Oct. 11, 2009

By Brad Rudner, U-M Athletic Media Relations

Michigan fans let out a big sigh of relief last April when senior forward DeShawn Sims and junior swingman Manny Harris decided to return to school instead of taking their games to the next level.

Last year, The "Motor City Duo" combined to account for 48 percent of Michigan's total scoring output and 44 percent of its rebounding. After great seasons, both Harris and Sims flirted with the possibility of jumping early to the NBA.

Head coach John Beilein gave the tandem as much information as he possibly could about a future in the NBA, but in the end, both Harris and Sims realized that they simply were not ready for it.

Not yet, anyway.

"I always knew I was going to come back," Harris said. "The NBA will always be there and it's going to take a lot of work, but we've got goals for this team and I knew if I stayed and pushed myself, we could accomplish them."

"I love everything about Michigan as a whole," he continued. "Our team has a chance to do something special this season and I want to be a part of that. That is why I came here."

Sims is confident that he will grow as a player by returning for his senior season. He also has something to prove, especially to the naysayers who think he cannot make it in the NBA. Many say he is "undersized".

Opponents are warned. At 6-foot-8 and 240 pounds, Sims is far from puny. And he is eager to prove it.

"I want to make people believers," Sims said. "I have seen a lot of guys play at the next level that were said to be 'undersized' and they are successful. I want to show everyone a work ethic that they have not seen yet. You are going to see me more determined every day."

Sims said he grew more physically and mentally this offseason than in any other summer in his basketball playing career. He feels he is taken his game to a whole new level and is playing "10 times better" than last season.

Off the floor, Harris and Sims are nearly inseparable. When asked what their relationship is like with the other, both of them replied, "Like a brother."

"We depend on each other for almost everything," Sims said. "When we're out on the floor, it's nice to know that I have someone to depend on, to know that I always do not have to be the guy. There will always be someone on the other side that can score, whether that is Manny or any of our other guys."

Harris and Sims are also being asked to take a bigger leadership position. Last season, the leadership duties fell upon the shoulders of C.J. Lee and David Merritt, but both have since graduated.

Now, both Harris and Sims consider themselves leaders, which is music to Beilein's ears. But while their play did most of the talking last season, the duo has taken a much more vocal approach this year, hoping to fill the large void that Lee and Merritt left behind.

"They led by example last year by how hard they played, but they have to continue to do more," Beilein said. "It will be interesting to see how it takes shape, but I have no doubt they will be able to be the leaders we need them to be."

Zack Novak also needs to be included in the leadership conversation. During mid-week workouts, the second-year sophomore can be always be heard pushing his teammates, drawing rave reviews from Beilein.

"When the baton needs to be passed, it'll be passed right to Zack Novak," Beilein said. "He is got leadership qualities written all over him. He certainly embraces that role more than anybody."

One aspect the Wolverines have been working on this offseason as a team is to improve communication lines. Harris said the offseason workouts helped to bring the team closer together and solidify relationships to an already tight-knit group.

"We all have to listen to each other," Harris said. "So far, I think we are doing a good job of that. And we all want to do the same thing, win."

The Wolverines certainly did a lot of that last year, winning 22 games (11 more than the year before), and reaching the NCAA Tournament for the first time in over a decade. After last season's success, many preseason media outlets are placing Michigan among the top teams in the country.

Almost every publication had Michigan ranked somewhere in its Top 20. Lindy's Magazine even went as far as to call the Wolverines a top-10 team (ninth), before the season even tipped off.

Despite the preseason recognition, redshirt sophomore guard Laval Lucas-Perry knows that none of that matters.

"We have not accomplished anything. We're back to 0-0 like everyone else," Lucas-Perry said. "We are going in like we have got something to prove again because there are a lot of teams out there looking to do the same thing. We are looking at this season as a fresh start."

In order to replicate last season's results, Sims believes Michigan needs to outwork everyone else.

"We are just a bunch of kids who pride themselves on working hard every day," Sims said. "We do not look ahead to rankings or outcomes. We look forward to playing hard and executing coach's system. With that said, we like to win, but we do not have a mindset that allows us to think about anything but working hard."

This is Sims' last go-around and he knows it. All that remains is one season to leave his mark on the University of Michigan forever.

"I want to be remembered as the player who helped turn this program around," Sims said. "I want to be the Renaissance man for the whole situation."