Just days before the 2023 fall semester is set to begin at the University of Michigan, Juwan Howard and the Michigan men's basketball team are still working to make additions to the 2023-24 roster. Howard and the Wolverines picked up a commitment from Argentinian prospect Lee Aaliya on Saturday.
Aaliya, an 18-year-old 6-foot-9 forward, joins George Washington III in Michigan's 2023 recruiting class.
Earlier this month, Aaliya was cleared by the NCAA to play collegiate basketball in the United States. With just a few weeks until the start of classes, Aaliya had to make a quick decision about where he would attend college.
The young froward recently played for Argentina's U19 National Team. He averaged 17 points, nine rebounds and two blocks during the tournament as he helped Argentina to a fifth-place finish.
During the tournament, Aaliya shot 50-84 (59.5 percent) on 2-point shots and 4-12 (33.3 percent) on 3-pointers. Aaliya has some work to do at the free throw line, where he shot just 8-26 (30.8 percent) during the tournament.
Aaliya's seven-game run with Argentina was highlighted by a 31-point, 20-rebound double-double as he helped his team to a 106-101 victory over Canada.
Lee Aaliya (6-9 F/C ‘04) has received nearly 50 offers from NCAA D1 programs. West Virginia and Providence are among the most interested.
— Prospects Argentina (@ProspectsARG) August 5, 2023
🔎 Aaliya's best attributes are his defensive versatility and physical profile. Showed he can be a rim protector with length and timing. Also… pic.twitter.com/9j4p8KGCUQ
The addition of Aaliya means Michigan still has one open scholarship available for its 2023-24 roster. Below is Michigan's full roster — which features five scholarship newcomers — as things currently stand.
0 Dug McDaniel, guard, sophomore
2 Tray Jackson, forward, graduate student
3 Jaelin Llewellyn, guard, graduate student
4 Nimari Burnett, guard, graduate student
5 Terrance Williams II, forward, senior
13 Olivier Nkamhoua, forward, graduate student
14 Ian Burns, guard, junior
24 Youssef Khayat, forward, sophomore
25 Jace Howard, forward, senior
31 Harrison Hochberg, forward, freshman
32 Tarris Reed Jr., forward, sophomore
34 Jackson Selvala, forward, graduate student
40 George Washington III, guard, freshman
42 Will Tschetter, forward, redshirt-sophomore
45 Cooper Smith, guard, junior
Lee Aaliya, forward, freshman
---
Discuss this article with our community on our premium message boards
Not a subscriber to Maize & Blue Review? Sign up today to gain access to all the latest Michigan intel M&BR has to offer
Follow our staff on Twitter: @JoshHenschke, @Berry_Seth14, @TrevorMcCue, @DennisFithian, @BrockHeilig, @JimScarcelli, @lucasreimink
Subscribe to our podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts and Spotify
Check out Maize & Blue Review's video content on YouTube
Follow Maize & Blue Review on social media: Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and Instagram
