The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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SEPTEMBER 2021 THE WOLVERINE 59 BASKETBALL RECRUITING and the Wolverines will have a chance to impress him. Howard and his staff watched him closely during the July live period, which included adidas' 3SSB event in Alabama, where he was considered perhaps the most impres- sive prospect in attendance. "It's extremely rare for a prospect to start the travel season not in the Rivals150 and finish it with five stars next to his name, but that's likely go- ing to be the case with Yohan Traore in the next update," Rivals analyst Dan McDonald said. "[He] came over from France during the high school season and never really made a huge impact on a loaded Prolific Prep team last season. But following a strong few months with Southern Assault and Dream Vision, Traore looks like one of the top post prospects in the class. "He's strong, athletic, skilled and competes on both ends, which has re- sulted in offers from many top pro- grams such as Arkansas, Houston, Kansas, Louisville, Oregon, Tennessee, Texas, UCLA and USC. He could also consider the professional route." Yet another big man, Ernest Udeh Jr., recently included the Wolverines in his final 10. Alabama, Florida, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Tennessee, UCLA, Mi- ami and Baylor also made the cut for the 6-10, 232-pounder. Udeh had an incredible summer af- ter heading in unranked, putting him in position to land at an elite program. "As rare as it is, Udeh could be an- other prospect that started the summer outside the Rivals150 that will get con- sideration for five-star status," McDon- ald said. "Currently at No. 115 over- all, the Florida native improved every time out this summer with Southeast Elite and during June with his Dr. Phil- lips (Orlando, Fla.) team. "He's a dominant force in the paint at 6-foot-10 with great athleticism, strong hands and soft touch around the rim." He wasn't at his best at the NBAPA Top 100 Camp recently, but few were. Many were dragging after the long summer on the AAU circuit, and Udeh was among them. "In the reps he had, he did what he does," Shaw said. "He's not doing any- thing outside of 10 feet, not switching ball screens and moving his feet, but he's a good shot blocker, a good re- bounder and finishes viciously around the rim." He's also open between his final 10, Slater said after speaking with people in the know. "I thought he was just okay at Top 100; on the other hand, a lot of guys are exhausted by the time of the Top 100," Slater said. "They've been run- ning around for months. Usually, it's in the early part of June … this time they did it after everything was over. A lot of guys were gassed. "But I thought he was okay, showed his ability around the rim, rebounded. They had a lot of quality bigs, so maybe that contributed to it, but he looked better at Pangos [Camp in Cali- fornia]." Regardless, he's clearly one of the best big men in his class, and he's cov- eted. Michigan will continue to watch him and recruit him into the fall, when he's expected to be on campus. MICHIGAN OFFERS ANOTHER 2023 PROSPECT Michigan head coach Juwan How- ard has offered another class of 2023 player, this one a point guard from just south of the border — the Michigan/ Ohio border, that is. U-M has had plenty of good luck in the Buckeye State over the past decade and a half, including Trey Burke, Caris LeVert, Jon Teske and Zavier Simpson. Gabe Cupps is another Ohioan with offers from Indiana, Ohio State and others. The 6-2, 165-pounder averaged 16 points, five assists and three rebounds a game at Centerville (Ohio) High this past season. Xavier, Cincinnati, Ohio State, Liberty, Virginia and Michigan received visits from him this summer. "I will be looking for someone who wants me, a program I want to get involved with," he said. "I am looking for a program whose core values are similar to mine and has coaches I want to be around and players I want to be around … and I want to win." Rivals.com national recruiting an- alyst Jamie Shaw has seen plenty of Cupps this year and believes he's a legit high-major player. "Cupps knows how to run a team. He is an extension of the coach on the floor and knows not only what he needs to do each possession, but also understands where everyone needs to be," he said. "He has good floor vision and is an excellent shooter off the catch. "As he continues to get stronger, and his athleticism catches up, expect Cupps to continue to rise as a prospect. There is a lot to like with how he plays the game." TheHoosier.com watched him plenty of times this summer, as well. "He is more of a pass-first point guard who has good athleticism and great vision," they wrote. "He is still developing his overall offensive skill set in terms of scoring the ball, but he can get into the lane at will and is a very crafty player all around the court. He's a super intelligent player for his age, and has good pace and the steadi- ness needed as a point guard." "Gritty and skilled, I think, is how I would describe it," Cupps said of his game. "I'll do whatever it takes to win. I don't turn the ball over. I can shoot it well. I get myself and others open shots." U-M will have a chance to impress him when he visits this fall. ❏ Point guard Gabe Cupps averaged 16 points, five assists and three rebounds a game at Centerville (Ohio) High this past season. PHOTO COURTESY ADIDAS On The Web For regular reports on Michigan basketball recruiting plus videos of U-M commitments and targets visit TheWolverine.com.