The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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MAY 2025 ❱ THE WOLVERINE 55 ❱ BASKETBALL RECRUITING ers Juniors in Germany's third division, where he averaged 10.9 points, 7.7 re- bounds and 1.7 blocks in 22.8 minutes in 23 games. He also reportedly received a one-game call-up to the club's BBL team, Germany's highest level of pro- fessional basketball. The 253-pounder continues to im- prove, but he's expected to be a red- shirt who spends a year developing as a freshman wherever he ends up. Another 2025 prospect, Braydon Hawthorne (6-8, 185, On3's No. 48 overall), started his high school career at Woodrow Wilson High in West Virginia before spending the last two years at powerful Huntington Prep in the same state. He earned three-star status in the fall and mid-major offers. By the end of the season, he'd earned his fourth star, and many high majors were on him. "Braydon Hawthorne is a unique player," On3's Jamie Shaw re- ported. "He's a definite late bloomer, someone who is al- ready producing on the na- tional stage, but his best bas- ketball is still clearly in front of him. "Currently in the 6-foot-8, 6-foot-9 range, Hawthorne has true wing skills. He can put the ball on the floor in the half-court to self-create an opportunity. Athletically, he still needs to add strength. While he is fluid in his move- ments, he has average pop. However, what he does have is length and instincts, which he uses to an advantage." Kentucky, Virginia Tech, Indiana, Kansas State, Ari- zona State, Marquette, Vir- ginia, Oklahoma State, Day- ton, and the new staff at West Virginia all have reached out. Hawthorne visited Kentucky and Virginia Tech in mid-May but was setting up a visit to Michigan, too. "I think he still wants to take other visits," Shaw told us. "But Virginia Tech is really one to watch closely here. The coach who got him to West Virginia [Chester Frazier] just got hired there. "Michigan will have to get him on campus to have a shot, but [May] has the goods if they do." PORTAL HELP ON THE WAY, OTHERS STILL BEING PURSUED Transfer buzz has gone quiet heading into the final days of the basketball win- dow, with the portal set to close April 22. Plenty of players have already made the move, though, so it wouldn't sur- prise to see May and Co. make another roster move. Players just need to be in the portal before it closes, not commit- ted or signed, so there's time to make additions, if needed. Michigan could use another ball- handling guard and a reserve big man to join UAB power forward transfer Yaxel Lendeborg, Illinois power forward transfer Morez Johnson Jr., UCLA cen- ter transfer Aday Mara and North Caro- lina point guard transfer Elliot Cadeau, but the options are dwindling. One player we know the Wolverines have contacted is still on the table: Bubu Benjamin of Tarleton State. The Medi- cine Hat, Alberta, Canada Edge School standout, a 6-7, 205-pounder, entered the transfer portal March 24 and has two years of eligibility remaining. The No. 156 shooting guard in the portal per On3, Benjamin started 31 of 32 games for the Texans this season, averaging 13.9 points per game, 4.6 rebounds and 1.7 assists. He shot 78.9 percent from the free throw line in 36 minutes per game, 44 percent overall, and 38 percent (49-of-129 ) from three- point range. Michigan saw Benjamin in person this season when he scored 15 points, nailing 5 of 7 from three-point range, in a 72-49 Wolverine victory. Illinois, Mississippi State, Creighton, DePaul, Butler, Vanderbilt, Colorado State, VCU, USF, Oregon State, Florida Atlan- tic and others have reportedly shown interest, as well. May made it clear follow- ing U-M's tournament run the Wolverines would be ag- gressive in the portal and are in good shape financially to compete. "We should be recruit- ing every day of the year, and now it gets closer to decision time with coaching changes, with recruits and the trans- fer portal and whatnot," he said after the loss to Auburn in Atlanta. "Obviously, these next few weeks we're not go- ing to have a whole lot of time to reflect and decompress. It's going to be building a roster for next year. All focus will be on building the roster for next year. "We're in a very competi- tive market and we're much [better off ]. The growth of our program across the board at NIL, the way we operate, everything 's improved, and that's all you could ask, to continue moving in the right direction." ❏ Bubu Benjamin had been contacted by U-M and was still available in the transfer portal as of April 21. The 6-foot-7 guard scored 15 points on 5-of-7 shooting from beyond the arc against Michigan on Nov. 21 while playing for Tarleton State this past season. PHOTO COURTESY TARLETON STATE