During the last two recruiting cycles, Juwan Howard's affinity for wing type prospects is becoming increasingly clear. He covets a certain type of player that generally goes 6'6+, has plus athleticism and a physically developed frame. That profile has bore out in terms of 2022 offers, with the Wolverines offering six prospects that fit the aforementioned criteria. 

Michigan will take a maximum of two wing/forward types, and the commitment race will heat up over the next two months with on-campus visits now in full swing. The latest below.

 

AJ Casey

I was in Chicago last weekend for the Ridgewood Shootout to check out 4-star wing Andre Casey. Prior to taking in Casey's first game I had a nice chat with an MVC coach and when AJ's name came up the response was "I don't think he's a high-major player". The coach was serious so I didn't laugh, but I've seen enough of AJ to form my own evaluation. Still, it was something I noted. 

In watching Casey's first game, his playmaking for others immediately popped-out to me. He was making nice reads off the bounce after collapsing the defense and had multiple kickouts from the post as you can see from my clip above. I had yet to see this level of passing from AJ in my previous viewings so this was a pleasant surprise. The competition level wasn't great, but it was still noteworthy.

Prior to AJ's second game I had a conversation with a notable HC from the B10 + his assistant. The assistant asked for my thoughts on Casey and after providing my evaluation the HC chimed in with "I don't know whether he's a high-major kid, let alone top 25. He doesn't have a competitive bone in his body." I was sort of taken back given who the coach is and how serious he was with his assessment. You may recall my sentiment yesterday that this is the time of year where actions mean a lot more than words. Midway through AJ's second game (it was competitive against a solid team), the referenced HC left court 3 to watch another prospect on court 2. Again, this was definitely surprising. 

More of the same from Casey in game two with good playmaking/passing, but this time he was a bit more active defensively, finished well after attacking closeouts and also hit a triple from the top of the key after coming off a screen. 

I've seen AJ in both AAU and HS settings this Spring and have a good feel for him with my evaluation. He's a good athlete (not elite) with some workable skills that project well long term in tandem with his positional size/athleticism and passing. His handle is a bit high/loose, but he's flashing the ability to change direction with a live dribble to the extent you can project it to be something he uses in college with a few years of development. Same thing with his jumpshot. He's not hitting triples with consistency right now, but his mechanics suggest it will be something he does at an adequate level with some development. As the B10 coach suggested, the motor needs to improve. Casey should be more productive given his positional size/athleticism/skill. 

Overall, AJ is probably a bit overrated as a top-25 level prospect by the mainstreams. His floor is too low to justify that lofty ranking and the offer list corresponds more with a top-50 type in relation to someone like Cam Whitmore (ton of offers at similar level but also has UNC, Villanova and Louisville pushing hard right now). Casey has a functional top five of Michigan, Ohio State, Illinois, Gonzaga and Marquette. Strong list without question, but not necessarily that of a borderline 5-star. 

Still, I like Casey in the long term. He has the positional size/length and projectable skill to be an impact player on both ends with some development. Make no mistake though, he is absolutely a multi-year college player rather than a potential one-and-done.

I spoke with AJ with regard to his recruitment and he still intends on taking an OV to Ann Arbor, although he has yet to lock in a date. He's looking at dates during the first and last weeks of July or August. Juwan Howard is definitely the big appeal for Casey and family with his Chicago connections. Michigan is definitely in a functional top five here.

[Hit THE JUMP for the latest on Smith and Rodgers plus a new target]

Making the Cut

10. pic.twitter.com/jCDUsPVFmH

— Colin (@Colin_Smith31) June 26, 2021

4-star Colin Smith has the Wolverines in his final ten next to some very beatable competition. And while that list may reflect where things stand now, I think this recruitment is a bit more fluid than that. You may recall Smith recently transferred to Arizona Compass Prep and I'd expect this to take on more of a West Coast flavor before all is said and done. 

In speaking with Smith often, he's in no rush with his process and that may lend support to my theory that he's probably still in the early stages of his recruitment and may be open to additional suitors. He recently told 247 that he's not taking any more visits until at least August, so that appears to line up with my take.

I like Smith as a utility wing that does mostly everything at an above-average level that sticks around for at least 3 years. There is legit mutual interest, but with his sister at Stanford along with former teammate Harrison Ingram and the move out West, I don't necessarily think Michigan will win out in the end. 

 

In-State Shift?

I was in Rockford, Illinois last weekend for the live evaluation period and Michigan assistant coach Howard Eisley was present to watch top-100 forward Ty Rodgers. Due to unexpected losses, the competition level wasn't all that great so nothing of note in terms of evaluation. Essentially a physical + athletic face-up forward that will be a plus defender while scoring in transition.

After being an afterthought for much of his recruitment, Michigan State seems to be picking up some steam for Rodgers. He took an unofficial visit to East Lansing last week and mentioned the Spartans and UConn as schools pushing hard to Rivals, while failing to reference Michigan. 

I can tell you that Michigan felt really good about their standing with Ty in the aftermath of his OV to Ann Arbor. Some thought a commitment might be a possibility. But roughly a month later, it appears that Rodgers is more open than widely believed, with Tom Izzo making a push. Personally, I think Ty fits Michigan State's playstyle very well, so I can see the appeal there. 

 

New Name

I can confirm the staff has been in touch with 4-star wing Tyrell Ward from DeMatha Catholic (MD). Michigan has serious ties here as Hunter Dickinson attended DeMatha and Phil Martelli is heavily connected in the DMV area.

I'd slot Ward in the middle of my Wings board just above Colin Smith for what its worth. He's a rangy athlete with solid ball-skills and perimeter shotmaking ability. Projects well as a defender that scores in transition while being a third-fourth option in half-court sets.

That said, we're at the time of year where actions mean a lot more than words. Until an offer is extended or a visit occurs, this isn't very serious. Xavier, Virginia Tech and Maryland are the serious players here.