Twitter Tuesday: Michigan targets; Banchero to join Chandler?
In today's Twitter Tuesday mailbag, Rivals.com Basketball analyst Corey Evans takes a look Michigan’s remaining needs in the 2021 class, examines what Kennedy Chandler’s commitment means for Tennessee, dishes on Memphis’ recruiting board and much more.
Starting Five: Bradley Beal Elite Challenge, more impact decisions coming
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Position
2022 Rankings: Top 75
Michigan is definitely still in it for Trevor Keels, but Duke and Villanova are the two to beat. Keels has said very little, at least publicly, about where things stand with his recruitment but it would come as a mild surprise if he did not pick the Blue Devils or Wildcats in the end. Michigan has remained in touch, as has North Carolina and Virginia, but it will not be easy to top Duke or Villanova. I wouldn't hold my breath if I was a Wolverine fan.
Harrison Ingram is a different story. I am still sticking with Purdue or Stanford for him, but if it isn't the Boilermakers or Cardinal, Michigan would be the pick. Sure, North Carolina remains in the picture, as does Harvard and Howard, but the Wolverines have made Ingram a major priority since offering earlier in the spring.
Juwan Howard has piqued Ingram's interest enough to the point that it has made the Wolverines a legitimate contender for his commitment. A decision on signing in the fall or waiting until the spring has not been decided.
I mean, it can’t hurt and how could it? Tennessee has long been viewed as a potential dark horse for Paolo Banchero and the Vols' position has only been enhanced with the commitment of his good friend, Kennedy Chandler, on Friday. Tennessee is going to be more than just a hat on the table whenever Banchero is ready to commit and may now be the team to beat for the top-five big man.
Now, Banchero's commitment will not come easy. We are talking about arguably the best prospect in his class. He can wait as long as he wants before deciding, and that could be as early as next week or as late as next summer.
Banchero has been vocal about visiting all of his finalists - Arizona, Duke, Gonzaga, Kentucky, Tennessee and Washington - one last time before deciding but that could prove to be difficult due to the continued restrictions on in-person recruiting. The Huskies are the local program and both of his parents played at UW. Arizona has continued to make Banchero a top priority. Kentucky could have an issue thanks to the departure of Kenny Payne, who was Banchero’s lead recruiter. Gonzaga is Gonzaga, so the Bulldogs are going to get a hard look. I keep coming back to Duke for Banchero. Coach K has made him one of the select few that he really wants in the 2021 class and that could strike a chord with Banchero.
It is going to be a sprint to the finish with still no clear-cut favorite for Banchero. However, Chandler’s decision could be just what Rick Barnes needed to take another leap in the recruitment of the five-star.
If there is any 2021 prospect that Memphis has a better chance with than the rest, it's Deebo Coleman. The four-star’s relationship with Penny Hardaway goes way back to his time playing for Team Penny as a middle schooler before Hardaway took over as the Tigers' head coach.
Coleman, who is a Memphis native but moved to Jacksonville shortly before high school, doesn’t seem to be in much of a rush to make his decision, but the Tigers have to like where they sit. Along with Coleman, Memphis fans should also keep tabs on JD Davison, Carter Whitt, John Camden, Chet Holmgren, Charles Bediako and Sam Ayomide.
As far as the transfer waiver process goes, we are not going to hear about whether Landers Nolley and/or DeAndre Williams will be eligible until those rulings are made.
You have to like Oregon's chances with Ben Gregg. He lives less than a two-hour drive from Eugene and the Ducks have a need for someone with his exact skill set.
We will find out where he is going on Sept. 9, but it is not a done deal for Oregon just yet. If he chooses to leave the West Coast, Virginia could be the destination. Tony Bennett created a name for himself at Washington State before taking over at UVA and Bennett has remained involved for a number of West Coast prospects in recent years. Arizona and Oregon State are also involved. The Beavers may have recruited him the hardest compared to all others, but defeating Arizona, Oregon and Virginia will not be easy.
Well, Texas Tech already has one in the hopper in Jaylon Tyson, a smooth and talented wing that would absolutely have blown up this spring if it wasn’t for the pandemic. Chris Beard should feel a bit fortunate that there weren’t live period events because earning Tyson's commitment would have been an even more difficult task. A giant shot-making wing that has some toughness to him, Tyson is a major win for the Red Raiders.
Who might join him remains up in the air. Marcus Santos-Silva is the program's lone graduating senior-to-be, but even if Terrence Shannon and Nimari Burnett leave for the NBA, Texas Tech does not have face as great of a need with the 2021 class as it has in past years.
The Red Raiders will definitely be a player in the transfer portal next spring and one should expect at least one or two additions from that realm. Outside of maybe Jaden Hardy and Deebo Coleman, there are no potential Texas Tech commitments that should be expected any time soon. Look for the Red Raiders to wait for things to play out next year via the transfer portal and, in the meantime, invest early attention into the 2022 class.