The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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COMMITMENT PROFILE of an elite basketball player physi- cally. "Early in his high school career the thought was he might be some- body's long-term project as a point guard. "His junior and senior years it be- came clear that was not the role for him — that he was more the athletic, slasher type at wing." More than 50 percent of his shots came within five feet of the rim last year per reports, and he made only five of 23 triples (21.7 percent) and 14 of 34 free throws (41.2 percent). He did make 37 percent of his three- pointers in his senior year of high school, however. "He's a departure from wings they've taken in the past in which they tried to find a shooter — he's not a shooter," Bossi said. "That's not really his scouting report right now. He's a guy you hope can be a slasher, a secondary ball handler. Certainly his jump shot needs work. "But he is athletic, quick and very coordinated. You look at him and say, 'Oh wow, he looks like he was born to play basketball' with his body type." Matthews said he was ready to start anew. "I need to get my confidence back," he said. "I lost my swagger, but I'm going to get it back. I was in a rush to get to the NBA and it affected my game. This is a bump in the road. I'm not afraid of this. I embrace the challenge." He'll take his next step only hours from his hometown, one of the rea- sons he picked the Wolverines ac- cording to St. Rita head coach Gary DeCesare. "The Big Ten is a big factor," DeCesare told TheWolverine.com. "Charles has an opportunity to play in front of family. The Big Ten is a great situation for a kid in the Mid- west. … Also, he has an opportunity to get a chance to play. "Michigan is pretty much a senior- dominant team this year; they'll lose some guys. They've had great suc- cess with kids who can shoot, but also kids who get to the basket, slashers, and that's his strength right now." — Chris Balas FILM EVALUATION Strengths: Charles Matthews is an incredible athlete who can finish in transition, put it on the floor and get to the rim. He's also a gym rat who is focused on improving his game. Areas of Improvement: Both his former coach, Chicago St. Rita's Gary DeCesare, and Rivals.com's Eric Bossi note that Matthews will need to im‑ prove his jump shot to reach his vast potential. Michigan Player Comparison: The lanky and athletic Matthews is reminiscent of former Michigan guard Manny Harris (2007‑10), a slasher who was able to shoot well enough to keep defenders honest. Harris put up better numbers as a freshman, but he had to for a team that won only 10 games. — Analysis from TheWolverine.com