As the NBA Draft nears in just over two months, players have already begun to throw their names into the ring. That includes three Michigan players: Charles Matthews, Ignas Brazdeikis, and Jordan Poole. All three seem to be varying levels of certain that they will remain in the draft, and if all three do indeed remain then Michigan will have a pair of scholarships to use in the 2019 grad transfer and remaining HS senior market. What could they do with them? Let's dive in.
Confirmed Visitors:
Justin Pierce - William & Mary Grad Transfer:
Pierce is a player I've discussed several times on the blog at this point. He's highlighted in my grad transfer post available to read here and plenty of various sites have discussed him plenty. ESPN's Jeff Borzello has him listed as the #5 best available grad transfer on the market, and the attention he has brought to himself as a result of his play is certainly worth that billing. Pierce has been selective with his choices in terms of visits, and he has narrowed his list down to three: Notre Dame, Michigan, and North Carolina. With a visit already to South Bend under his belt, he looks to visit Michigan the weekend of the 19th-21st, and will follow that up with a trip to North Carolina the weekend after. He has said he would like to have a grad school selected by the time of his graduation from William & Mary, which takes place on May 11th. His choices of schools emphasize his smarts, and he would be an immediate piece for whichever school he chooses.
Looking at a fit in the Michigan line-up is very intriguing to me, and would depend on how the remaining scholarship would hypothetically be filled. Pierce stands at 6'7" and is listed as a guard/forward according to the Tribe's website, but I really don't see him as a shooting guard in the Michigan offense. A lot of what he can do makes me believe he would be a fantastic fit at the power forward spot while Isaiah Livers serves as a sort of a Charles Matthews-type player -- albeit with better shooting. I covered in the previous run-down of him his general stats and the drop in shooting percentages, but Michigan does need creators as well. Even if his shot cannot get back to the 41.6% clip of his sophomore season, if he can shoot around Brazdeikis' numbers while offering strong takes and creation for others, that would be huge for this Michigan offense. With that said, senior point guard Zavier Simpson is going to be the key creator and he does need to be surrounded with players on the perimeter that can shoot. Pierce is going to need to do that with some success if he is to commit to Michigan.
Lester Quinones - Freshman:
With one of the longer and odder recruitments of the period, Quinones has seemingly had several favorites up until now, where things are more murky. Once thought to be a heavy LSU lean, then Memphis, Quinones remains uncommitted and looking at plenty of schools. At one stage, Quinones did give an official final seven of Georgia, Indiana, LSU, Maryland, Memphis, Michigan, and Ohio State, but he would also end up adding Florida to that list when speaking to Adam Zagoria. In 2018, Quinones made a pair of official visits to LSU and Maryland, but in March he also made one to Memphis. Now, Quinones has two more officials set up: Indiana for April 24th-26th, and Michigan for April 29th & 30th. LSU and Memphis remain expected to contact Quinones once the dead period ends, and Quinones had an in-home visit with Maryland on the last day of March, so it appears to be a race between five key players in hopes of obtaining Quinones' signature.
What makes Quinones such an attractive option for so many schools is his shooting ability. The shot itself is unorthodox in nature, Quinones brings it in front of him down to his hip before rising back up with the release, but the results are not. Of all the targets, Quinones is probably the best shooter and has the brightest outlook in helping the team's greatest needs in the most immediate manner. Shooting 41.8% at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship for the Dominican Republic is a strong sign of continued success for the current IMG Academy post-grad student. Standing at 6'5", Quinones is also an athletic two-guard and would probably be guaranteed a decent amount of minutes despite being just a freshman. The question of who starts at shooting guard is probably the biggest one when talking about Michigan, and the probable answer, no matter who may be incoming, is likely Eli Brooks. With the gets in the past couple of years, it has only seemed like a matter of time before John Beilein went small with his starting line-up. With Brooks showing off some impressive defense in the postseason, along with a bit more confidence in his shot, it would seem to be that the position is the soon-to-be-junior's for the taking. Where things get concerning is the depth, and that is where Quinones is able to immediately slot in. If Brooks needs to take a shift at point guard, or simply needs a blow at the two-guard, questions remain if Adrien Nunez will be ready, let alone if Cole Bajema can play that role walking through the door. Quinones is a top-seventy recruit and one of the top-ten remaining seniors on the market. He looks to be a key target for Michigan, and Michigan would love to impress him in Ann Arbor on his official visit.
Other, Just as Probable, Options:
Franz Wagner - Freshman:
Another Wagner! Franz Wagner is perhaps the most enigmatic target on the board for Michigan's 2019 targets. Wagner is a 6'7", nearly 6'8", wing who plays for Alba Berlin. He is shooting 40% across all competitions from three this season and has a beautiful stroke from long range. When interviewed by 247Sports he highlighted only Butler, Michigan, and Stanford as colleges that prioritized him. However, there is the question of whether or not Franz wants to go pro with Alba in Germany, and that would seem to be the key conflict. There is news breaking that John Beilein is set to visit Franz in Germany next week, but that remains to be confirmed. This would be a massive statement of intent and seems to fit in the trend of seeing every key player that could come into the program in the 2019 late signing period. Franz's key attribute for this Michigan team is his shooting, and he could potentially play a role early in his career as his brother (eventually) did. The experience he has at such a high European level lends itself well to the potential success he could also have at a collegiate level, and the added plus of Franz likely being in Ann Arbor for at least two seasons is another positive. Able to take the ball strong to the rim, combined with the ability to shoot from deep, not to mention the family aspect, makes Franz one of the most exciting 2019 options.
Nah'Shon Hyland - Freshman:
Hyland has been a late-bloomer and currently seems to be one of the hottest-on-the-radar recruits at the moment. Hyland is a 6'3" guard from Delaware that has taken a huge leap as of late into 247Sports' top-seventy (despite this, though, he still sits 165th in the composite). Hyland accidentally may have dropped the news that Michigan does not expect Jordan Poole back when discussing the team's interest in him, but what matters is that the Wolverines are now in pursuit of the player that Rivals listed as the top unsigned Under Armour Association senior. At this moment, Hyland took two official visits -- St. Joseph's and Temple -- but is looking to set one up to VCU, who appear to be the slight leaders at the moment. Hyland is a smooth guard that has rocketed up the recruiting charts thanks to his easy-to-watch game. His best aspect is definitely the ability to drive the ball to the rim, but he is competent in all three scoring facets. The key concern with Hyland is whether or not he will be able to contribute right away to a Michigan team that needs scoring. If Harlond Beverly, an overall solid shooter, albeit unspectacular, had those questions lobbed around him, certainly the same is going to be asked of Hyland. His high school highlights do include some impressively deep threes drilled, and the shot itself is pure, but, as you'd expect from a kid nicknamed 'Bones', he has some physical development to do. Hyland is a top-seventy prospect now for a reason, but a lot of that is likely to do with his potential for a team like Michigan, or another high-major.
The Outsiders:
Jaevin Cumberland - Oakland Grad Transfer:
David Skogman - Freshman:
Rounding out this list is someone who was just briefly looked at by Michigan, but is worth noting just in case. Skogman is a 6'10" center from Wisconsin who, while still under the radar, received offers from Texas Tech and Rutgers, among other low-major schools. More recently, after two unofficial visits, he was offered a preferred walk-on option to his home-state Wisconsin Badgers. His ability to stretch the floor and take, and make, threes while also getting to the basket is incredibly impressive for a big man, and he could end up as one of the sleeper freshman of the 2019-20 college basketball season if he does not redshirt. Listed at 210 pounds, Skogman will likely need to develop more physically, especially if he is to play in the Big Ten. I see a bit of Moritz Wagner in his game, especially in the ability to get to the rim and finish with a variety of post moves, but I think a team like his hometown Wisconsin could see a poor-man's Ethan Happ in the 2019 H.S. senior. He has overcome cardiac arrest last summer and seen his recruitment rocket, with offers from Vanderbilt, Minnesota, and interest from Marquette since then. I really like Skogman's tape and think he could have a bright future, but his attributes just don't fit what Michigan immediately needs.
What to Expect:
With two open scholarships so late in the signing period, and with the players potentially leaving those scholarships vacant being so important, it is really tough to expect perfection when it comes to filling the roles. The tiers of this breakdown really just serve as organizational tools, as it seems like when it comes to the top four, Michigan is giving each player their due. Pierce and Quinones are differentiated only in the fact that they have visits set. Hyland could potentially visit and may be made Michigan's lead guard recruit depending on Quinones' recruitment. Likewise, Beilein flying out to Germany is about as close as Michigan will get when it comes to an on-campus visit for Franz. This is truly a 'top four' and 'everyone else', especially with news breaking that Eric Williams, a Michigan native, and Duquesne 'sit-one, play-two' transfer, has cut his list down to Missouri and Oregon. Cumberland seems almost a certain lock for Cincinnati, and Skogman's interest seemed to be fleeting for the Michigan coaching staff.
When it comes to predictions, things are tough. I find it hard to believe that Michigan has lasted in a recruitment so long with schools like LSU and Maryland, who consistently have questions surrounding them with recruiting integrity. I just do not see Quinones coming to Michigan when he has been so closely linked to Memphis and Penny Hardaway, and LSU before that. His priorities seem to be elsewhere despite the upcoming visit. Likewise, I think Justin Pierce being from Chicago has given Notre Dame a real edge, especially considering they have been on the ball when it comes to recruiting him. That leaves Franz and Hyland. I believe, ultimately, Michigan will get Franz Wagner and Franz Wagner alone in this late period. Hyland may be a priority, but the late bloomer status and positive buzz means that other teams, especially other east coast teams, will be in on him heavily to fill late roster needs. Things could always change. Recruiting is very much an inexact science. Right now, however, this is where I stand.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for plenty more Michigan basketball coverage, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Liverpool FC coverage as well!
Confirmed Visitors:
Justin Pierce - William & Mary Grad Transfer:
Pierce is a player I've discussed several times on the blog at this point. He's highlighted in my grad transfer post available to read here and plenty of various sites have discussed him plenty. ESPN's Jeff Borzello has him listed as the #5 best available grad transfer on the market, and the attention he has brought to himself as a result of his play is certainly worth that billing. Pierce has been selective with his choices in terms of visits, and he has narrowed his list down to three: Notre Dame, Michigan, and North Carolina. With a visit already to South Bend under his belt, he looks to visit Michigan the weekend of the 19th-21st, and will follow that up with a trip to North Carolina the weekend after. He has said he would like to have a grad school selected by the time of his graduation from William & Mary, which takes place on May 11th. His choices of schools emphasize his smarts, and he would be an immediate piece for whichever school he chooses.
Looking at a fit in the Michigan line-up is very intriguing to me, and would depend on how the remaining scholarship would hypothetically be filled. Pierce stands at 6'7" and is listed as a guard/forward according to the Tribe's website, but I really don't see him as a shooting guard in the Michigan offense. A lot of what he can do makes me believe he would be a fantastic fit at the power forward spot while Isaiah Livers serves as a sort of a Charles Matthews-type player -- albeit with better shooting. I covered in the previous run-down of him his general stats and the drop in shooting percentages, but Michigan does need creators as well. Even if his shot cannot get back to the 41.6% clip of his sophomore season, if he can shoot around Brazdeikis' numbers while offering strong takes and creation for others, that would be huge for this Michigan offense. With that said, senior point guard Zavier Simpson is going to be the key creator and he does need to be surrounded with players on the perimeter that can shoot. Pierce is going to need to do that with some success if he is to commit to Michigan.
Lester Quinones - Freshman:
With one of the longer and odder recruitments of the period, Quinones has seemingly had several favorites up until now, where things are more murky. Once thought to be a heavy LSU lean, then Memphis, Quinones remains uncommitted and looking at plenty of schools. At one stage, Quinones did give an official final seven of Georgia, Indiana, LSU, Maryland, Memphis, Michigan, and Ohio State, but he would also end up adding Florida to that list when speaking to Adam Zagoria. In 2018, Quinones made a pair of official visits to LSU and Maryland, but in March he also made one to Memphis. Now, Quinones has two more officials set up: Indiana for April 24th-26th, and Michigan for April 29th & 30th. LSU and Memphis remain expected to contact Quinones once the dead period ends, and Quinones had an in-home visit with Maryland on the last day of March, so it appears to be a race between five key players in hopes of obtaining Quinones' signature.
What makes Quinones such an attractive option for so many schools is his shooting ability. The shot itself is unorthodox in nature, Quinones brings it in front of him down to his hip before rising back up with the release, but the results are not. Of all the targets, Quinones is probably the best shooter and has the brightest outlook in helping the team's greatest needs in the most immediate manner. Shooting 41.8% at the FIBA Americas U18 Championship for the Dominican Republic is a strong sign of continued success for the current IMG Academy post-grad student. Standing at 6'5", Quinones is also an athletic two-guard and would probably be guaranteed a decent amount of minutes despite being just a freshman. The question of who starts at shooting guard is probably the biggest one when talking about Michigan, and the probable answer, no matter who may be incoming, is likely Eli Brooks. With the gets in the past couple of years, it has only seemed like a matter of time before John Beilein went small with his starting line-up. With Brooks showing off some impressive defense in the postseason, along with a bit more confidence in his shot, it would seem to be that the position is the soon-to-be-junior's for the taking. Where things get concerning is the depth, and that is where Quinones is able to immediately slot in. If Brooks needs to take a shift at point guard, or simply needs a blow at the two-guard, questions remain if Adrien Nunez will be ready, let alone if Cole Bajema can play that role walking through the door. Quinones is a top-seventy recruit and one of the top-ten remaining seniors on the market. He looks to be a key target for Michigan, and Michigan would love to impress him in Ann Arbor on his official visit.
Other, Just as Probable, Options:
Franz Wagner - Freshman:
Another Wagner! Franz Wagner is perhaps the most enigmatic target on the board for Michigan's 2019 targets. Wagner is a 6'7", nearly 6'8", wing who plays for Alba Berlin. He is shooting 40% across all competitions from three this season and has a beautiful stroke from long range. When interviewed by 247Sports he highlighted only Butler, Michigan, and Stanford as colleges that prioritized him. However, there is the question of whether or not Franz wants to go pro with Alba in Germany, and that would seem to be the key conflict. There is news breaking that John Beilein is set to visit Franz in Germany next week, but that remains to be confirmed. This would be a massive statement of intent and seems to fit in the trend of seeing every key player that could come into the program in the 2019 late signing period. Franz's key attribute for this Michigan team is his shooting, and he could potentially play a role early in his career as his brother (eventually) did. The experience he has at such a high European level lends itself well to the potential success he could also have at a collegiate level, and the added plus of Franz likely being in Ann Arbor for at least two seasons is another positive. Able to take the ball strong to the rim, combined with the ability to shoot from deep, not to mention the family aspect, makes Franz one of the most exciting 2019 options.
Nah'Shon Hyland - Freshman:
Hyland has been a late-bloomer and currently seems to be one of the hottest-on-the-radar recruits at the moment. Hyland is a 6'3" guard from Delaware that has taken a huge leap as of late into 247Sports' top-seventy (despite this, though, he still sits 165th in the composite). Hyland accidentally may have dropped the news that Michigan does not expect Jordan Poole back when discussing the team's interest in him, but what matters is that the Wolverines are now in pursuit of the player that Rivals listed as the top unsigned Under Armour Association senior. At this moment, Hyland took two official visits -- St. Joseph's and Temple -- but is looking to set one up to VCU, who appear to be the slight leaders at the moment. Hyland is a smooth guard that has rocketed up the recruiting charts thanks to his easy-to-watch game. His best aspect is definitely the ability to drive the ball to the rim, but he is competent in all three scoring facets. The key concern with Hyland is whether or not he will be able to contribute right away to a Michigan team that needs scoring. If Harlond Beverly, an overall solid shooter, albeit unspectacular, had those questions lobbed around him, certainly the same is going to be asked of Hyland. His high school highlights do include some impressively deep threes drilled, and the shot itself is pure, but, as you'd expect from a kid nicknamed 'Bones', he has some physical development to do. Hyland is a top-seventy prospect now for a reason, but a lot of that is likely to do with his potential for a team like Michigan, or another high-major.
The Outsiders:
Jaevin Cumberland - Oakland Grad Transfer:
A home-state transfer is always intriguing, and Jaevin Cumberland fits the bill. An Ohio native, Cumberland stands 6'3" and is coming off a breakout senior season where, after being buried on the bench, Cumberland exploded to play an average of just over 37 minutes per game from Greg Kampe and the Golden Grizzlies. This recruitment would almost certainly point to Cincinnati, given a new coach and his cousin playing there currently, but Cumberland is worth giving a look to. Cumberland averaged 17.2 points and 3.5 assists per game with Oakland while shooting 40% from three with 273 attempts. He would slot in nicely for Michigan's offense as a shooting guard that can get his own shot when needed, and someone that would have no fear in taking a boatload of shots. Paired with a guy like Justin Pierce, that would make for a very experience starting line-up for Michigan. The question is, as always is the case of mid-major transfers, especially from a lower-major conference like the Horizon League, is if that level of sustainable production is there. That is something that it looks like Cincinnati will be weighing.
David Skogman - Freshman:
Rounding out this list is someone who was just briefly looked at by Michigan, but is worth noting just in case. Skogman is a 6'10" center from Wisconsin who, while still under the radar, received offers from Texas Tech and Rutgers, among other low-major schools. More recently, after two unofficial visits, he was offered a preferred walk-on option to his home-state Wisconsin Badgers. His ability to stretch the floor and take, and make, threes while also getting to the basket is incredibly impressive for a big man, and he could end up as one of the sleeper freshman of the 2019-20 college basketball season if he does not redshirt. Listed at 210 pounds, Skogman will likely need to develop more physically, especially if he is to play in the Big Ten. I see a bit of Moritz Wagner in his game, especially in the ability to get to the rim and finish with a variety of post moves, but I think a team like his hometown Wisconsin could see a poor-man's Ethan Happ in the 2019 H.S. senior. He has overcome cardiac arrest last summer and seen his recruitment rocket, with offers from Vanderbilt, Minnesota, and interest from Marquette since then. I really like Skogman's tape and think he could have a bright future, but his attributes just don't fit what Michigan immediately needs.
What to Expect:
With two open scholarships so late in the signing period, and with the players potentially leaving those scholarships vacant being so important, it is really tough to expect perfection when it comes to filling the roles. The tiers of this breakdown really just serve as organizational tools, as it seems like when it comes to the top four, Michigan is giving each player their due. Pierce and Quinones are differentiated only in the fact that they have visits set. Hyland could potentially visit and may be made Michigan's lead guard recruit depending on Quinones' recruitment. Likewise, Beilein flying out to Germany is about as close as Michigan will get when it comes to an on-campus visit for Franz. This is truly a 'top four' and 'everyone else', especially with news breaking that Eric Williams, a Michigan native, and Duquesne 'sit-one, play-two' transfer, has cut his list down to Missouri and Oregon. Cumberland seems almost a certain lock for Cincinnati, and Skogman's interest seemed to be fleeting for the Michigan coaching staff.
When it comes to predictions, things are tough. I find it hard to believe that Michigan has lasted in a recruitment so long with schools like LSU and Maryland, who consistently have questions surrounding them with recruiting integrity. I just do not see Quinones coming to Michigan when he has been so closely linked to Memphis and Penny Hardaway, and LSU before that. His priorities seem to be elsewhere despite the upcoming visit. Likewise, I think Justin Pierce being from Chicago has given Notre Dame a real edge, especially considering they have been on the ball when it comes to recruiting him. That leaves Franz and Hyland. I believe, ultimately, Michigan will get Franz Wagner and Franz Wagner alone in this late period. Hyland may be a priority, but the late bloomer status and positive buzz means that other teams, especially other east coast teams, will be in on him heavily to fill late roster needs. Things could always change. Recruiting is very much an inexact science. Right now, however, this is where I stand.
Follow me on Twitter @RMAB_Ryan for plenty more Michigan basketball coverage, as well as AFC Ann Arbor and Liverpool FC coverage as well!
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