Michael Walz's recruitment is heating up quickly

Based on his sheer size alone, it is hard not to notice 6-foot-11 Michael Walz when he walks onto the floor for his Philly Pride UAA 17u team. Then, once the game tips off, it is hard not to notice the production. Walz is a load on the block as he has touch over both shoulders and long arms on the boards. If the double team comes, he has excellent vision, passing away from the help. Walz can also step out and knock down the catch and shoot three.

“I feel like I am a very well diversified as a player. My best skill is probably my passing and my defense as my length enables me to get out on scorers. Once I get the ball moving around, people back off of me and leave me open to shoot my shot, which I can make extending out to three. Obviously, if there is a smaller guy on me, I am able to go work in the paint," Walz said.

It has been quite the year for the Berwyn (Pa.) Conestoga High junior, as a lot of recruitment has come on quickly for him.

“At this time last year, I didn’t have any offers and I wasn’t even on the radar of any coaches. Playing for Philly Pride has really opened some eyes. I worked all of quarantine with my coach and things just got clicking. It has opened up opportunities I honestly never thought would come.” Walz said, “I have offers from Lehigh, Saint Joseph’s, La Salle and Penn State right now and I think Lehigh and Saint Joe’s are the two schools I am in contact with the most.”

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2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2022 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position

2023 Rankings: Top 30

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Saint Joseph’s: “I love the staff over there; we have had a bunch of Zooms and I have been in contact with them a lot. Head coach Billy Lange is a great guy and so is coach Justin Scott. They want me there and that is probably the best thing a coach can do to recruit me. Their bigs have a lot of flexibility there, they can handle and shoot the ball. In the film their bigs don’t necessarily get sucked down low the entire time like other programs. They let their bigs space the floor and want to come in and play at the high post, playing outside, in.”

Lehigh: “Their coaches, all of them, reach out to me all the time. They have made me feel like family and make that school feel like home. They give their bigs flexibility but with more of an emphasis on playing inside. So, they have talked to me about playing inside out. I love what they have to offer, great school.”

“I have been talking to William & Mary a lot. It is a great place to be, my favorite subject is history and the historical nature of the town really sticks out. I would love an offer from them. As well as Patriot League and other A10 schools.”

“I have been talking with Lehigh and I am going up there to visit on June 2, the day after things open up. I am also talking with Saint Joseph’s and they want to get me there that first week as well, right after the Lehigh offer. I am also talking with Davidson; they want to get me down to North Carolina. We haven’t talked about official visits yet, but they made it very clear that as soon as things open up they want to get me down to the campus,” Walz said.

“I want something relatively close by, don’t really want to go across the country. I expect this AAU season to possibly open up some more opportunities.” Walz said, “The big thing is family for me, I want to be where I am wanted and I want to be where I fit in. Obviously I want to be playing, but the biggest thing for me is winning, I want to win. I don’t want to play for a program that will be coming toward the bottom of the standings every year. That is really what it will come down to, family and winning.”