The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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AUGUST 2022 THE WOLVERINE 51 BASKETBALL RECRUITING minutes as a freshman. I want to look at the player development systems each has in place and how family-oriented the programs are." Jackson insists he's 100 percent open, is looking for a school with a "nice cam- pus energy" and that location won't be a factor. "I do want to play in an offense that lets their guards have a lot of freedom," he said. "Playing in the pick and roll with a lot of options and reads, but also get out in transition." Another guard — one of the elite point guards in the country, in fact — will likely be on campus sooner. Five-star Isaiah Collier (6-2, 190) of Marietta (Ga.) Wheeler is expected to visit at the end of July, and Michigan appears to be making a move. He recently rose to No. 10 overall in the On3.com rankings. "Collier has a very strong frame," On3 reported. "He plays with great balance and is able to take a bump when attack- ing the basket. He surveys the floor well, head up with a great pace, and never gets rushed. "He's an excellent passer in the half- court, plays well out of the pick and roll, makes excellent reads, and his passes are on target and on time." The jump shot is "streaky at all levels," they added, one of the reasons he is re- lentless attacking the basket. "He has the quick-twitch and the toughness to be a good on-ball defender, and quick hands," On3 noted. "Collier elevates the play of those around him. He is vocal on the floor, calls his team in for huddles and speaks up. Despite the jump shot woes, his ability to run a team is advanced." He's been watching Michigan closely for a while. Cincinnati, Alabama and others are also heavily involved. "There are definitely a lot of good guards going to Michigan right now," the five-star told On3 this spring. "I like how they play and their play style, and I'm looking forward to learning more about them." Finally, forward Zayden High might be a longer shot, but Michigan is one of five schools on his leaderboard with Vil- lanova, Texas, TCU and Houston. The Spring Valley, Texas, native visited Texas unofficially with his family in mid-June, and while the other three schools on his list are in his home state, the On3 con- sensus No. 33 player nationally wants to visit Michigan. He has already made an official visit to Villanova. High is averaging close to 11 points and 8.5 rebounds per game on Nike's EYBL circuit. The 6-10 power forward has great range from three and is an out- standing shooter. He averaged 21 points, 12.3 rebounds, 1.6 blocks, and 1.3 triples per game last year at Spring Valley. He's reportedly a good athlete who moves like a wing, and it's in his blood. His dad, Michael High, played college basketball at Southern Nazarene. "High can still make a lot of strides to reach his potential. He plays a small forward game on offense on the pe- rimeter but can add more physical- ity and paint touches to the arsenal," Hamilton reported. "He is a more physical player on defense contesting shots than offense. When he marries the two, he goes to another level." High said this summer he was form- ing a relationship with the Michigan coaching staff. "I built a good relationship with Coach Howard. He's been good to me," he said. "I talk to them probably every other day, and they've been good to me." ❏ On The Web For regular reports on Michigan basketball recruiting plus videos of U-M commitments and targets visit TheWolverine.com. Michigan is considered a leader for 6-foot-10 Papa Kante, On3.com's No. 34 player nationally. PHOTO BY JAMIE SHAW/ON3 NOTES • One Class of 2023 target, West Palm Beach (Fla.) Calvary Christian shooting guard Marvel Allen, is off the board. A day after announcing his top six (with Michigan one of them), the 6-4 shooting guard — No. 68 in the On3.com rank- ings after a significant drop this summer — pledged to Georgetown. Allen had a rough summer shooting the ball but was still coveted by many programs before choosing the Hoyas. He was not thought to be a U-M priority. • Michigan has offered another from the 2023 class in expanding its net, and he hails from familiar territory. Devin Royal, a 6-6 wing from Pickerington (Ohio) Central, comes from the same school that produced U-M alum Caris LeVert. He's now On3's No. 26 player nationally in his class after an outstanding early summer. Royal moved up 29 spots from No. 55 in the updated rankings. "Devin Royal is an advanced bucket-getter," On3 analyst Jamie Shaw said. "His feel at each level of the floor is not something you can teach. The 6-6 forward has touch that extends beyond the arc. He can handle the ball and get to his spots and has a crafty nature around the basket." Michigan will have some work to do to get him on campus for a visit.