The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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DECEMBER 2017 THE WOLVERINE 63 BASKETBALL RECRUITING DeJulius, Rivals.com's No. 126 overall player nationally, signed his letter of intent during a Nov. 8 cer- emony at his school. He's currently one of the frontrunners for Michi- gan's Mr. Basketball award and has been nominated fro the McDonald's All-America team. DeJulius thanked God, his family and his teammates and told Deter- mined Series on YouTube he'll do everything he can to make Michigan fans proud of him. "To my Michigan family … I un- derstand how much of an honor it is to be a Michigan Wolverine," he said. "I can't wait to get to Ann Arbor and put on that uniform. I thought about it, and it was just the right decision, to be able to play under Coach Beilein. He's such a religious and great man, and really gave me that trust to believe in him for my next four years in college. "It's a great atmosphere to be around, and I could see myself being there even if I wasn't playing basket- ball. It just really was comfortable for me to make that decision. God told me this was the right decision for me." He has goals to win champion- ships each year and eventually to get to the NBA. "I want to use the tools Michigan offers to make me a better person on and off the court," he said. "I love this game. I eat, sleep and drink bas- ketball. I go home and watch film of point guards, their decision making. "I just try to work out as much as I can, learn about my diet, the best way I want my body. I take this game very seriously … all aspects of it." He's got one more year before he wears the U-M uniform, but he already considers himself part of the program. "Being a Wolverine is like getting a PhD and being a doctor," DeJulius said. "Adding Dr. to your name sets you apart, just like having that block 'M' next to your name. It's priceless. "I can't wait to play alongside those guys ... high-character guys that will make great teammates, brothers and great war-mates." Four-star big man Colin Castle- ton (6-11, Rivals.com's No. 121 se- nior nationally) of Daytona Beach (Fla.) Father Lopez High earned first- team all-area honors from the Day- tona Beach News and Orlando Sentinel while averaging 23.3 points, 11.0 re- bounds and 5.4 blocks as a junior. He averaged 15.3 points, 10.3 rebounds and 4.5 blocks as a sophomore. "Colin has an incredible skill set for his size," Beilein said. "He has shown a blend of being able to shoot from distance and use a low-post game to score as well. When you add in his ability to dribble and pass, he is a terrific fit for our style of play. "What we like most is his ability to impact the game on the defensive end, at the rim and on the glass, and we love that he embraces that role. Colin's appreciation, enthusiasm and passion for his family, teachers, coaches, community and the game are attributes he will bring with him from Florida and our fans will appreciate." Castleton signed Nov. 8 at his school. "It's the best feeling in the world, knowing this is the best opportunity for me," he said. "I'm really look- ing forward to getting to know these guys in my class and building our relationship." Finally, Adrien Nunez only started playing basketball in the seventh grade, and he spent the last two sea- sons coming off the bench at Bishop Loughlin in Brooklyn, N.Y. Last sea- son, he helped Loughlin reach the New York Catholic High School Ath- letic Association Class AA semifinals in one of the state's toughest divisions. He will spend a postgraduate year at Brooklyn (N.Y.) St. Thomas More Prep prior to coming to Ann Arbor. "Very much like our other signees, Adrien is a high-character kid who values academics and has a tremen- dous work ethic," Beilein said. "He took this past summer to 'bet on him- self' and is using his postgraduate year to really develop and prepare for a collegiate career. "His size and shooting ability are just some of the reasons we started following him this summer, and we believe his best basketball is ahead of him. "Once he came on his visit, it was clear he was a good match for us, both academically and athletically." Nunez told The New York Post he had no hard feelings about how he was used last year at Bishop Lough- lin, where he averaged just 4.8 points per game, overshadowed by top re- cruits Keith Williams, a freshman at Cincinnati, and Markquis Nowell. He's just happy to have been noticed. "It feels great to be a Wolverine," he said after signing. "I've been dreaming about this day for a long time. I'm grateful and honored to finally be a part of the Michigan bas- ketball family." ❏ On The Web For regular reports on Michigan basketball recruiting plus videos of U-M commitments and targets visit TheWolverine.com. Sharpshooter Adrien Nunez will spend a post- graduate year at Brooklyn (N.Y.) St. Thomas More Prep prior to coming to Ann Arbor. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM Rivals.com rates Daytona Beach (Fla.) Father Lopez 6-11 center Colin Castleton as the nation's No. 121 overall player. PHOTO BY JON LOPEZ/RIVALS.COM