youseff khayat

After a week of "moral victories" absent actual victories in the non-conference, the Michigan men's basketball team kicked off B1G play tonight in Minneapolis with a resounding victory over the Minnesota Golden Gophers, 90-75 in a game that was not even as close as the admittedly not-close score appears. Michigan pulled ahead in the opening minutes, taking a 13-6 lead by the first media timeout, and never looked back. The 15-9 lead they held with 14:27 remaining in the first half would be the closest the game would get the rest of the way as Kobe Bufkin, Dug McDaniel, and Hunter Dickinson powered the Maize & Blue to a much-needed win. 

Michigan got it going early thanks to their shooting from beyond the arc, opening the game 5/5 from three. The triumvirate mentioned in the preceding paragraph were responsible for Michigan's first three triples, coming off inside-out passing. That got Michigan's offense hot to begin and it continued thereafter, with shots falling from all over the floor, while the defensive effort was solid. After the score got to 15-9, Michigan embarked on a 9-0 run fueled by two threes from Jett Howard, and it just kept going. 

Midway through the first half, Juwan Howard dug deeper into his bench, a necessity now that Jaelin Llewellyn is done for the season. He ran with a lineup of Kobe Bufkin, Joey Baker, Jace Howard, Will Tschetter, and Tarris Reed, and that unusual concoction of players did nothing to stop the Wolverine roll. Jamison Battle's layup ended the 9-0 run but Michigan tacked six more points on to jack the lead up to 30-11. The last two buckets in that stretch came off Minnesota turnovers forced by an aggressive Michigan defense, finished in transition first by Bufkin and then impressively by Reed, absorbing contact and drawing a foul (he predictably bricked the free throw). 

[Campredon]

Howard brought the starters back in and the impressive shotmaking picked up where it left off, with Terrance Williams II and Kobe Bufkin hitting stepback and fadeaway jumpers. You just knew it was that kind of night. The defense remained stifling and Michigan's lead stretched to a cartoonish 37-13 edge at the under-eight media timeout of the first half. Youssef Khayat got some actions in the ensuing minutes, connecting on a three, but Minnesota then stitched together an 11-0 run to cut it to 40-28, the first time in awhile that it felt close. 

The Wolverines turned to an unlikely hero to stem the tide, Dug McDaniel on a pull-up three. It was his second of the night to go down and the dry spell was over. Bufkin's disruptive defense forced another turnover leading to a Jett Howard layup and Michigan had wrestled control back. They'd go into the break sporting a comfortable 47-31 edge. 

It wasn't over at halftime, but Michigan was clearly in control and it seemed like the first few minutes would be telling on whether the latter 20 minutes would be a real game or continue to be a stress-free affair. That intuition was correct and those opening four minutes indicated the second option, as the shots kept on going down for the visitors. McDaniel made his third three, then Bufkin converted on a layup, and McDaniel copied, with the two guards asserting themselves in what would be a signature night for both. Michigan's lead was up to 21, 54-33, and the game would turn into a back-and-forth affair over the next five or so minutes. Every bucket was answered by the other team in return and the lead never deviated much from 21. 

[AFTER THE JUMP: More recap]

The Wolverines secured the fifth pledge in the 2022 class today with Youseff Khayat making his commitment to Michigan. 

GURU RANKINGS

With no other rankings to speak of, your author is the sole guru here, though that term has a very loose definition in the context of this matter. If there was ever a time to take my analysis with a grain of salt, please feel free to do just that here.

Obvious caveats that I have not viewed Khayat live and only have limited film to evaluate, but I'd conservatively project him to have the impact of a prospect in the 50-80 range. 

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. Eurohoops reports a 6'10 wingspan. 

SCOUTING

The biggest appeal for me is the versatility in scoring package in tandem with his size. On film, Khayat displays the ability to score as an off-ball floorspacer, a guy that can create his own shot against slower defenders with straight line drives, while being a mismatch against smaller defenders from the mid-post area and a superb transition scorer.

Let's start with the perimeter shooting. Youssef 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, DHOs and the occasional pull-up. 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.

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. Probably needs to add ten pounds of muscle mass and get stronger to withstand the physicality of the B10. 

Eurohoops' evaluation from December 2021 echoes my praise of the agility and think that in tandem with his motor projects well defensively:

"Let’s start with his athletic profile: Khayat is a 6’8 forward with a +2 wingspan. He possesses good fluidity and coordination which allow him to move well around the court and get to his spots. He’s not extremely vertical but he’s quick and explosive to get up. As a matter of fact, it’s not rare to see him dunk with authority when finishing. Offensively, Youssef can’t be considered a shot creator at this point. Instead, he scores the majority of his points by running hard in the open court and cutting with great intensity and timing. He displays constant motion off the ball and good reads when taking advantage of defensive mistakes. He also showcased an improved and refined finishing package in the paint, flashing a promising floater. Moreover, Khayat has tremendous defensive upside thanks to his motor, willingness to sit in a stance, lateral movements and instincts. He projects as someone who could potentially guard both forwards positions at the high major D-1 level and switch onto guards out on the perimeter. He’s not afraid of diving for loose balls and regularly makes winning plays."

Envergure likes his perimeter shotmaking ability coupled with the size, while saying shot-creation is an area for development:

"His main quality remains shooting, and even if his game is rather complete, he can already have a specialist role. His imposing physique also allows him a real hardness on the wings, which few players had this year in Espoirs. Very few have actually been able to put him in physical difficulty. Evolving most of the time away from the leather, he is able to go to the basket to finish in the circle, and this despite a dribble which remains one of the major areas for improvement. On a placed game, this dribble should allow him to navigate better, but in transition, he can already be impressive with the ball in hand and often appears difficult to defend once launched. We are waiting to see his progress next year, whether on the professional level in Europe or why not across the Atlantic, in the NCAA for example."

[After THE JUMP: stats, film and projection]

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]