Phat Phat Brooks enters the transfer portal

Freshman guard Durral “Phat Phat” Brooks has joined fellow guards Tre Donaldson, Jace Howard, and Justin Pippen in entering the transfer portal. Brooks was named Mr. Basketball in the state of Michigan, making him the first Michigan recruit to have received the award since Isaiah Livers in 2017.

Brooks likely had high hopes for his time at Michigan; having grown up in Grand Rapids, he’s always been familiar with Michigan Athletics, the basketball program, and its history.

Related: Dusty May details why Tre Donaldson transferred

In his exit announcement on X, Brooks wrote, “I’ve loved everything about (Michigan Basketball) since I was in diapers and that feeling will never change. It’s a special place and I appreciate my teammates, coaches, and every member of the maize n blue community who has supported my growth.”

Brooks’ Ceiling Could Be Higher Somewhere Other Than Michigan

In his maize and blue debut against Cleveland State he scored four points, which remained his career-high throughout the season. The Cleveland State game was Brooks’ strongest all season, as he played 12 minutes and also had a career-high of two rebounds which he subsequently tied in the Wake Forest and Tarleton State games.

More: Michigan men’s basketball has ‘street cred’ in recruiting following Dusty May’s first season

Unfortunately, Brooks did not have a very successful freshman season overall. Though he appeared in 15 games off the bench, he averaged fewer than one point and one rebound per game. With all the talent on Dusty May’s first Michigan roster, competition was steep and Brooks simply struggled to stand out. By entering his name into the transfer portal as a sophomore, he will hopefully open up doors for opportunity and growth.

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