Twitter Tuesday: Michigan, Makur Maker, Indiana, UNC, Memphis
In this week’s Twitter Tuesday mailbag, Rivals.com Basketball Analyst Corey Evans spotlights Michigan’s early work in the 2021 class, looks at what's ahead for Makur Maker, predicts where Indiana and North Carolina will strike next and more.
*****
More: Harrison Ingram cuts school list to 10
2020 Rankings: Rivals150 | Team | Position
2021 Rankings: Rivals150 | Position
2022 Rankings: Top 75
*****
Michigan has begun to cast a wider net in the 2021 class despite not being completely done with its roster for next season. Following the Wolverines' miss on Josh Christopher, the decommitment of Isaiah Todd and rash of transfers, look for Michigan to add at least one more to its 2020 class before moving on to 2021.
In the meantime, Michigan handed out offers to Harrison Ingram and Angelo Brizzi last week. Ingram included the Wolverines in his top 10 on Monday, and Brizzi has a good relationship with assistant coach Phil Martelli.
The 2021 class is going to be a big one for the Wolverines as they will lose four to graduation, and Franz Wagner could also leave before exhausting his eligibility. They’re out on Kennedy Chandler and Paolo Banchero, and I don’t see the program landing Chet Holmgren, Michael Foster, Max Christie or Jaden Hardy.
Michigan's best chance for success come with in-staters Kobe Bufkin and Jaden Akins, and they should snag at least one of the two. The Wolverines have also placed a greater emphasis on Matthew Cleveland, Isaiah Barnes and Jalen Warley. Finally, keep an eye on Caleb Houstan, a top-five sophomore that could reclassify later this summer.
*****
I am not taking the bait just yet on Makur Maker. While there has been talk in recent days that he could potentially attend college in the fall instead of pursuing a professional career straight away, there is an 80% chance that he picks the latter in the end.
If Maker were to attend college, he could land at Auburn, Kentucky, Oregon or UCLA. The question then becomes whether Maker can qualify and if any of those landing spots can offer what he is looking for during his likely lone year in college. It does help that eligibility restrictions were lowered some earlier this spring in light of the ongoing pandemic.
In the meantime, the question is whether Maker is actually allowed to enter the G League seeing that he is eligible to enter the 2020 NBA Draft.
However, Maker’s stock has fluctuated all year and it does not seem to be anywhere near the high that it was last summer. If the G League option is on the table, then I expect him to take it before entering the 2021 NBA Draft.
*****
Can I cheat and say that Khristian Lander will reclassify into the 2020 class as my commitment prediction? I kid, but I do expect that to happen before another decision pops Indiana's way.
Currently, Lander and three-star center Logan Duncomb make up Indiana’s top-five 2021 class. Archie Miller would love to add another good-sized scoring wing and a versatile forward in the frontcourt. Blake Wesley and Aminu Mohammed fit the bill along the perimeter while Trey Patterson and Trey Kaufman hit their target at the 4-spot.
I know there is some talk that Kaufman is holding out for a Kentucky offer and that Virginia is also a sneaky contender, but I like where the Hoosiers sit with him. Maybe he holds off from committing but I like IU’s chances and would say that he is the next to say yes to Miller's program.
*****
That is the giant question in Chapel Hill now that North Carolina has completed its roster for next season. The Tar Heels will enroll an absolutely loaded six-man class this season. While Kerwin Walton, Puff Johnson and R.J. Davis are more than one-year college standouts, the jury is out on whether Caleb Love, Walker Kessler and Day’Ron Sharpe will leave after their freshmen season.
If that is the case then it would equate to another crucially important class for Roy Williams and his staff. Dontrez Styles is an awesome start in 2021 but the Tar Heels are also out on Paolo Banchero and remain in catch-up mode with Harrison Ingram.
Kennedy Chandler kept North Carolina on his final school list but Tennessee is the team to beat. I would monitor Hunter Sallis, who just picked up an offer from the Tar Heels last week. He could be the next five-star lead guard to pick the Heels but a decision is still far out of sight.
Chet Holmgren just picked up an offer, too, and North Carolina has started to express greater interest in Jabari Smith. Trevor Keels holds an offer from the blueblood, as does likely reclass candidate Caleb Houstan.
This just means that picking North Carolina’s 2021 class may be the most difficult compared to all the other bluebloods.
*****
I don’t see Memphis coming out on top for Romello White. The former Arizona State standout, who has entered his name into this summer’s NBA Draft, also entered the transfer portal earlier this month.
White is immediately eligible in the fall and averaged nearly a double-double last season. From what I have been able to gather, Georgia, Ole Miss and Vanderbilt are the three to beat. The Bulldogs are the home-state program, the Rebels have plenty of in-roads themselves and might be the leader while White ran with Vandy head coach Jerry Stackhouse's travel unit in high school.
If it isn’t White, then Memphis will look at other frontcourt options that could fill its needs around the basket. White would have done the trick and while the Tigers are among the finalists for Evansville transfer DeAndre Williams, he doesn’t fit that specific billing. Rather, it may be Mousse Cisse, another graduate-transfer that has yet to enter the portal or no one else at all and hope that what they have will suffice.