Villanova, UCF, Michigan have piqued Dante Allen's interest

TAVARES, Fla. - The son of former NBA player and current Miami Heat assistant Malik Allen, Dante Allen is starting to blaze his own basketball path as a top 50 prospect in the 2025 class. The Miami Riviera Prep guard already has a handful of major scholarship offers to his name and will almost certainly see his options expand even further in the year ahead.

Rivals recently sat down with Allen for a conversation about the colleges that have captured his attention as well as what the future may hold as it relates to his basketball career.

ON SCHOOLAS HE HOPES TO VISIT:

“The schools I’m really trying to get to are UCF, Villanova and Michigan. Some other ones, but those so far.”

ON UCF:

“I know they just sent (Taylor Hendricks) to the league as a high pick, so they obviously know how to get a kid in the NBA. That shows me they know how to develop kids for the draft. That goes a long way for me. When I’m looking at schools I want to know they can send a kid to the draft.”

ON VILLANOVA:

“They are a guard-heavy team that likes to look to the guards to lead. In my opinion, they play the right way with their style of play. When they get to the tournament they always have a chance, no matter what seed they are. I know that they will be able to make me better, too. I feel like they could help make me an all-around player.”

ON MICHIGAN:

“I know that Juwan (Howard) lived down in Miami near me for a long time, so he knows how to coach Florida guys and all that. Also, they sent guys into the draft last year. I think they are a guard-heavy team like Villanova, but they can also get the bigs involved. They can drive, shoot and create off the dribble. I like how everyone gets involved at Michigan.”

ON HOW HE DESCRIBES HIS GAME:

“I’m a high-energy, high-intensity player. I’m not a guy that is going to make five shots in a row off the dribble so I make up for that by running as hard as I can and getting easy buckets in transition. I get my teammates involved, also. That’s big for me.”

Villanova should be watched closely here, based on the fact that Allen’s father was an All-Big East selection for the Wildcats in the late 90s. Still, it’s too early to say how much that will factor into things. Allen’s recruitment will begin to take shape in the year ahead, and it seems likely that in-state powers will involve themselves. If he gets on campus at Michigan, the Wolverines could be a major player as well.