Tag: Mike Brey

Blake Wesley, Mike Brey reunite before respective NBA teams battle

Reunited, and it feels so good.

In his first season as an Atlanta Hawks assistant, former Notre Dame coach [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag] has met up with some people. Look at what he’s put out on social media, and you’ll see him frequently encountering people connected to Notre Dame. His most recent such meeting was with [autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] before the Hawks hosted the San Antonio Spurs in a Martin Luther King Jr. Day matinee:

Wesley didn’t play when the Spurs and Hawks met earlier this season, but he’s gotten many more minutes lately, so this had to feel extra meaningful for him. It had to be more memorable than the three points and three rebounds he had in a 109-99 Hawks victory.

This isn’t the first time this season Brey has reunited with one of his former players currently in the NBA. In late October, he got to see [autotag]Pat Connaughton[/autotag], Notre Dame’s other current NBA representative, when the Hawks visited the Milwaukee Bucks:

Brey could right a book about this season alone. He should have more time now that he’s not the head of a major college program anymore.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Shrewsberry, Brey meeting night before Notre Dame plays Georgia Tech

This should be cool.

After over two decades as Notre Dame’s coach, [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag] is taking it easier these days. No, he hasn’t left basketball altogether. He’s on the coaching staff for the Atlanta Hawks. Coincidentally, the Irish are about to play Georgia Tech in the same city as the NBA’s Georgia-based franchise.

With the Irish’s past and present coming together in the same city, [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] intends to take advantage of that. Tom Noie of the South Bend Tribune is reporting that Brew and Shrewsberry will be together at the Irish’s Atlanta hotel Monday:

Some of you might be thinking that Brey might try and spread his influence to the first-year Irish coach and thus corrupt him with old and tired ideas. If Shrewsberry really was worried about that though, do you really think he would have extended this invitation? I think he’s secure enough to know that won’t be possible.

No. This is a way for the two men to get to know each other. They might both even become better for it. That would be beneficial for their respective teams, which is good for everybody.

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Notre Dame wins over teams at least eight games above .500 since 2018

The Irish haven’t had many recent wins like the one against Virginia.

In a season that figures to have few true highlights, Notre Dame had one Saturday. Virginia entered Purcell Pavilion with a 10-2 record and having received votes in the most recent Top 25 poll. That didn’t matter to the young Irish because they crushed the Cavaliers, 76-54. If anyone tells you they saw that coming, they’re lying.

This wasn’t only an upset against a quality program and Micah Shrewsberry’s first ACC win. It represented a rarity for Notre Dame in recent years. The Cavaliers’ record coming into this game meant they were eight games above .500. Since the Irish last made consecutive NCAA Tournaments from 2015 to 2017, they have beaten opponents who were at least eight games above .500 coming in only seven times.

So forgive the Irish if they go a little over the top in celebrating this latest such instance. This doesn’t happen to them very much these days, so they definitely are cause for celebration every time. Here are the most recent of these occurrences:

Micah Shrewsberry speaks after Notre Dame beats Western Michigan

Here’s some of what the head man said after his latest win.

SOUTH BEND, Ind. – All things considered, Micah Shrewsberry has to be pleased with how his Notre Dame tenure has started. With the roster almost completely turned over from a season ago, any victory should be considered progress. That’s what happened when the Irish defeated Western Michigan, 86-65.

That’s not to say there aren’t some things don’t have to clean up. While he was happy to get the win, there also were some things he feels the Irish need to improve on. He made that clear during his postgame news conference.

One thing the media members covering the Irish have learned is that Shrewsberry gives very detailed responses to every question he’s asked. [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag] also gave detailed responses, but Shrewsberry really loves to talk about his team and make it sound interesting, even finding humor in some of the answers he gives.

Here is Shrewsberry’s opening statement after the win and his answers to the two questions we asked him:

Micah Shrewsberry, Kebba Njie, Matt Zona speak during ACC Tipoff

Hear from a team that figures to have many challenges this season.

Notre Dame is facing a challenging season with a new face and a mostly new roster. [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] fielded questions about that during the ACC Tipoff on Oct. 25 in Charlotte, North Carolina. Alongside him were [autotag]Kebba Njie[/autotag], a transfer who came over with Shrewsberry from Penn State, and [autotag]Matt Zona[/autotag], one of the few returnees on this year’s Irish.

Here is what they had to say:

Photos of Blake Wesley’s season at Notre Dame

What was your favorite moment from Blake Wesley in his time at Notre Dame?

One-and-done isn’t a term that gets thrown around the Notre Dame basketball program very often but it did in regards to freshman [autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] who has officially declared for the [autotag]NBA draft[/autotag].  It remains to be seen if he will be a first round draft pick as he’d become Notre Dame’s first since 2016 to do so.

Wesley averaged 14.4 points per game for Notre Dame, twice scoring a career high 24 points in a single contest (at Illinois, at Wake Forest).  Before he gets his name called on NBA draft night take a look back at Wesley’s season at Notre Dame that saw the Irish reach the NCAA Tournament’s second round.

Look at Notre Dame’s current 2023-24 roster

Do you have confidence in this group as it stands?

There still is time for Notre Dame to add to its 2023-24 roster, but don’t count on a game-changer suddenly emerging onto campus. Barring an unforeseen circumstance, the players the Irish have now figure to make up the core. That’s not a strong vote of confidence for Irish fans, but remember that first-year coach [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] practically has to start from scratch after the program lost all of its rotation players to graduation and the transfer portal.

It doesn’t take a genius to figure out that this is going to be a very bad season for the Irish. The few holdovers from [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag]’s tenure have played very little. While Shrewsberry was able to bring his 2023 Penn State recruiting class and one of his Nittany Lions starters from the 2022-23 season, that’s not a lot of college basketball experience coming in. He must be in one of, if not the least envious position in the country.

Hopefully, the day will come when Shrewsberry has built the Irish back into a winner. Until then, try and get behind these players who are just there to do their jobs and play basketball:

Notre Dame commit Cole Certa heading to IMG Academy

Nice opportunity for him.

A month ago, Notre Dame received its first 2024 recruiting class commit in shooting guard [autotag]Cole Certa[/autotag]. He was recruited out of Bloomington Central Catholic in Illinois. But he has decided that that school is no longer sufficient to continue his athletic growth. He has announced that his final year before joining the Irish will be sent at IMG Academy, the famous sports prep school in Bradenton, Florida:

Certa, a three-star recruit weighing in at 6-foot-4 and 165 pounds, is heading to a school that has produced some quality talent. Among them are Purdue star and reigning national player of the year Zach Edey and North Carolina’s Armando Bacot. Several alumni also have gone onto the NBA, including Anfernee Simons, Dwight Powell, Josh Green and Jonathan Isaac. What’s more, Kyle Brey, son of former Irish coach [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag], is the coach of the varsity football team.

While Certa’s decision is a loss for the state of Illinois, it’s necessary for him to take the next step in his game. Here’s hoping it works out for him and eventually, the Irish.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Micah Shrewsberry wants annual game to showcase Notre Dame in Indiana

Are you a fan of this idea?

Since being named Notre Dame coach, [autotag]Micah Shrewsberry[/autotag] has had Indiana at the front of his mind, and not only because he’s from there. Recognizing the state’s rich heritage and talent pool, he’s made it his mission to put the Irish on the same level of recognition as Indiana, Purdue and Butler. It’s not stopping with recruiting either.

In an appearance on “College Hoops Today with Jon Rothstein,” Shrewsberry mentioned how he wants at least one of those aforementioned teams involved with the Irish regularly:

This past season was the first without the Crossroads Classic, which had been held in December in Indianapolis for several years. On the Irish’s local media day before the season, [autotag]Mike Brey[/autotag] expressed relief the program didn’t have to deal with it anymore. The Irish finished below .500 all-time in that event, so his feelings were somewhat understandable.

But there’s a new sheriff in town, and Shrewsberry wants to embrace the Irish being part of the Hoosier State, not move away from it. It’s unknown when or if at least one of the former Crossroads Classic participants will be seen on the Irish’s schedule again. A game in Indianapolis probably is more likely to happen first. Whatever happens, Shrewsberry’s pro-Indiana approach could change things for the better in South Bend.

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Follow Geoffrey on Twitter: @gfclark89

Notre Dame’s all-time NBA first round draft picks

It’s been a while since the Irish have had someone called in the NBA draft’s first round…

It hasn’t happened since NBA draft night in 2015 when Jerian Grant was taken in the top-20 by the New York Knicks but it could very well be changing in a matter of months.

Notre Dame freshman guard [autotag]Blake Wesley[/autotag] appears headed to the NBA draft after just one season with the Fighting Irish.  We can debate for hours if the move is the wisest for him but in doing so, he’ll likely become Notre Dame’s 21st former player to have his name called in the first round.

Who are some of the others?  Check out the list of every single Notre Dame basketball player to be selected in the NBA draft’s first round all-time below.