The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1520409
JUNE/JULY 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 31 2024 BASKETBALL RECRUITING ISSUE give U-M one of the longest frontcourts in the league. And it turned out May had an ace up his sleeve the whole time he was recruiting the guards. While much of the fan base waited in angst for 7-foot-1 Florida Atlantic big man Vlad Goldin to announce his transfer deci- sion from the portal, May was selling other potential portal additions on play- ing with him. "We had a good idea," May said with a grin when asked if he knew early in his tenure that Goldin would be joining him in Ann Arbor. "… And I'm biased, because Vlad's been with us a couple years. I've never been around a better teammate. I'm not saying he's the best, but he's as good as I've ever been around at caring about his teammates, at doing anything he can to help them, support them, and do so in such an unselfish manner." On the court, Goldin averaged 15.7 points and 6.9 rebounds playing primar- ily in the paint. He's deadly near the rim but has continued to add to his game, May said. Knowing he had the centerpiece in place (literally), May set out to comple- ment him with shooters, ballhandlers, and wings. Many recruits' eyes lit up, the coach said, when he explained what they could be playing with. "He was a big part of what we were selling in the recruiting process to these guards," May said. "When you have a big guy, 7-1, who can catch it on the long roll, short roll, above the rim, bounce passes … he's unselfish. He loves to screen. He loves physicality; he defends. So, those are some qualities and attri- butes a lot of guys want to play with. He makes everyone around him better. "We're just very, very fortunate he de- cided to join us, because he's special." Alabama transfer Sam Walters proved to be another huge piece. Known as a shooter, the 6-foot-10 Walters will be given every opportunity to expand his game in Ann Arbor, May said, noting he has big plans for him. A hearty 101 of his 151 field goal at- tempts came on jumpers. He notched a 57.9 effective field goal percentage on those looks as a freshman, ranking in the 92nd percentile in the country. He also shot 2.7 triples per game with 1.1 makes, and 99 of his 101 jump shots came in catch-and-shoot situations. May envisions a role for Walters be- yond just "shooter." "I saw Sam a lot growing up, and our staff was very familiar with him, as well," May said. "At 6-10, he might be one of the best floor spacers in the country. I don't think he's ever not shot 40 percent from three, and on a team [Alabama] that went to the Final Four. "But where Sam really impressed us was his ability to guard on the perim- eter and finish around the basket while also driving it to the rim and finishing through contact. He's still got a ways to go in that area, but he showed a lot more than just the ability to space the floor. We think we'll be able to use him in a lot of different ways and all over the floor." Finally, Yale big man Danny Wolf turned heads in the NCAA Tournament this past March when he helped lead an upset of Auburn with 13 points and 5 rebounds. He averaged 14.1 for the year and can shoot it, too — 34.5 percent from three last season. "Danny is a very, very good three- point shooter for a 7-footer," May said. "He dribbles the ball well; he handles the ball like a guard. He passes it, and they played through him offensively. That's how we used our backup center last year, so we're very well versed in that style of play, and he fit us offensively. "So, the question was, does it fit de- fensively with another 7-footer or 7-1 guy? And after watching Danny, we felt like he moves his feet well. He's got good mobility for a 7-footer, and he embraces contact. So, we think with a summer of really strong, consistent weight work and speed work with our new strength coach, he'll be ready to go." With the length of the frontcourt and an athletic backcourt, May now has the structural pieces in place for Michigan to give the other 17 Big Ten teams a run in 2024-25. ❑ May's First Prep Class — Backcourt Of The Future? Michigan coach Dusty May went guard heavy on his first portal class, filling the roster with ballhandlers and wings. But he said when he first arrived that he wanted a nice mix between the portal and the prep ranks when it came to recruiting, and he was true to his word with his 2024 efforts. May kept Grand Rapids (Mich.) Catholic Central's Durral Brooks (6-2, 180, On3.com composite No. 240 player nationally) in the fold shortly after he took the job. He later added former Florida Atlantic pledge Lorenzo Cason (6-3, 190, On3.com No. 240 player) of Lakeland (Fla.) Victory Christian, as well as Justin Pippen (6-3, 180, On3.com No. 67), son of NBA Hall of Famer Scottie Pippen. "He's such a likeable guy, and his energy is contagious," May said of Brooks, noting he'd watched plenty of film on him. "He's unique, as well, where he's an elite defender on the ball. He's strong, he's tough; he's a good re- bounder. He's somebody that just impacts winning. "Now, we've got to help him get better in extending his [shooting] range a little bit, but like everyone else on our team, none of them are finished products." Cason visited Florida after de-committing from FAU and had several other SEC schools after him, but he found a great fit at Michigan. "Coach [Kyle] Church identified him early, and we recruited him for a long time, fell in love with him as a person as much as a player —and he's a really good player," May said. "He's one of the best guards in Florida, and it's a big state. "It's tough to come in from Day 1 and have an instant impact, but I'll be surprised if he doesn't have his fingerprints on this program by the time he walks out the door." Pippen, meanwhile, could be the gem. He's one of the faster risers in his class and has all the qualities you want in a guard. "Instantly while watching him, I thought he had great pace and feel, and he looked like the son of a pro," May said. "He looked like a coach's son the way he played. But his ability to make shots … He changes speeds well, looks like a guard that can play just about anywhere. His skill set matches the way we want to play. "We were very, very fond of him the first time we watched him, and we appreciate his skill level. Just as much, we appreciate his maturity." — Chris Balas ❱ May on his roster-building philosophy "We're trying to find players that make their teammates better every single day."