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Matt EM January 8th, 2020 at 2:28 PM

Michigan brought in 2020 with a bang, adding 4-star forward Terrance Williams to what is shaping up to the be the best recruiting class since 2013. Working on the likely assumption that a maximum of 2 scholarships remain, the staff is aiming high to round out this class. Let’s see where things stand.

Jace Howard to Announce January 20th

The son of lead man Juwan, the 3-star forward confirmed with Rivals’ Chris Balas that he intends to make his decision public via social media in roughly two weeks. I’m going to spare you the drama; it would be quite the shock if Jace doesn’t end up choosing Michigan. The only question seems to be whether he’ll occupy a scholarship or come in as a walk-on. Brian touched on this subject in Basketball Bullets and there’s no reason to believe that a walk-on option is not available despite Jace taking an OV to Ann Arbor in September.

I’m inclined to believe Poppa Howard will do his baby boy a solid and give him a full-ride and Jace himself says its likely to be a scholarship situation in a piece with MLive:

"To tell you the truth, all I've heard is scholarship," Jace said. "From what I've been told I would be a scholarship player."

But the walk-on option is an extremely nice luxury to have when the possibility of adding the following two gentlemen presents itself.

Josh Christopher Trending Blue?

Last week I received intel that 5-star guard Josh Christopher was likely to stay on the West Coast, with UCLA being the presumed favorite.

New information seems to indicate that Michigan is making a major move with the SoCal prospect. Rivals’ Corey Evans placed a Future Forecast for Christopher to Michigan last Friday and doubled-down with this statement yesterday:

“However, I'm betting that Josh Christopher, a five-star guard from California, chooses Michigan.”

Adding to the smoke, the folks at 247’s Bruin Report Online are reporting he ends up with the good guys:

“A few sources have indicated recently, however, that Christopher now is just about certain to be going to Michigan.”

As an inherent skeptic, I’m withholding optimism, but Michigan seems to be more of player than originally thought at minimum.

[Hit THE JUMP for ridiculous jumps.]

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Greg Brown Schedules Official Visit

Brown will be in Ann Arbor for the weekend of February 7th, where the Wolverines will have a shot at revenge on Michigan State in what is sure to be an electric environment.

With a list that includes Memphis, Kentucky and Texas, one questions where Michigan truly sits.

Brown’s father is adamant that Michigan is a serious player here in an interview with UMHoops:

“If we weren’t serious about going, if we weren’t serious about a place, I’m not wasting my time. My time is precious. And I have two young kids and a wife; you know what I’m saying?”

From what I’m told Michigan is indeed a long shot here, but if you can get a kid on campus then anything is possible.

Whether this has any bearing on the Isaiah Todd situation remains a mystery, but if Shawn Kemp 2020 wants to suit up for a year in Ann Arbor that is something you tend to make happen.

Shifting to 2021

Pierre Brooks II is the first in-state junior to be offered by Juwan Howard. Brooks is in the Terrance Williams mode of versatile, bulky combo-forwards that can score from anywhere on the court. As someone that has viewed Brooks live more than just about anyone, he’s essentially a Terrance Williams clone with more ball-skills and athleticism.

Here’s some film I put together of Brooks at the Nike Elite 100 in June.

In the aforementioned UMHoops piece, it appears 5 star guard Jaden Hardy may be on campus with Brown for the showdown with Michigan State.

Originally from Detroit, Jaden is now in Las Vegas at Coronado HS. Originally a 2020, there has been talk of Hardy reclassing back to 2020. If that happens, I assume he’ll stay on the West Coast as his brother Amauri is currently a guard on the UNLV team. If 2021 is in play, then I think Michigan may have a shot here.

Michigan also offered top 50 shooting guard Trevor Keels, an AAU teammate of Hunter Dickinson and Williams. Duke, which got his high school teammate, offered at about the same time. He's got a long way to go in his recruitment. 

Comments

poppinfresh

January 8th, 2020 at 2:45 PM ^

thanks as always for this matt!

i assume, like many, that brown is a todd insurance plan... though im sure michigan would be happy to take both, which seems like solid recruiting strategy

 

Joined: 12/06/2014

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Wolverheel

January 8th, 2020 at 4:41 PM ^

This isn’t true at all. Evan Daniels is the only national reporter on the site who is a consistent “this is almost surely happening” guy. Jerry Meyer very much just puts in CB’s off of other guys’ intel in a lot of recruitments.

For reference, Evan Daniels has a 98.6% success rate for 2020 and 94% all time. Jerry Meyer is at 91.5% for 2020 and 75.5% all time.

Joined: 03/30/2013

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NotADuck

January 9th, 2020 at 9:54 AM ^

While I get where you're coming from 75.5 percent means 3 out of every 4 predictions he makes end up being correct.  Also he is the Director of Basketball Scouting for the entire 24/7 website.  That alone carries a lot of weight.

Would Evan Daniels picking Michigan make me feel better about their chances?  Yes.  Do I take any of them seriously until the kid is enrolled and on campus?  No.  When it comes to recruiting I am forever a pessimist.

Joined: 12/20/2013

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Gucci Mane

January 8th, 2020 at 5:52 PM ^

Exactly right outsidethebox. Elite 5 stars want to play with other 5 stars. Todd coming to uofm increases chances with Brown and others. And they are that good. Brown and Christopher could join Todd and they would all play a lot. Even with other great players in this class, and plenty of returning talent. 
If all these guys commit a national title is a very realistic possibility next season. 

Joined: 02/10/2014

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Jordan2323

January 8th, 2020 at 2:49 PM ^

Other than Corey Evans, nobody else on rivals or 247 is placing any crystal balls on Cristopher to Michigan.

I choose to remain skeptical as of now. Michigan will have a really good class with Zeb, Williams, Dickinson and Jace, with the possibility of it being excellent if Todd and Christopher do sign with Michigan.

To me, it's exciting just to have this level of recruits visit and be genuinely interested. There's a long time until April. 

Joined: 11/09/2013

MGoPoints: 48909

Trader Jack

January 8th, 2020 at 2:57 PM ^

Thanks for the info, Matt. As far as Jace Howard goes, I'm assuming if Juwan weren't the HC he wouldn't have a Michigan offer. With that being said, how big of a reach is giving him a scholarship, in your opinion? Is he a guy who could contribute as an upperclassmen? 

My other question is about the makeup of the projected 2020 class. Do Todd, Williams, and Howard seem a bit redundant to you? I know there's some positional versatility there (and it's not like Todd is going to be around for more than a year anyway) but that's also three guys whose best position is probably the 4 in college, no?

Joined: 04/27/2010

MGoPoints: 10620

Matt EM

January 8th, 2020 at 3:14 PM ^

I think we have to change our Beileinian mindset (if that's a word) in that perimeter shooting is the the facet of basketball that trumps everything. 

Coach Howard's philosophy is more closely aligned with a 'we're going to out-athlete/out-talent' you approach that suggests layups/dunks will be prioritized over threes. 

With that in mind, you can see the object is to push tempo and let individual athletes beat 1 on 1 matchups in space. Coach Beilien's philosophy was let his players beat you, provided it was within his system. Coach Howard's approach is probably closer to 'my players are going to beat you because they're better than you'

Joined: 11/08/2008

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Jibbroni

January 8th, 2020 at 11:29 PM ^

Sorry Matt, that’s the lazy approach.  I see Juwan combining the two ideologies.  In a time where “out athleting” has shown to have dis-advantages, Juwan seems to have realized that basketball now a days is a hybrid of styles that prospers from having players with multiple skill sets. The athletes(Zion) are cool, but you still need fundamentals. 

Joined: 01/05/2015

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Matt EM

January 8th, 2020 at 3:30 PM ^

I'll drop this here - just received information that makes me a bit more optimistic on the Josh Christopher front. Could be down to Michigan/ASU. 

Joined: 11/08/2008

MGoPoints: 13822

outsidethebox

January 8th, 2020 at 4:28 PM ^

And this is where there is "momentum" in recruiting-on the kids' side. Good news for Michigan here likely also means more good news for Michigan with Mr. Brown. These kids communicate with each other and are interested in building  a super team together. This is how the rich get richer.

Joined: 01/23/2017

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trueblueintexas

January 8th, 2020 at 5:44 PM ^

Hey Matt, as a Michigan fan who has known about Juwan since his high school days, I could easily explain why I think he resonates with recruits so well and why he could be successful being a clean recruiter in a very dirty world. I could also point out the history and makeup of the coaches on his staff which leans more towards clean recruiting. The outside perspective has to assume Michigan is suddenly offering tons of cash to get this class to come together like it appears to be doing. 

As some one who has been willing to acknowledge (silent $) other programs, what is your take on Howard's success in recruiting.

Joined: 11/10/2008

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L'Carpetron Do…

January 8th, 2020 at 5:03 PM ^

Why wouldn't he just come on as a non-scholarship player? Juwan must have millions of dollars from the NBA and certainly has a healthy salary from UM and can afford tuition. I assume his son could get in-state tuition as well. Plus, it would allow M to offer to others.

I get that its a feather in a player's cap to be offered a scholarship but in cases like these, not taking the scholarship helps the team (and your old man). 

I remember years ago UCLA offered P. Diddy's son a football scholarship and they got very defensive when others were critical of that (he ultimately quit football anyway). But I remember thinking: your father has hundreds of millions of dollars, pay full tuition. Give the scholarship to another kid on the team whose father is not a rap label mogul. (I'm not comparing Juwan to Diddy - Juwan is a billion times better but the situation is similar - one kid is blessed and tuition to his family is basically nothing).

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Gucci Mane

January 8th, 2020 at 5:56 PM ^

It’s not the same. If uofm gets commitments from all their realistic targets, Jace walking on could help the team immensely. Even if he just stays off scholarship for 1 season or maybe even less, the moment someone transfers for not getting playing time. 

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Gucci Mane

January 9th, 2020 at 3:53 AM ^

It’s because in this case Jace would be the lowest rated kid in the class. And because Juwan’s livelihood is winning games, something that is directly helped with an extra scholarship. Honestly it would be really cool to see a 5* walk on. Juwans higher rated younger son would be a legend to walk on after having a ton of great offers. If dad is paying for everything...why not ?

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LDNfan

January 9th, 2020 at 7:43 AM ^

Juwan will figure this out...as you say its HIS career that depends on decisions like this. 

He's not going to deliberately sabotage his roster so No way he's turning away a 5 star talent so his kid can be on scholarship. 

Now  it might it affect someone else on the team. But the trade off in that case may not be clear for a few years. 

Joined: 09/28/2014

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AC1997

January 8th, 2020 at 8:57 PM ^

Matt - 

I'm not going to ask the scholarship question as I know there are plenty of moving pieces.  But what I will ask is about roster composition.  I know you need to over-recruit in basketball given the unpredictable attrition and I know Howard is swinging for the fences right now on everyone. 

But how concerned are you at the vast number of PF/C types that are being recruited?  Todd, Williams, Dickenson, Brown, and Brooks all play the 4/5 spots and Michigan will still have Johns and Castleton on the roster for two more years.  Is this a case of just recruiting them all figuring that you're unlikely to get more than 2-3 and you'll take whoever wants to come?  I'm more concerned that without Christopher (which is sounding better every day) we're lacking in any playmaking or other recruits on the horizon to get the ball to these big guys.  

Thoughts?

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