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Michael Gbinije Brings Experience, Versatility as Syracuse's Do-It-All Guard

Seth Goldberg (@sethgoldberg17)
WAER's Seth Goldberg explains

If you ask Michael Gbinije to describe himself, he'd tell you he's a guard from Richmond, Va. But to the Orange, he's much more than that.

Gbinije is averaging 15.0 points over the past four games, and shoulders a lot of the team's ball handling responsibilities. He's also second on the team in assists per game, fourth in steals and tied for fourth in total rebounds.  

All while playing three positions.

"He was important last year, but he's crucial this year," Jim Boeheim said.  "We need Mike to step up and we need him to play as a star. I explained to him he's a little bit in the same position as Dion Waiters was in. He's coming off the bench, but he has to be as productive, or more productive, as the starters and he has to do it playing two or three positions."

Two years ago, Gbinije became Syracuse's first transfer since Wes Johnson in 2009.  Boeheim hasn't added many transfers during his tenure, but this one was a little different. Gbinije stands at 6-foot-7 inches, with the ability to handle the ball like a point guard while also being able to play off the ball.

Even so, Gbinije’s father, Frank, says Michael didn’t even seriously consider basketball until he was in his teens.  It was around the age of 12 or 13 that basketball became a real possibility. 

"He's started growing and he started realizing that he could play basketball," Frank Gbinije said.  "He actually picked up the game a little bit later."

The elder Gbinije even said they thought Michael would have played a different sport.

"He's favorite sport all along was football," he said.  "Growing up, he would play football as a receiver or as a back."

But, Michael chose basketball. He was a highly sought after recruit out of Benedictine College Prep in Virginia. Gbinije ranked 28th in his class by ESPN and received scholarship offers as early as his freshman year in high school.

Eventually, he decided to head to Duke. But things never quite worked out.

"The situation just wasn't the right fit for him, professionally," his father said.  "I think his personality didn't quite fit in and the opportunity just wasn't there for him to develop. Just watching him at Duke, he didn't seem very comfortable."

During his one season in Durham, Gbinije played in 19 games, getting about six minutes per game.  He scored just 33 points all season. He decided to leave at the end of the year, and Syracuse was up at the top of his list.

"When Syracuse eventually called and they expressed interest, it was a place that he had in mind that he would love to go," Frank Gbinije said.  "If he hadn't gone to Duke, he would have probably gone to Syracuse."

Gbinije takes a three in a pregame shootaround in MSG with Trevor Cooney and Ron Patterson.

Now playing for Jim Boeheim at Syracuse, Gbinije has the distinction of playing for the two winningest coaches in college basketball history. He says there are several similarities between Boeheim and Duke's Mike Krzyzewski.

"First off, they're both very great coaches," Gbinije said.  "Honestly, I guess the biggest difference is the man vs. zone, to be honest. They both are very prepared going into the games."

After sitting out two years ago, Gbinije began to make an impact on the team last season.  But Boeheim expects more out of him this year.

"I think we asked him to do something last year that nobody could do realistically, to play the 1, 2 and the 3," Boeheim said.  "I think that was unrealistic, but we had to ask him to do that and I think he did. But I think this year, he's much more prepared to be able to play either of those positions."

The transfer, and the work, payed off for Gbinije, who averages nearly ten points per game. But the biggest payoff came earlier in the year against St. John's, when he earned his first career start.

Gbinije has scored at least 10 points in four of his six starts, compared to just two games in double figures in six games off the bench.  He even set a career high with 24 points in Syracuse's win over Long Beach State on Dec. 28.

"I'm just taking a different approach," Gbinije said after the win. 

Added Gbinije, "I'm just trying to stay aggressive, look for opportunities and get in the paint."