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Michigan basketball needs to pursue former five-star forward in transfer potal

The Wolverines need to be in pursuit of a former five-star power forward in the portal.

Published

2 months ago

on

Michigan basketball, transfer portal, Yohan Traore
Jan 21, 2023; Columbia, South Carolina, USA; Auburn Tigers forward Yohan Traore (21) attempts a three point basket against the South Carolina Gamecocks in the first half at Colonial Life Arena. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Blake-USA TODAY Sports

The Michigan Wolverines are coming off of one of the most disappointing seasons in recent memory. Despite having been to the Final Four twice in the past decade and winning numerous Big Ten titles — as recently as 2021 — Michigan basketball appears to be heading in the wrong direction right now after being knocked out of the NIT by Vanderbilt. Heading into the 2023-24 season, it’s clear that Juwan Howard and his staff will need to hit the transfer portal a bit in order to remaining competitive, and a perfect candidate is now on the market: former five-star forward Yohan Traore.

Yohan Traore hits transfer portal, Michigan basketball should be in pursuit

As a recruit, Yohan Traore was rated as a five-star prospect and was ranked as the No. 23 player in the nation, the No. 4 power forward in the 2022 class, and the No. 1 player in the state of Arizona. Now, after just one season with the Auburn Tigers, Traore is in the transfer portal in search of a new home. His freshman year stats are not impressive, though he only appeared in 10 games and averaged less than nine minutes of playing time per game.

Michigan basketball is in need of some help at the power forward position, and getting one of the better players in the transfer portal to fill that need would be massive for Juwan Howard’s team heading into a must-win season next year. Traore boasts an impressive 6-foot-10, 225-pound frame and loads of talent, so he should be a top priority recruit for the Wolverines right now.

Traore says farewell to Auburn

Here is what Yohan Traore had to say before entering his name into the transfer portal (per On3):

“I am grateful to be a part of the Auburn Tiger community. My time in Auburn has taught me lessons that extend far beyond the basketball court. I have given 100% to the University on and off of the court. A heartfelt thanks to Coach Pearl for recruiting me and giving me the opportunity to play at Auburn. I also want to thank the entire Auburn staff for giving me the opportunity to play under their leadership this past year. To my teammates, thank you for always being by my side, you guys have become family to me.

“Most importantly I would like to thank the Auburn community for embracing and supporting me throughout my time here. I will always remember and appreciate you, but the time has come for me to enter the transfer portal and take that next step as a basketball player. Thank you all for respecting my decision. WarDamnEagle!”

Now, it’s time for Michigan basketball to get to work on his recruitment and bring his talents to Ann Arbor in order to build more of a presence when it comes to the team’s power forwards.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics 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 Managing Editor at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. Also, be sure to check out our shop and our podcast, which is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and all other steaming platforms. It is because of your support that we have become one of the fastest and most influential Michigan media outlets there is!

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BB RECRUITING

Major four-star Michigan basketball recruiting target signs with agency for NIL rep

A top 2024 target for Juwan Howard has signed with the Level 13 Agency.

Published

2 weeks ago

on

May 24, 2023

By

Michigan basketball, John Bol, NIL
Feb 5, 2023; Ann Arbor, Michigan, USA; Referee holds th ball during the second half of the game between the Michigan Wolverines and the Ohio State Buckeyes at Crisler Center. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY Sports

Today, four-star Michigan basketball recruiting target John Bol, out of Sunrise Christian in Kansas, partnered with a new NIL representation agency. Bol is currently trending towards landing in the Maize and Blue, and this new NIL representation could help the Wolverines with their NIL struggles if he chooses to come to Ann Arbor.

Michigan basketball recruiting target signs with Level 13 Agency for NIL representation

According to a new report, John Bol has signed with Level 13 Agency, a major NIL representation agency, with the goal of securing more NIL attention. The landscape of college athletics is currently undergoing significant changes, particularly with respect to NIL deals, making representation crucial for young athletes.

Based on ON3’s rankings, Bol is a four-star recruit from Kansas and is regarded as one of the nation’s top recruits. He is ranked at No. 24 nationally, No. 2 among centers, and No. 1 among Kansas recruits in the Industry Rankings. According to the Recruiting Prediction Machine, Michigan basketball currently holds the lead in his recruitment, surpassing teams such as Missouri, Florida, and Nebraska.

John Bol possesses incredible talent, but what truly sets him apart is his 7-foot-2, 190-pound frame, which gives him a distinct advantage over many formidable competitors. Juwan Howard seems to be experiencing a bit of a slump at the moment, losing momentum both on the court and in recruiting. However, if he can secure additional top-tier recruits, such as Bol, the Wolverines may quickly regain their footing.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics 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 Managing Editor at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. 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!

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BB RECRUITING

Michigan basketball recruiting: Wolverines land top-150 class of 2024 recruit

Michigan basketball recruiting has received its second commit in the 2024 class!

Published

4 weeks ago

on

May 14, 2023

By

Michigan basketball recruiting, Durral Brooks
Mar 5, 2023; Bloomington, Indiana, USA; Michigan Wolverines head coach Juwan Howard in the first half against the Indiana Hoosiers at Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

ANN ARBOR, MI — After a disappointing end to the 2023 basketball season, Juwan Howard has been active in the recruiting process to right the ship for future years. Earlier today, Michigan basketball recruiting landed their second major commitment for the 2024 recruiting class.

Michigan basketball recruiting: Wolverines receive commitment from a big-time in-state recruit

Durral Brooks, a four-star point guard, announced his commitment to Michigan earlier today. Brooks’ only official visit was back in October when he visited Ann Arbor. However, Brooks took two unofficial visits to Michigan State, another school listed in his top five.

Despite being pursued by Michigan State, Dayton and Butler, Brooks ultimately decided to become a Wolverine and will join Juwann Howard’s 2024 recruitment class as the second commitment.

Brooks played basketball at Catholic Central High School in Grand Rapids, Michigan. In both his sophomore and junior seasons, Catholic Central High School won their conference and finished the season top 25 in the state of Michigan. Brooks currently stands at 6-foot-2 following his junior season.

Looking forward to the class of 2024

Brooks is ranked 13th among point guards in the nation and No. 1 in Michigan according to 247 sports composite rankings. Michigan landed another four-star guard back in 2021 when Christian Anderson announced his early commitment to the 2024 class. Brooks and Anderson now make up the 22nd-best recruiting class for 2024.

Michigan is also in a fantastic position to land five-star center John Bol from Wichita, Kansas. After the loss of Hunter Dickinson to the transfer portal, Michigan needs another center. Bol, who stands tall at 7-foot-1, would fit the bill perfectly and help round out a 2024 recruiting class that currently only consists of guards.

Michigan has also expressed interest in three other five-star recruits. Among them is Boogie Fland, a 6-foot-3 guard from White Plains, New York, who currently has Michigan atop his college list. Fland officially visited Ann Arbor on May 4th and is a big-time recruit to watch for the 2024 class.

Despite a disappointing previous season, the future of Michigan basketball is looking bright. The 2024 class now has two significant commitments, and the sky is the limit for Juwan Howard.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics 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 Managing Editor at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. 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!

 

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BB RECRUITING

Michigan Wolverines basketball recruiting closing in on top-30 recruit in 2024 class

The 2024 Michigan Wolverines basketball recruiting class is closing in on a major top 30 recruit: Amier Ali.

Published

1 month ago

on

April 27, 2023

By

Michigan basketball, top-30 prospect Amier Ali, Michigan Wolverines basketball recruiting
© Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Juwan Howard is hard at work assembling the next great Michigan Wolverines basketball recruiting class. Following a poor season in 2022-23, the Wolverines are looking to reload in the coming seasons and have already snagged some top talent via the transfer portal since the season ended. This week, four-star forward and top-30 composite recruit Amier Ali released his top-8, and Michigan basketball made the cut along with some elite company.

Michigan Wolverines basketball recruiting: Michigan in the running for elite 2024 prospect

Amier Ali is one of the top national recruits according to every major recruiting outlet. The 247 Sports Composite rankings list Amier Ali is a composite four-star forward and rank him as the No. 28 recruit nationally, the No. 8 small forward, and the No. 6 recruit in the state of Florida. He is a product of IMG Academy — one of the nation’s top athletic high schools — and has an impressive 6-foot-8, 175-pound frame. Ali has tons of national interest.

Ali released top-8

Earlier this week, Amier Ali released his final eight remaining schools, and Michigan basketball made the cut. In addition to the Wolverines, Ali is still considering Ohio State, Kentucky, Texas, Arizona State, Florida State, Alabama, and Arkansas. If Juwan Howard can add Ali to his Michigan Wolverines basketball recruiting class, he would be landing one of the best players in the nation that could be an immediate game-changer on the court.

How does the 2024 Michigan Wolverines basketball recruiting class look so far?

So far, Juwan Howard’s 2024 recruiting class ranks No. 21 in the nation per the 247 Sports Composite; it has one commit thus far: four-star point guard Cristian Anderson out of Atlanta, GA — Anderson is ranked as the No. 108 recruit in the class and the No. 14 point guard in the nation.

Thank you for reading Blue by Ninety. For more Michigan Athletics 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 Managing Editor at Cj@BluebyNinety.com. 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!

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