One of the top uncommitted prospects in the 2024 class came off the board on Friday afternoon, when four-star guard Justin Pippen announced his intention to sign with Michigan and new head coach Dusty May.
The son of Chicago Bulls legend Scottie Pippen, Justin Pippen chose Michigan over fellow finalists Georgia Tech, Cal, Texas A&M and Stanford, and represents an impressive late recruiting victory for May and his staff.
Below, Rivals explores what the Wolverines are getting in Pippen as well as what his pledge means for the program.
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WHAT MICHIGAN IS GETTING
Pippen, much like his famous father, was a late bloomer and didn’t emerge as a major national prospect until his senior season. The talented guard has added length in the past year and now strands all of 6-foot-3.
These days, he looks like a prospect capable of playing on ball or off and has an impressive wingspan that allows him to play even bigger than his growing frame on the defensive end. He’s taken large strides as both a ball-handler and a finisher in the past calendar year and continues to add polish as he speeds toward his college debut.
He still sometimes falls into the habit of forcing bad shots and is at his absolute best when he looks to get his teammates involved rather than forcing something that isn’t there.
Pippen, who gets his share of paint touches thanks to his motor and well-above-average athleticism, will take the next step as he learns to stay more composed and efficient on the offensive end.
WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE WOLVERINES
Wolverine fans caught a break with Pippen’s late emergence, as the four-star guard’s slow-developing recruitment allowed the new Michigan staff to land his pledge just weeks after settling into the job. The recruiting victory is a positive indicator when it comes to May’s recruiting prowess at the high-major level, as it required him to snatch Pippen away from Georgia Tech, which dedicated a lot of time and resources to landing the California-based senior.
May and company will look to land bigger fish down the road, sure, but the quickness with which they won this battle is encouraging to say the least.
