The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1524451
AUGUST 2024 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 51 ❱ BASKETBALL RECRUITING ISAIAH DENIS 6-5, 170 PG Davidson (N.C.) Day On3 Industry Ranking: No. 81 Denis has taken an unofficial visit to Wake Forest and is expected to see Clemson, Tennessee, N.C. State and Virginia. He has officials scheduled to Pittsburgh (Aug. 30), Ohio State (Sept. 7) and Michigan (Sept. 21) and is also considering a Mississippi State visit. "They've been watching me since they were at FAU, and then they got the Michigan job," he said of May's staff. "They've been reaching out pretty con- sistently. They told me they were going to watch me closely on the stream at the fourth session [EYBL Kansas City], and after that Coach May offered me. He has really prioritized me. "I've been building a good relation- ship with them. I'm cool with all the staff there. I talk to Coach May and three of the assistant coaches. They want to have combo guards with size, and they think my size is great for someone who can play on or off the ball." Michigan appears to be pretty strong here. NYK LEWIS 6-1, 190, PG Washington (D.C.) Gonzaga On3 Industry Ranking: No. 46 Lewis has scheduled an official visit to Michigan for Aug. 1-3, and he ap- pears to be wide open. He's visited Xavier and LSU, while Oklahoma State also hosted him on an official with its old staff — one that included then-OSU head coach and now Michigan assistant Mike Boynton. Virginia Tech, Mary- land and Georgetown have all hosted him unofficially. From Shaw: "Nyk Lewis is a paint touch guard. Listed in the 6-1 range, he has long arms with a sturdy base and good balance. Lewis has a crafty handle along with quick-twitch athleticism that gets him to where he wants to go on the court. Not only does he touch the paint on of- fense, but he also prevents the other team from touching the paint while guarding the point of attack." He wants a family-oriented program, and that appears to be a strength of May's Michigan. "When I step foot on campus, I want to feel that family presence," he said. "Obviously, I'm going to be away from home, so I tell all the coaches that if I'm going to be away from home, I need to feel that family-oriented presence. I want to play for a coach that I know is going to be there for me." Lewis plans on committing toward the end of October or the beginning of November. WINTERS GRADY 6-6, 200, SF Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep On3 Industry Ranking: No. 66 Grady knows Michigan assistant Jus- tin Joyner well from the coach's days at St. Mary's, and he plans to visit Michi- gan in September, though a date has yet to be set. He'll see New Mexico Aug. 24, Oklahoma Sept. 21 and Oregon Oct. 12. He holds offers from U-M, Oklahoma State, West Virginia, New Mexico, Cal, Xavier, Colorado State, Creighton, Vir- ginia Tech and Arizona State. Grady was recently a standout at the Pangos All-American camp, according to Shaw. "Winters Grady is one of the more ac- complished shot-makers in this class," Shaw wrote. "The 6-6 wing separated himself this season with Prolific Prep as a floor-spacing threat. He has shown he can score in a variety of ways. Grady found his spots in the mid-range, as well as showing off his patented three- point stroke. The toughness and posi- tional size are intriguing." Grady wants to visit, Creighton, Ari- zona State and Michigan in addition to those he's set, and he's taken two unof- ficial visits to Oregon over the last few years. "As of right now, I'd like to commit in late December or early January," he said. He is reportedly an elite shooter and scorer with a very effective pull-up game in the mid-range. KAREEM STAGG 6-8, 225, PF Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy On3 Industry Ranking: No. 119 Stagg will visit Michigan Sept. 4, a week after a Georgia visit — he holds of- fers from West Virginia, Maryland, Prov- idence and others after a strong spring and summer. He has a relationship with U-M assistant coach Akeem Miskdeen from the coach's days at Georgia. From Shaw at NBPA Camp: "Stagg is a physical presence with a lot of burst. In past viewings, his output has been inconsistent, and the produc- tion was fluid here. He shot the ball well, which makes things intriguing. It will be interesting to see if he continues this trend, with his size, length, and pop, an added jump shot opens up more for him." OSCAR GOODMAN 6-8, 220 PF Centre of Excellence (Australia) On3 Industry Ranking: N/R Goodman was a top performer for New Zealand at the FIBA U17 World Cup, held recently in Istanbul, Turkey, and May was a visitor. A source close to him told us the 6-8 power forward is extremely high on Michigan — he told another source recently U-M is "one of the main schools in contact" for the class of 2025 standout. He averaged 15.7 points. 6.0 rebounds, and 3.2 assists in six World Cup games. "Instincts — that is what pops for Os- car Goodman," Shaw wrote. "The 6-8 forward always seems to be in a position to make a play. Goodman is comfortable with the ball and able to dribble, shoot, or pass at the point of attack. He is an instinctive off-ball defender, gathering deflections and cutting angles, and he was a bursty athlete at the rim when he was able to get a head of steam." ❑ Oscar Goodman, a 6-8 power forward from New Zealand, was a top performer at the FIBA U17 World Cup recently in Istanbul, Turkey, where U-M coach Dusty May was in attendance. PHOTO COURTESY DRAFT EXPRESS