justin edwards

Michigan has a bevy of wing-forwards in the stable, but recruiting never ceases in the portal era where programs have to functionally re-recruit their own players and deal with the possibility of mass attrition.

With several targets coming off the board in recent weeks, let's take a look at where things stand coming off the first live evaluation period of June.

 

Youssef Khayat (Class of 2022)

Height/Weight: FIBA lists him at 6'8. Couldn't find a weight that seems accurate/current. Eye test says 6'8 looks about right and somewhere in the 195 - 200 pound range.

Euro Club: Limoges CSP Under 21 (France)

Stats: 16.7pts, 7.5reb, 1,8ast on 43.6% FG and 35.2% from three during 33 games in 2021-22

Mainstream Ranking: N/A

EM Ranking/Evaluation: I have not viewed Khayat live and my evaluation is limited to film against foreign competition, so obviously this isn't the most informed opinion. That said, there's a lot to like here. The biggest appeal for me is the versatility in scoring package in tandem with his size. Youseff is an above-average shooter from distance, with very good mechanics at that size. It is a very projectable shot with no unnecessary motion and a high release point. It's very encouraging that the film displays him hitting triples on the move via relocations. The numbers aren't eye-popping, but connecting on 35.2% beyond the arc on nearly 5 attempts per game in 33 contests last season seems indicative of a floor-spacer.

But Khayat is more than just a shooter, he's adept at handling the ball and creating a bit for himself from the wing in isolations and coming off down-screens. He's not shifty by any means, but the handle is good enough for him to attack the rim in half-court scenarios. He flashes the ability to change direction once with a live dribble before getting downhill. Solid agility aids him in optimizing his ballhandling ability.

The mid-post is another area of the court where Youseff is comfortable. The combo of size/handle/shotmaking allows him to bully smaller defenders or use the the threat of his handle to create space for step-back jumpers. 

Love what I see in transition, as he pushes the ball with purpose in the open court and is generally looking to score for himself but also willing to advance the ball. He also excels running the wing and finishing plays created by teammates.

Doesn't appear to be much of a playmaker for others at this stage of development, but is capable of making basic reads once he collapses a defense off the dribble.

From an athletic perspective, Khayat appears to have good straight line speed and solid agility for his size/position. Not a twitchy leaper, but the typical run + jump type that needs space to manifest verticality.

Given my limited exposure to Youseff's game, I'm going to be conservative with an initial ranking range for obvious reasons. I'd project him as a top 50-80 level prospect on the record, for now. Off the record, I think he's probably closer to a top 30-60 level prospect, but competition level and age (he's already 19) make me a bit hesitant. 

Recruitment: Down to a final four of Michigan, Wake Forest, Xavier and DePaul with a decision expected very soon. I'm hearing Michigan is in a good spot here, but I'm hesitant to convey a high confidence level in the recruitment of a foreign player where the influential figures are unknown. 

 

TJ Power

Height/Weight: List heights are in the 6'8 - 6'10 range and 210 pounds. Definitely closer to 6'8 and 210 appears accurate.

High School/AAU: Worcester Academy (MA)/Nike EYBL BABC (MA)

Mainstream Ranking: 4-star/50 - 100 Overall

EM Ranking/Evaluation: I've evaluated TJ extensively over the last year, with no less than 5 live viewings. He projects to have the impact of a top 40 - 60 level prospect at the college level over the duration of his career. The versatility here is elite without question. His best skill facet is undoubtedly playmaking for others as you can see from my film above. Power is a superb passer at his size/position, often handling point-guard duties at the EYBL level. He has an above-average handle and can get by smaller defenders by utilizing superior strength in tandem with the ballhandling ability. The shot-creation for teammates is superb, but TJ is also a strong shooter. He's currently shooting 45.7% from three in EYBL play on 35 attempts. He also hits midrange pull-ups which provides further support for his shooting prowess. 35 attempts over 11 games isn't what I'd label as heavy volume, but given his position as a PF, he's definitely going to command respect as a popper and floorspacer. Power is also adept at scoring with his back-to-the-basket from the elbows and in the paint. The footwork/pivoting is good and it's really hard to double him given his vision/passing.

In a nutshell, you simply don't find many 6'8 HS prospects that can legitimately be an initiator in ballscreen action, run offense from the post, be the popper in PnP and space the floor from the corner. The limiting factor is athleticism. Power doesn't possess ideal agility and doesn't project to be a guy that can adequately defend perimeter players. To exacerbate the issue, TJ lacks the size/length/verticality to protect the rim or defend legit centers in the B10. 

Recruitment: With Gavin Griffiths committing to Rutgers and Justin Edwards/Andrej Stojakovic being longshots, the staff has now expanded the board to include Power. Don't be surprised if TJ is offered in the near future. Power has taken OVs to Iowa, Virginia, Indiana and Notre Dame. He's a high academic kid and the visit list supports that. Conventional wisdom in the industry was that a commitment to Virginia was inevitable at one point, but I'm not so sure about that after checking in on things. I'm told that while UVA is absolutely a serious option, TJ is intent on giving each respective suitor an objective look. Power still has a few visits remaining, and it will be interesting to see how things develop with the Wolverines. 

[After THE JUMP: Less Realistic Options]

Michigan has a bevy of wing-forwards in the stable, but recruiting never ceases in the portal era where programs have to functionally re-recruit their own players and deal with the possibility of mass attrition.

With several targets coming off the board in recent weeks, let's take a look at where things stand heading into the June live evaluation periods.

 

Andrej Stojakovic 

Height/Weight: List heights are in the 6'6 - 6'7 range with the weight between 165 - 190. Eye test says 6'6 and 190 sounds about right. 

High School/AAU: Jesuit HS (CA)/Adidas 3SSB Compton Magic (CA)

Mainstream Ranking: 4-star/20 - 65 Overall

EM Ranking/Evaluation: I have yet to see Stojakovic live, but he looks to have the projected impact of a top-30 level prospect that can provide some real offensive punch as a freshman. The diversity in his scoring package is absolutely elite. A true three-level scorer, Andrej hits pull-ups from distance and midrange with consistency. He's just as potent in an off-ball role, easily hitting jumpers off movement via down-screens. Throw in a face-up + post game that can hurt smaller guards and you have a real bucket-getter. The handle isn't elite by any means, but it is solid for a wing. He can change direction/speed with a live dribble and can beat ball-pressure and get to the rim. The thing holding him back from 5-star status is the athleticism. Stojakovic isn't stiff, but also doesn't possess ideal agility/range of motion that projects well on the defensive end of the court. Still, I like Andrej a lot as versatile scorer that can potentially play the 2-4 spots and be compatible with any lineup combination. 

Recruitment: Michigan extended an offer yesterday. Has visited Stanford and is currently on campus at UCLA. Says UConn, Virginia and Texas will get OVs, with Indiana, Kansas and Kentucky also involved. Obviously too early to ascertain where Michigan stands here, but hopefully Juwan Howard's NBA connections are viewed favorably to Andrej's father, former Sacramento Kings great Peja Stojakovic. Would absolutely love to have him.

 

Justin Edwards

Height/Weight: List heights are in the 6'6 - 6'7 range with the weight between 165 - 190. Having seen Edwards in person multiple time, I'd say 6'6 + 180.

High School/AAU: Imhotep Institute (PA)/Nike EYBL Team Final (PA)

Mainstream Ranking: 5-star/Top-15 Overall

EM Ranking/Evaluation: Projects to have the impact of a 5-star, but maybe not the Paolo Banchero, Chet Holmgren, Jabari Smith variety where we're talking All-Conference level stuff. Think a tier below, where the productivity in year one looks something like 10-12 points per game with 4-5 rebounds. Every time I've watched Edwards live, the comparison that immediately comes to mind is former Duke standout Rodney Hood. Good positional size/length with a good pull-up game and overall shooting prowess while needing to add 15-20 pounds of muscle mass. Justin isn't the shiftiest prospect you'll see, but his handle is solid enough to create space in tandem with his combo of size/length/athleticism. Projects to be an above-average defender at the point of attack while being somewhat disruptive in passing lanes. May get bullied occasionally with the lack of sheer weight though. Edwards is a no-brainer one-and-done kid, as he checks the positional size/length/athleticism boxes that NBA GMS covet while being a good perimeter shooter. He won't come close to reaching his full potential at the college level. 

Recruitment: Received a Michigan offer over the weekend. Previously released a top-7 in late April consisting of Kentucky, Auburn, Tennessee, Kansas, Villanova, Maryland and the G-League. Has visited Kentucky and Tennessee, the two programs seemingly ahead of the pack. Auburn seems to be emerging recently after Edwards confirmed his recruitment was down to Kentucky and Tennessee last week. I probably don't need to spell it out for you here. When Kentucky, Auburn and Tennessee are primary contenders, Michigan is likely an afterthought. 

 

Happy Trails

As expected, 4-star wing Gavin Griffiths committed to Rutgers after he was blown away on his OV and never made it to Ann Arbor for a scheduled visit on June 14th. 

Fast-rising wing Mayar Wol made a surprise commitment to Charleston over the weekend (surprising to the public, anyway). The real story to this is Wol's former AAU coach at Adidas Team Loaded NC, Thomas Carr, was hired by Charleston in late May and the rest is history. That's a monster pick-up for the Cougars, as Mayar has some serious upside. I wouldn't be surprised if Carr lands an assistant coaching job with a high-major program next year and Mayar just happens to come along. I've conveyed that relationships are much more important than on-court criteria in the world of recruiting and this certainly backs that up. 

Top-10 overall prospect Matas Buzelis left Michigan off of his final five in favor of Kentucky, North Carolina, Florida State, Wake Forest and the G-League. This was always a long shot, but the staff felt they had some traction recently.