The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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JANUARY 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 57 ❱ BASKETBALL RECRUITING Michigan is making inroads with some of the nation's top underclassmen. Among them: • Caleb Gaskins, the No. 12-ranked player in the 2026 On3 Industry Ranking, a 6-foot-7 forward at Miami Co- lumbus. "I am strong and physical, and I can shoot it," Gaskins said. "I score the ball at all three levels, and I defend all the positions, one through five. Over the summer I developed my ball handling, and that has helped me become more of a perimeter player." He patterns his game after guys like Kevin Durant and Luka Dončić, and it shows. "Right now, I have offers from schools like Alabama, Michigan, Florida State, Georgia, LSU, Auburn, and a lot more," Gaskins said. "I would say, right now I'm hearing the most from Michigan, Louisville, LSU, and a few more too. "Coach May is really cool. I think he is a good coach, and he really likes my game. I would like to start watching them more." • Jaxson Richardson, the No. 28-ranked player in the current 2026 On3 Industry Ranking, a 6-6 wing starting his junior season also at Miami Columbus. "I'm a player who works hard," Richardson said. "You can count on me on the offensive end and the defensive end, to get extra rebounds … I'm just someone who makes the right play. My handle has improved over the last few months and because of that, I'm able to be more involved in the offense." The son of former MSU great Jason Richardson and brother of Spartans' frosh Jase Richardson, the 2026 target has taken unofficial visits to Alabama and Michigan, to date. He said both have offered. "They have a nice playing style," Richardson said of U-M. "They just play together, and they play as a team. I feel like I could fit into what they do because I'm a team player … "Coach May texts me a lot. I love Coach May, and we have a good relationship and feel like we can really grow that. "[MSU] texts me here and there, but they're not really recruiting me right now," he added. "But with my dad being there, my brother being there, I know that program. I've also been hearing from Miami and BYU … Seton Hall, too. I'm just building relationships now. "I'm looking to start focusing on my recruitment after my high school season and before EYBL … I'm looking for a school that I trust will develop me and a program I know I can help out. "I'm most comfortable in a system that moves the ball and just plays the right way. I want to go somewhere I can just hop into the system and won't have to really learn anything new." • Anthony Thompson, No. 15 overall in the recent rank- ings, the 6-7 forward transferred to Hudson (Ohio) Western Reserve Academy to play his junior year. "I've gotten a lot stronger," Thompson said. "I have more speed and agility, and I have more strength to be able to do more on the court. My game started expanding this summer, in AAU, but I can really see myself playing inside and out in school ball." He's reported unofficial visits to Ohio State, Michigan, Michigan State, and Kentucky. All have offered, he said, and he plans an Indiana trip Dec. 29. Michigan has caught his eye with its hot start. "They play fast," Thompson said. "I got introduced and got to hang out with Coach May, his staff and the players on this visit. I got to go to a practice and see how he runs his of- fense. It is a lot of the same stuff as my high school. "Coach May has a chill personality; you can tell he is a player's coach. It was good to be able to experience and be around the coaches and players on and off the court." • Finally, a 2027 player to watch — King Gibson, now No. 8 in On3's 2027 class rankings. The 6-5 shooting guard is a sophomore at Burlington (N.C.) School and averaged 22.8 points and 6.8 assists on 57.6 percent shooting through his first five games. "I'm an all-around player," Gibson said. "I like to be versa- tile and get everyone on my team involved. I can score, play defense, rebound, and pass it; I just like to be an all-around player so I can help my team win." He reports 20 offers and has already taken unofficial visits to South Carolina and Georgia. "I'm looking forward to taking visits to Tennessee, Wake Forest, Michigan, and West Virginia," he said. "Nothing is set yet, but those are who I'm talking to about going to see next." Gibson's dad is a Wake Forest fan, he said, but he's open to other schools. "They really lock in on the defensive side, and that is what they talk a lot about," he said of Michigan. "I like that." — Chris Balas Goodman played for NBA Global Academy in Australia, making an im- pact and gaining notice at several events overseas. "Oscar arrives in Ann Arbor as an ac- complished international player and prospect and was just named to the New Zealand Senior National Team," May said. "He comes from a tight-knit fam- ily that values everything that we want our program to be about. His training at the NBA Academy, as well as his eager- ness and ability to compete, will allow him to affect our program positively from Day 1." Goodman had a breakout perfor- mance at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup, averaging 17.0 points, 6.3 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game, earning a spot on the tournament's All-Star Five team. He shot 63.0 percent from around the rim at the 2024 FIBA U17 World Cup in leading New Zealand to a fourth-place finish. ❏ ❱ Michigan Basketball's 2025 Signees Player Pos. Ht. Wt. Hometown (High School) Winters Grady SF 6-6 200 Lake Oswego, Ore. (Windsor Prolific Prep [Calif.]) Trey McKenney SG 6-4 205 Orchard Lake, Mich. (St. Mary's Prep) Oscar Goodman PF 6-7 225 Auckland, New Zealand (NBA Global Academy) Michigan Is Making Strides With 2026, 2027 Recruits