The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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APRIL 2023 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 59 ❱ BASKETBALL RECRUITING 48 loss to Madison County in the state quarterfinals. His triple from half court hit the rim as time expired in the heart- breaking loss. "I think this is going to be the first time in the Big Ten Conference where a coach has the chance to have a player who does everything that he wants him to do while adjusting to any level of play," Adrian Collins, the founder and director of Runna Report, which spe- cializes in grassroots basketball scout- ing, said. "If Juwan wants Christian to score 30 points a game, he can set that up. If Juwan wants Christian to record 10 as- sists, he can set that up." Anderson heads into summer as the No. 137 player and No. 24 point guard per the On3 Industry Ranking for the class of 2024. U-M IS LOOKING AT PORTAL FOR MORE HELP IN 2023-24 With freshman Jett Howard (NBA) and Isaiah Barnes (transfer) moving on, Michigan has the room to add imme- diate help to the roster. That includes freshmen and portal transfers, and the coaching staff has its eye on both. One, Drew Fielder, is a stretch four who previously was committed to Prov- idence College. He opted out of his let- ter of intent after coach Ed Cooley ac- cepted the Georgetown job. A four-star prospect out of Idaho, So- Cal Academy's Fielder is an On3 four- star prospect ranked No. 117 in his class. "Drew Fielder has a naturally big frame," On3.com's Jamie Shaw re- ported. "He is legit 6-9 or 6-10 with solid length and good dexterity. Fielder has good hands and touch that extends beyond the three-point arc. He is an active area rebounder, especially on the defensive end. There will be ques- tions about his athleticism, especially … where does he defend? "Fielder is not a rim protector. He has good footwork on the offensive end, both on the block and facing the basket. He can pick and pop with soft touch and range that extends beyond the three. Fielder has touch over both shoulders and a go-to move he is comfortable with." Georgetown, St. John's, Virginia, Mi- ami, Vanderbilt and Nebraska are others that have also reached out. As for transfer portal targets … here are the prospects Michigan has reached out to as of March 27: • Chris Ledlum, SF, Harvard, senior (On3.com's No. 8 overall transfer): Ledlum was a unanimous first-team All-Ivy League selection this season, averaging 18.8 points, 8.5 rebounds, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks per contest. He shot 47.3 percent from the floor but only 29.4 percent from long range. Iowa, Indiana, St. John's and others are pursuing him, as well. • John Hugley IV, C, Pittsburgh, junior (No. 11 overall): Hugley played parts of three seasons at Pittsburgh, earning an honorable mention All-ACC nod in 2021-22 (2020-21 did not count against his eligibility). He suffered a knee injury in practice at the beginning of the season, played in eight games, and averaged 8 points and 3.6 rebounds in 18.2 minutes per contest. He decided to shut things down in mid-January to rehab his "mental and physical health." He'd likely only be an option if center Hunter Dickinson were to leave. • B.J. Mack, PF/C, Wofford, se- nior (No. 67 overall): Mack averaged 16.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 as- sists a game. Michigan has already made his top 10 with LSU, Florida, Arkansas, Iowa, Butler, Xavier, Mississippi State, Vanderbilt and South Carolina. He av- eraged 16.6 points, 5.6 rebounds and 1.4 assists during the 2022-23 season. He shot 49.2 percent from the field and 33.5 percent from three-point range, split- ting time between the power forward and center spots. The Michigan coach- ing staff has already met with Mack over Zoom. MICHIGAN MAKING STRIDES WITH OUTSTANDING '24 BIG MAN Last year, Michigan head coach Ju- wan Howard offered Bel Aire (Kan.) Sunrise Christian big man Jon Bol (7- foot-2 and the On3 Industry Rank- ing's No. 29 player nationally). Since then, their relationship has only grown stronger. Bol visited in the fall and continues to keep tabs on the program. "When I went to Michigan, I would say the whole coaching staff stood out to me," Bol said in mid-March. "They took the time to get to know me and my whole family. I talk to them all on like a weekly basis. "The culture of the team, how they practice and everything they do as a team stood out. They are all there as a family. If one person is down, everyone is there to pick him up. That's some- thing that is rare for a team. "Michigan itself is a big school with a lot of kids and a lot to do. And it is a good school, too. It was all good in Michigan." Bol has also visited Missouri. Many others are still on his radar in his search for a program that "actually wants him," he said. "The top schools are Texas, Texas Tech, Florida, and a lot of others," he added. "I'm hearing from Arkan- sas, Kansas, West Virginia and Creigh- ton a lot, too, but they haven't offered yet. "The culture of the team is some- thing I will look at, too. The team be- ing together as a family. Sometimes, it can be hard for you as a player, like something happens at home, and you need a teammate or somebody there for you." In that respect, Michigan seems to have made an impression. ❏ On The Web For regular reports on Michigan basketball recruiting plus videos of U-M commitments and targets visit TheWolverine.com. MICHIGAN BASKETBALL'S 2023 SIGNEES Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School Papa Kante C 6-10 225 Senegal/South Kent (Conn.) School George Washington III CG 6-2 165 Louisville, Ky./Chaminade Julienne (Dayton, Ohio) MICHIGAN BASKETBALL'S 2024 COMMITMENT Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown/High School Christian Anderson PG 5-11 155 Atlanta/Lovett School