Michigan Basketball: Mark Donnal Has Three Major Options
Michigan senior center Mark Donnal will spend a fifth year at another program next year, and he's down to three major options ... Creighton, Vanderbilt and Clemson. He'll visit the first two in the next two weekends and is working on a trip to the latter.
Donnal had interest from a few Big Ten teams but acknowledged it would be "weird" to play against the Wolverines, adding those that reached out weren't good fits.
"There are a lot of mid-major teams that reached out and a lot of high-major teams, as well," Donnal said. "I thought that these three schools, just by talking to them on the phone and researching rosters and everything and seeing how I fit in the system ... I think are the three best candidates, as of now."
Donnal averaged 5.1 points and 2.6 rebounds per game in 101 contests for U-M. Head coach John Beilein lauded his contributions to two Big Ten championship teams and his 50 percent three-point shooting this year.
Donnal averaged 3.9 points and 2.0 rebounds in 12.2 minutes per game this year. Beilein helped with the homework by giving Donnal a list of programs that had reached out.
He'll have one year of eligibility remaining.
"Style of play is one thing — a place that fits the way I play offensively, that spreads the floor a little bit and allows their five the freedom to step out and shoot, which I think all three of them do," Donnal said. ... "I'm looking for somewhere where I can see significant minutes right away and start, possibly. That's a big thing for me."
"I kind of see it as another fresh start," he said. "To be able to come into another program and try to prove yourself to another team, it's exciting. It is kind of weird to start the recruiting process over again, but it comes with college basketball sometimes. I'm excited for next year."
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