The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
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BASKETBALL RECRUITING Michigan Remains Strong With Class Of 2014 Targets M of 2014 targets, though a fifth — Franklin (Ohio) High forward and Rivals.com four-star prospect Vince Edwards (6-6, 200, No. 66) — is on the cusp of receiving one. Edwards, who also is rated as the No. 64 player nationally, was planning an October U-M visit but had to delay it, most likely until November. That doesn't mean the Wolverines ichigan coaches have still ex- tended only four offers to class are slipping down his list, Edwards said in early October. Far from it, in fact. wards said. "I love the coaching staff — they're just a really great staff. Coach [John] Beilein has a lot of ex- perience, and Coach Vall [LaVall Jor- dan] — I like him a lot. He's a really cool guy. "They're making a move up," Ed- there for the game against Illinois, but it depended on my mom's work schedule. We're still trying our best to get up there … it will be soon." Edwards has been in frequent con- tact with Jordan and let him know of the potential conflict. He visited Pur- due in August, his second trip to the school, and admits the Boilermakers have set a high standard. "They're pretty high being my first "I was actually supposed to go up place to be with a great atmosphere," Edwards said. "Coach Beilein explained I could play on the wing. There are times they'll use all guards and a big man with guards my size at the two and the three. I could play a lot on the wing and create some mismatches." One of U-M's first offers, mean- while, went to Normal (Ill.) Univer- sity's Keita Bates-Diop. The lanky, 6-7 (and still growing) wing has risen from borderline top 50 to No. 21 na- tionally after an outstanding summer. Coaches from around the Big Ten have been to Normal this fall to check in on a player that has become one of the faster risers in the 2014 class. University head coach Bob Fitzger- ald said his standout hasn't let the attention affect him. He's the same, grounded kid he was when only a handful of schools — more specifically U-M and Purdue — identified him. "He's more about relationships," Fitzgerald said recently, adding Michigan was right up there in that respect. "He wants to go where he's a fit, and academics are very important to him and his family." offer," he said. "That's really big for them." Edwards told GoldandBlack.com, a site covering Purdue sports, that the Boilermakers were "way out in front," given how much attention their coaching staff paid him in July. But the lead isn't insurmount- able, and the situation seems to have changed just in the last several weeks. Edwards holds offers from Xavier and Dayton, among others, and has been informed by both Mich- igan and West Virginia coaches he'll likely get an offer when he visits their campuses. He wants to see U-M first, and it will likely be before his prac- tices start in November. "I'm looking for a place where I can be comfortable for four years, and Michigan sounds like it's a great 96 THE WOLVERINE NOVEMBER 2012 "I tell coaches if he's still talking to you, that's a good sign," Fitzgerald added. to visit Michigan State in October, a rescheduled trip from earlier this fall. He reportedly received a tour of campus and spoke with head coach Tom Izzo before leaving. He's already bonded with the staffs at U-M, Purdue and Illinois. Many believe those three stand out, though Bates-Diop has also enjoyed visits to Ohio State and Indiana recently. "It is about relationships, and he does know those staffs well," Fitzger- ald added. "He talks to Coach [La- Vall] Jordan quite a bit and has sat down with them a few times." The time frame for a commitment seems to change frequently. Bates-Diop was in East Lansing panded a bit in recent weeks, they've turned away several others trying to get involved. Though Bates-Diop's list has ex- Normal (Ill.) University's Keita Bates-Diop, a 6-7, 190-pound wing, has blossomed from a borderline top-50 player to Rivals.com's No. 21 prospect nationally. PHOTO COURTESY RIVALS.COM "There are times I think he might wait, and there are others it seems like he might be ready to make a de- cision," Fitzgerald noted. Others believe the added interest has Bates-Diop in it for the long haul. Bates-Diop recently told Peegs. com, a site covering sports at Indi- ana, his wingspan was measured at 7-2 last year and that he's grown at least an inch. Doctors have told him he could grow as much as another two inches and possibly reach 6-9 by the time he enters college. "The biggest thing about him is he's nearly 6-8 with over a seven- foot wingspan, and he plays guard," Fitzgerald said. "You don't find somebody with his size and athleti- cism and his grace at this level. He naturally has an advantage because of how big he is. size of a center but the skill set of a guard. You just don't find a kid with that type of package." "As a high school player, he has the a great family, Fitzgerald added, making him the complete package. Indianapolis Park Tudor forward He's also an outstanding kid from Trevon Bluiett — a late-summer of- feree and one of the faster risers in the 2014 class (according to Rivals.com, he is now the No. 49 junior nation- ally) — continues to earn national of- fers. Butler, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Louisville, Notre Dame and Purdue are among those that have joined U-M in offering.