-03 1.5 1.1 0.6 .175 .789
2001-02 5.7 1.1 0.7 .333 .861
2000-01 5.6 1.6 1.5 .321 .792
1999-00 7.2 1.5 1.3 .385 .680
           

Kevin Gaines (6’4” 200 lbs.) – Had a stellar freshman season littered with team violations. Before the 729989.jpg image by aceofsportsstart of his sophomore year, got arrested for drunken driving and was dismissed from the team. Transferred to Houston, where he was suspended for the second half of his sophomore season after being arrested for assaulting a woman. Gaines never played collegiately again and subsequently fell off the map.

YEAR PTS REB AST FG% FT%
1999-00 11.7 3.8 4.6 .391 .683
           

Leland Anderson (6’8” 245 lbs.) – Anderson saw action in 16 games as a freshman for the Leland Anderson - HAX Wolverines. Recorded a career-high eight points and seven rebounds against Western Michigan (11/27/99). Missed 10 consecutive games with a injury to his right leg. Transferred following his freshman season to Providence University. Briefly played for the Cape Cod Frenzy (ABA), overseas in Argentina, Italy, & Switzerland. Also dabbled in Ultimate Pro Wrestling (UPW). Currently works as a trainer at the Hangar Athletic Xchange while also coaching teenage basketball teams.

YEAR PTS REB AST FG% FT%
1999-00 2.1 1.4 0.3 .519 .750

 

Print Friendly

Use Facebook to Comment on this Post

Comments are closed.