With Hunter Dickinson back for his junior season, the need for a portal big in 2022-23 becomes much less pressing even though we still await the stay/go decision from Moussa Diabate. 

All that said, its difficult to imagine any situation where either of current Wolverine bigs are around for the 2023-2024 season. Assuming that to be true, 2022 signee Tarris Reed would be the only true scholarship center on the roster. Signing a big in 2023 is a priority, so let's take a look at the board coming off the second live evaluation period.

 

Papa Kante

Height/Weight: Listed at 6'10 and 225 pounds. Probably closer to a legit 6'8.5 - 6'9 and 215 - 220lbs.

High School/AAU: South Kent School (CT)/Nike EYBL New York Renaissance (NY)

Mainstream Ranking: 4-star/125 - 135 Overall

EM Ranking/Evaluation: Projects to have the impact of a 70 - 100 level prospect based on what I've viewed live so far. Superb defender with good agility and length that is switchable on the perimeter. Should be ready to contribute defensively from the day he steps foot on a college campus based on his defensive instincts in tandem with the size + movement. 

Offense is essentially limited to offensive putbacks and finishing dumpoffs created by guards at this stage of development. Displays some ability to face-up off the bounce with his South Kent HS team in addition to flashes of perimeter shotmaking, but that isn't the case on the EYBL circuit. 

Recruitment: As first reported by your author last week, Papa will take an official visit to Michigan on June 14th, along with 2023 wing offer Gavin Griffiths. Michigan is in very good position here, if not the outright leader. If the visit goes as well as I anticipate, a commitment may not be out of the question.

 

Zayden High

Height/Weight: Listed at 6'7-6'9/185-225. He's a legit 6'8-6'9 and 210 pounds at minimum.

High School/AAU: San Antonio Smithson Valley HS (TX)/Nike EYBL JL3 Elite (TX)

Mainstream Ranking: Now #37 overall to ESPN/#142 Composite (247)

EM Ranking/Evaluation: Projected impact resembles that of a top-50 prospect. Potent perimeter shotmaker off the catch or the bounce. Good playmaker/secondary shot-creator for a big with good ball-skills. Not a great athlete, so struggles to finish at the rim in traffic based on lack of lift/twitchiness. Does a good job of protecting the rim at this level, but probably more of a secondary rim protector at the college level based on his size/length/athleticism. Projects to be a good, multi-year college player that can play the PF or C spot based on matchup. 

Recruitment: The competition is heavy, as Zayden is in full blow-up mode. Since calling him my 2022 version of Kyle Filipowski a month ago, High has been offered by Michigan, Texas, Oklahoma, Notre Dame, Alabama, Texas Tech, Wake Forest, Creighton, TCU, Kansas State, Texas A&M and Colorado. North Carolina is now poking-around as well. This is a big-boy recruitment with a kid from Texas, so the odds probably aren't favorable. But it may not matter much with the way things are trending with Kante. 

 

Xavier Booker

Height/Weight: Listed at 6'10/205. That appears accurate.

High School/AAU: Indianapolis Cathedral HS (IN)/Independent George Hill All Indy

Mainstream Ranking: 4-star/35-100 range, with wide variation among services. 

EM Ranking/Evaluation: I was able to evaluate Booker over the weekend playing against one of the best AAU clubs in the country in Adidas Sponsored Midwest Basketball Club with Indiana commit Gabe Cupps, Kentucky commit Reed Sheppard and Cincinnati commit Rayvon Griffith. Booker is a the quintessential low-floor/high-ceiling prospect that can be difficult to project. The upside is absolutely there, as Xavier is a 6'10 big with length that can stretch the floor from distance, attack a closeout off the bounce, finish with authority and protect the rim.

The issue is that Booker is not yet a net-positive on a possessional basis. He was bullied off his spot in the paint repeatedly, resulting in multiple steals for the opposition. He didn't dominate the glass the way you would expect from the biggest guy on the court. He failed to get back on defense and that resulted in at least 3-4 transition layups that were attributable to his lack of effort in that regard. He stands around the perimeter a lot and doesn't do much to impact the game when he doesn't have the ball. There are definitely concerns about his motor + physicality. 

Xavier has shades of less-skilled Marcus Bingham at the same stage of development. Much like the former Spartan, Booker has a nice physical profile and perimeter shotmaking ability (though Marcus had a much better handle at the same stage), but it's difficult to see him making a positive impact in the B10 as a freshman based on the lack of energy and sheer strength.

Recruitmenont: The staff absolutely has Booker lower on the board in relation to Kante and most likely Zayden High. I agree with that assessment. In the portal era, where kids are bolting after a single season if playing time isn't to their liking, it's difficult to see Xavier playing heavy minutes as a freshman for a coach that absolutely prioritizes effort and physicality. Xavier has some pro-upside, but the path to reaching that ceiling may require some time and patience. 

Booker recently took an OV to Michigan State in addition to multiple visits to Indiana last season. Visits to Michigan and Notre Dame are in the works, though dates have yet to be confirmed, per a piece from Rivals yesterday. Papa Kante has the inside track to being the Wolverine big of 2023, but if things don't work out there, this will be one to watch.