Hoops Recruiting Has A Preference: The Bigs
As we await the impact of Juwan Howard on the 2022s taking official visits to Ann Arbor, this seems like an ideal time to run down my own personal board by position. In the final piece of the three part series, I run-down my Bigs board today. We covered Guards and Wings earlier this week.
Bigs
A) Jalen Duren
Measurements: 6'10/230
School/AAU: Montverde Academy (FL)/Team Final (Nike EYBL/Pennsylvania)
Why: No explanation needed.
Where Michigan Stands: Necessary caveat - Duren is not coming to Michigan. In April, I was first to report that Jalen was considering reclassifying to 2021 with Miami being the frontrunner and things appear to be trending that way. Rumors swirled last week that the reclass was a done deal before Team Final quickly shot it down. I'm not going to get into the credibility of the conflicting reports, but it doesn't take a genius to ascertain the legit options here. Duren just completed an official visit to Coral Gables, where his former HS/AAU coach is now on staff. On the other hand, the GLeague offer is expected to be seven figures. I'll end this section in the same manner that it began.........this isn't happening for Michigan.
B) Dereck Lively
Measurements: 7'0/215
School/AAU: Westtown HS (PA)/Team Final (Nike EYBL/Pennsylvania)
Why: NBA size + length. Game-changing defender at college level from the day he steps on the court. Rapidly developing skillset to compliment his elite finishing and rim protection. Highest long-term ceiling of the group. Yes, that includes Duren.
Where Michigan Stands: Trending away at the moment. Took OV to North Carolina last week, with Kentucky and Duke scheduled to get the same later this month. Mom is marketing director at Penn State, where he took an unofficial this week. Wants to visit Michigan in the fall for a football game. Doesn't intend to decide until fall or winter. This very much has the feel of Kentucky/Duke/UNC being the top three with Michigan and Penn State firmly in tier two. Getting him on campus is the priority.
[Hit THE JUMP for Clingan + Plan B]
C) Donovan Clingan
Measurements: 7'1/250
School/AAU: Bristol Central (CT)/Team Spartans (Independent/Connecticut)
Why: Most polished back-to-the-basket game as a scorer. Good passer. Hunter Dickinson clone is the plan. Limited athlete with some questions concerning defense and overall upside. Likely multi-year college player.
Where Michigan Stands: Just finished OV in Ann Arbor and gave standard fluff to Rivals. Michigan has been in a functional top two with UConn for months. But my newest intel suggests Clingan and his family are now more open to his other suitors in relation to where things previously stood. Will take visits to Syracuse + Ohio State to finish June and UConn in July. Don't like that UConn gets the last visit prior to the live periods. Still, the on-court fit here is simply too good to think Michigan won't be in it until the end.
D) Christ Essandoko
Measurements: 6'11/250
School/AAU: Winston-Salem Christian (NC)/Team Curry (Under Armour/North Carolina)
Why: Really tied for C with Clingan, but listed as D on this list on the basis that he hasn't been offered. Criminally undervalued by mainstreams. 4-star for me. Best passer/playmaker of the group. Can hit perimeter shots beyond the arch. Can handle the ball and make decisions in the open court. Above average back-to-the-basket scorer. Limited athlete with some questions concerning defense and overall upside. Trevion Williams plus an additional 3-4 inches is the projection here.
Where Michigan Stands: Michigan showing preliminary interest. Plan is to watch him during live evaluation periods in July if one of Lively/Clingan doesn't jump aboard first. Full blow-up mode on the recruiting trail with Ohio State, Illinois, Maryland, West Virginia, Pitt and Providence all extending offers in the last two weeks. Will take official visit to Maryland June 28th.
Is it a bad sign that Clingan and his family are now all of the sudden open to other suitors after their Michigan visit?
Just speculation on my part, but it could be more indicative of where things stand with UConn. Perhaps the Huskies aren't a shoe-in for top 2 on his moving list?
Hey now....this isn't football recruiting. :)
The way I took it was that there was a lot of talk that UConn and staying close to home were a big priority for them. Not that I have inside info like Matt, but I think a lot of the family talk is just about dispelling the notion that they're staying close to home. They have stated that getting to any of the schools on his list is relatively simple and are open to any of them.
If I were UConn I'd be a lot more worried, but I'm not moved by those statements from Michigan's point of view.
I still think I'd take Lively or Clingan tomorrow and probably both together. Christ is still a step down from that for me even though I like what I'm seeing/hearing about him. I'm wondering how good Juwan feels about the names on this list considering no other offers or names have come up yet. We will be desperate for a center and you'd think they would line up to play at Michigan....so to only have two semi-realistic names seems a little dicey.
Personally im only enthusiastic in regards to one of the realistic to land centers. And honestly, we probably do not have a realistic shot at him either.
But then again, we always have the transfer portal if both our centers leave next year, and Michigan whiffs on a stud this year.
I've tried to subtly convey over the last few weeks that the portal route is here to stay. It's no longer your father's CBB era. The days of "Growing a team organically" are probably over. CBB is definitely shifting toward a more NBA-like model. The CBB powers that be have come to the realization that the power dynamic is rapidly shifting toward player empowerment. The choice is simple, either get with the times or lose money.
Howard whiff on multiple 2022 stud bigs? Possible. But if so, imagine what could be walking in the door come 2023.
It may be more that at one point it was only UConn, and the Michigan visit opened his eyes to the possibility of other options
Possibly, but I think the most likely reason is simply that Clingan scheduled those other OVs. He doesn't want those schools to think that he isn't seriously considering them.
Jalen has been on the front page quite a bit for absolutely not coming to Michigan...or any college for that matter if seven figures is dangled infront of him.
Can we move on?
Its been said a million times already “Jalen Duran is not coming to Michigan”. If that’s truly the case, then let’s remove him and never mention him again…
Or…maybe MattEM has some juicy intel and is trying to throw off the scent. ?
I am guessing it's because despite Matt saying not happening, he still gets many people asking "anything new with Jalen Duran?"
This is Matt's list of the best players by position (in this case centers/bigs). It is not a list of who Michigan is recruiting hardest or who is most likely to pick Michigan. Even if it means listing players we have no shot at, I think it is pretty useful info. It give us a picture of the level of talent we are likely to get (or not get) and some insight on where we stand against other programs.
I love our b. ball team, but damn. A gazillion posts a day about b ball recruiting.
I can only speak for myself, but seeing as though we are coming off an Elite 8 + the #1 recruiting class in the country for 2021, it would seem that several recruiting updates per week are warranted considering we're in on several 5-star types.
You know things are going good when the majority of complaints are that Michigan may be getting mere top 50-75 level prospects rather than 3 McDAAs like we did in 2021.
Personally, I enjoy giving the MGO community realistic evals + inside recruiting info when we're clearly in what may end up being the apex for M hoops when we look back at Juwan Howard's tenure in a decade or so.
You're very polite for replying to this boob.
Thanks Matt, this is amazing, professional scouting/recruiting that makes this blog the elite blog it is.
Keep doing your thing, Matt. I think I and a lot of people agree that Michigan basketball, and specifically recruiting, is some of the more exciting Michigan sports content at the moment
Hey Catchafire--
I LOVE the updates --you should just not read them - what you want, some more A2 politics or some other topic that can be turned political--- I bet 98% of these readers enjoy exciting recruiting news -- especially with the big goose eggs we get from football... KEEP GOING MATT !!!
Matt - two other names I have heard for potential bigs would be Tarris Reed or Ernest Udeh. Any thoughts on them as options outside of the big three on this list?
I haven't seen Reed live, so I can't really give you an informed opinion on where he would sit on my Bigs board.
I've been on the Earnest Udeh train longer than anyone in the nation since I saw him last year in Florida at the Showtime Roundup. Great athlete with a college ready frame at 6'9 - 6'10 and an outstanding student in the classroom. Instant impact defender that will finish lobs + dumpoffs as a roll-man + putbacks. Would likely be in the same tier as Clingan/Essandoko.
is that enormous person on the front page an actual high school aged boy? lord.
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