BREAKING: Michigan basketball lands top international prospect

Michigan basketball has just gained a massive addition to the 2023 roster. Earlier today, Joe Tipton of On3 announced that Argentinian international prospect Lee Aaliya has committed to the Michigan Wolverines for the 2023 recruiting class.

International prospect Lee Aaliya announces commitment to Michigan basketball

After losing Hunter Dickinson to the transfer portal, Michigan basketball has been looking to add more tall players to the team. At 6-foot-9, Aaliya will make a great addition to the Wolverines as a forward.

Among other schools that fought for Aaliya’s commitment were Miami and Providence. Aaliya will join George Washington III in Michigan’s 2023 freshman class. They are currently the only two freshman additions for 2023, with all other recruits being acquired via the transfer portal.

Aaliya says he chose Juwan Howard and the Wolverines over Miami, Providence, and others. pic.twitter.com/W4EusY6ddD

— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) August 26, 2023

Aaliya had a breakout performance playing for Argentina this July at the FIBA U19 World Cup. At the tournament, Aaliya averaged 17.1 points and 9 rebounds per game. He converted on 56.2 percent of his field goals during that time as well.

Against Canada, Aaliya recorded 20 rebounds — his single-game high during the tournament. He also blocked three shots in that same game.

While Aaliya may have a tall physical frame, he has plenty of room to grow in the shooting department. In the tournament, Aaliya converted exactly one-third of his three-point attempts and shot an abysmal 30.8 percent from the free-throw line.

Aaliya will provide Michigan basketball with depth at the forward position and could develop into an elite starter in the future.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics and Big Ten content from Blue by Ninety, follow us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our YouTube Channel.

For feedback, questions, concerns, or to apply for a writing position, please email our Publisher at [email protected]. 

Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other streaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest-growing and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!