The Wolverine

June-July 2023

The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports

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30 THE WOLVERINE ❱ JUNE/JULY 2023   2023 BASKETBALL RECRUITING ISSUE BY CHRIS BALAS I f there were any questions as to what Michigan basketball coaches were getting in 2023 signee George Washington III, he answered them all this year. When the game was on the line, he was the one taking the shots — and usually making them. The 6-foot-3 shooting guard bonded immediately with the players at Dayton (Ohio) Chaminade Julienne in his first year at the school and was the consummate teammate, and he was the presence on the floor at oppos- ing gyms. Not only did he not flinch on rival floors, he embraced it. That was the attitude he took, too, after he decommitted from Ohio State last year and started looking for a new program. The four-star prospect, the No. 124 player in the On3 Industry Ranking that includes the four major recruiting services, didn't hesitate when rival Michigan called. He was looking for his best fit, and he seemed to know as soon as he got to Ann Arbor the first time that he might have found it. Asked how a kid goes from Ohio State pledge to Michigan commitment in a matter of months, he didn't hesitate. "You get some sense," he said with a laugh. That statement alone should immedi- ately make him a fan favorite, though he was quick to turn diplomatic. "Nah, I'm just playin' … I commit- ted early in the recruiting process, and a lot can change throughout the course of the year, especially in college basket- ball," Washington said. "I kind of started to see that personally for my game and what I wanted to be, my goals, Ohio State stopped being the best fit for me. "I just felt like rather than putting myself in a situation where I felt like it might be wrong but saying, 'Maybe it will still work out … maybe it won't,' and then possibly end up in the transfer portal, I'd rather just kind of remove myself and look for that best fit from the jump — a place I can walk in and produce. And I'll be pushed to be my best and contribute to winning." Washington is rated as the No. 124 overall prospect and No. 9 combo guard nationally according to the On3 Industry Ranking. PHOTO COURTESY WASHINGTON FAMILY ON THE RISE Shooting Guard George Washington III, Michigan's Sole 2023 Signee, Continues To Elevate His Game

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