Wednesday's Leftovers: Dishing on Michigan, UK, UNC, St. John's
We have a few questions remaining from the Twitter Tuesday mailbag, so we're going to take a look at Michigan’s chances of a nationally ranked class, landing spots for Bryce Thompson, Kentucky’s next commitment and the likelihood that North Carolina will find recruiting success this fall.
MORE: Twitter Tuesday | 3-Point Play | Bossi's Best
*****
That is the pressing question at Michigan right now. While John Beilein did not shy away from recruiting some of the best in the high school landscape, it pales in comparison to the big-game hunting that Juwan Howard has been doing since his hiring.
Already sitting with a four-star commitment from Zeb Jackson, Michigan has found itself on the final lists of a handful of elite prospects, including Josh Christopher, Nimari Burnett, Jaden Springer and Hunter Dickinson. Meanwhile, the Wolverines are also a major threat for Walker Kessler, Henry Coleman, Micah Peavy and Lance Ware.
Can they close with any of the Rivals150 prospects? And, if so, with how many? I think they come up short in most cases. I don’t see a top-five recruiting class in the cards for the Wolverines but I do see a top 20 group that could be highlighted by Jackson, Burnett, and/or Dickinson.
*****
No. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but Bryce Thompson is ready to cut his school list in the coming weeks, and I would be surprised to see St. John’s on it. Who I do expect to make it? Arkansas, Kansas, Michigan State, North Carolina, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, with maybe another one or two thrown in for good measure.
Thompson has a few longstanding connections, thanks to his father’s ties with staff members at Kansas, MSU and UNC. However, I do not see Thompson going too far away from home but rather sticking it out in the South. Oklahoma and Oklahoma State are two programs that sit in a great spot with him, and if he does decide to leave his state I think it would be for Kansas, a program that employs Bill Self, who coached his father, Rod Thompson, for one season at Tulsa.
*****
Cam'Ron Fletcher. The top 40 forward and Josh Christopher just released their final five lists, so they could put off committing for a few more weeks or months, but the Wildcats have the greatest momentum with Fletcher.
I am not saying that UK will not get Christopher, because I do believe that he will eventually end up in Lexington.
But things have really picked up with Fletcher. Alabama, Michigan State, Missouri and North Carolina round out the remainder of his college list. Missouri was in the best spot for him prior to his string of offers that brought UK and UNC into play. Since then, most of the attention has been geared toward Kentucky.
Kentucky began its 2020 class with BJ Boston last weekend, and the Wildcats could see Fletcher be the next to join him. However, also keep an eye on Lance Ware, a top 60 power forward that Kentucky offered over the weekend. The Wildcats should immediately be deemed the favorite for him.
*****
It definitely will not hurt, but I don’t see it being that big of a boost in the Tar Heels' recruiting efforts in the 2020 class. It was not like North Carolina hit a rough spot for producing NBA talent in recent years. And having Michael Jordan’s Jumpman logo throughout the Dean Dome and on the team's jerseys is just another reminder that it is the home of the greatest of all time, a pitch that continues to reverberate with high school prospects.
Rather, North Carolina just had some recent recruiting shortcomings. That will change in 2020. UNC is in a great spot with a handful of elite, top-tier talents. The Tar Heels have a lot of momentum headed in their favor with Hunter Dickinson, Puff Johnson, Jaden Springer, Isaiah Todd, Greg Brown, Bryce Thompson and Ziaire Williams. Others, including Caleb Love, Dawson Garcia and Cam'Ron Fletcher remain high on the Tar Heels, and UNC has kept tabs on Cam Hayes, who could reclassify into the 2020 class. While the Tar Heels won't land all these players, this fall will be a different one in Chapel Hill and a nationally recognized class is on the way.