The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/201975
basketball commitment profile Michigan Pulls Off West Coast Recruiting Coup Michigan hasn't often raided Portland, Ore., for talent in any sport. What the U-M men's basketball coaches found at Columbia Christian High, though, was worth the pursuit, especially when four-star wing Kameron Chatman committed to Michigan in early October. Arizona was supposed to be the heavy favorite, with Oregon nipping at the Wildcats' heels. There were no rumblings, though, before Chatman (6‑7, Rivals.com's No. 29 senior nationally) went to Twitter Oct. 2 and announced he'd be a Wolverine. His Sept. 6 visit during the Notre Dame football weekend was one of the main factors that sold him. "I felt real comfortable with all four of the coaches," Chatman said. "The three assistants and Coach [John] Beilein, the trust that I have with them — I had a really good bonding time with them. The way they play really fits the way I play. "They like to spread the floor, and I like to play on the perimeter. They use a lot of ball screens, and I'm good off of ball screens getting into the paint. They also like to run. I think that really fits my game." Playing pickup ball with the team and gaining a comfort level with his future teammates helped convince him as much as anything, though. "I really bonded with those guys and got to see what type of guys they are," he said. "I feel real comfortable with them. Also, just scrimmaging with the guys and seeing how they play and if I was a fit, and I was." Chatman might well be the most versatile of all of Michigan's recruits and one of the most adaptable in the entire class of 2014, giving U‑M the option that he can play multiple positions down the road. He's an outstanding passer, which helps encourage guys to come play alongside him. For the position he will likely play as a freshman, the stretch four, he's a perfect fit. As a lefty, he can start out in the right corner (where the four in Beilein's offense sets up) and come off screens or take the ball to the middle using his dominant (left) hand. There are better shooters — though he is improving and is pretty good from midrange — and more adept one on one guys than Chatman, but if you were to pick a guy who fits with how Beilein wants to play, he's the prototype. He has size and a very good handle and can fill a need at a number of positions. "The thing I like most about his game is he is a wing who will go rebound and get after it like a power forward," Rivals.com's Eric Bossi said. "Because of his size and sturdy frame, he can be versatile in the way you play with him. He can defend and be a matchup problem on the perimeter, and he rebounds and has