Michigan State AD Mark Hollis tweets NBA draft advice to Michigan PG Trey Burke
Michigan point guard Trey Burke averaged 14.8 points per game and earned the program's first Associated Press All-America mention since 1998.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
Update: Michigan AD Dave Brandon responds to Mark Hollis' tweet to Trey Burke
Michigan basketball point guard Trey Burke apparently is tired of hearing it from all angles when it comes to his decision on where he'll play next season.
Burke, who is currently deciding whether he'll return to Michigan next season or opt for the NBA draft, expressed his frustrations via Twitter on Wednesday.
"EVERYONE got something to say," Burke tweeted, "smh I thought this was my life!"
Shortly after Burke's tweet, Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis offered up some advice of his own to the current Wolverine point guard.
"My advice," Hollis wrote, "believe in YOUR heart & mind, everything else is interference. People seek u out is better than those that seek u."
Hollis then later re-tweeted Burke's original message, and prefaced the post by writing "#respect."
Several hours after the fact, a Twitter message from Michigan athletic director Dave Brandon's account appeared in response.
"Mark Hollis had good intentions," Brandon wrote, "but made a mistake. Not appropriate to tweet one of our student-athletes.
"Won't happen again. End of story."
Michigan coach John Beilein has yet to make a public comment on Burke's situation.
Burke averaged 14.8 points per game last season for Michigan, helping the Wolverines win a share of their first Big Ten title in 26 seasons. He also set the school's single-season freshman assist record, was named co-Big Ten Freshman of the Year and earned the school's first Associated Press All-America mention since 1998.
Last week, Burke's father Benji confirmed that his son is currently seeking advice from the NBA's undergraduate advisory counsel.
"We figured we had to at least see what's going on," Benji told AnnArbor.com last week. "That's where we're at. We're wanting to see where we're at and go from there.
"Trey just got to Ann Arbor. We just got here, and now we're talking about him leaving. It's just tough, it's a tough decision but hopefully, we'll be back in Crisler this year. ... As of now, we're coming back. But anything can change. We're open."
Nick Baumgardner covers Michigan basketball for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at 734-623-2514, by email at nickbaumgardner@annarbor.com and followed on Twitter @nickbaumgardner.
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Comments
JimB
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 3:29 p.m.
Burke should just leave at this point. His head is not into being part of UofM's team so he might as well take off and let a more deserving teammate step up and have some playing time. Beilein doesn't deserve to have his time wasted by this guy.
unclemercy
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 3:02 p.m.
apparently my assumption that program directors at major institutions were literate was baseless.
evenyoubrutus
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 2:33 a.m.
The odds of Trey Burke having a long, successful NBA career are very low. If he stays in school, he will be that much closer to getting a college degree. I know it is a cliche but the kid is not Chris Paul. He will likely go down a similar path as Darius Morris if he decides to leave now or even next year for that matter. Obviously I'm biased as a fan, but I think the answer is obvious here.
azwolverine
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 12:56 a.m.
Burke's right when he says it's his life. That's why I'm not going to worry about his decision. If he comes back, great...he is definitely an asset to UM's team. However, if he doesn't, UM will live on and move forward with other players, just like we did when Harris and Morris left early.
glacialerratic
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 12:05 a.m.
http://www.npr.org/2012/03/28/149460660/watching-college-basketballs-slump-into-anonymity Read it.
GetRealA2
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 11:49 p.m.
Another testimonial as to why freshmen should not be eligible to play "varsity" sports. Acclimate first, mature second, wisely decide third. Of course, if it's all about "me, myself, and now," then disregard the above. Why follow a "team," when they're here today and gone tomorrow?
Steve Kleintank
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 11:52 p.m.
Okay the kid is going to make a choice, and it is the nature of basketball today very often. The bigger issue is why is another schools Athletic Director contacting an NCAA athlete from another school? If people cannot see this as unethical something is wrong.
Steve Kleintank
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 11:40 p.m.
This is an NCAA Violation is what it is: 13.1.1.3 Four-Year College Prospective Student-Athletes. An athletics staff member or other representative of the institution's athletics interests shall not make contact with the student-athlete of another NCAA or NAIA four-year collegiate institution, directly or indirectly, without first obtaining the written permission of the first institution's athletics director (or an athletics administrator designated by the athletics director) to do so, regardless of who makes the initial contact.
Wally the Wolverine
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 11:05 p.m.
Little brother using reverse psychology.
mookienation
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 10:30 p.m.
Why is it that people who use Twitter -- even those in highly respectable positions -- write like they're a 12 year-old girl? I noticed this first with Jim Irsay but it seems to be the norm with wealthy businessmen. Maybe I'm out of touch with the times, but I had to Google 'smh'.
Jake C
Thu, Mar 29, 2012 : 4:07 a.m.
Try reading USA Congressman Chuck Grassley's twitter account. It puts Kim Kardashian to shame: http://twitter.com/#!/CHUCKGRASSLEY
A2Realilty
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 10:23 p.m.
This is actually an NCAA violation unless he got approval from Brandon.
burton163
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 10:21 p.m.
I can see right through Hollis' "advice". He's basically telling Burke to not listen to adults or coaches that would try to convince him that staying in school would be in his best interest. Instead, follow his "heart"...what kid doesn't want to make a big salary / signing bonus and be done with going to classes? Pretty devious of a rival school's AD to stick his nose in this issue and make it seem as though he he's being helpful.
semperveritas
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 9:48 p.m.
not sure why mark hollis would be offering advice to athletes at A2. one would think he has athletes of his own to worry about.
michboy40
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 9:45 p.m.
What is it with kids leaving Michigan that are not even draft able?
heartbreakM
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 9:45 p.m.
Hollis actually tweeted nice and good advice, but it is curious. Are we sure that this is from him? Not usual for an AD to give advice to anyone publicly, especially Michigan from MSU.
Mike
Wed, Mar 28, 2012 : 9:38 p.m.
We need to recruit John Taylor PG from National Champion Mott Community College