Michigan Wolverines basketball coach Juwan Howard is on the cusp of another outstanding recruiting class, and his son might be the centerpiece.
Jett Howard, Rivals.com's No. 40 prospect nationally, is picking up offers, but most believe he'll end up with his father in Ann Arbor.
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He was recently tabbed the top small forward at the NBA Players' Association camp by Rivals.com's Jamie Shaw:
"While Howard may have started the camp off a little slow and ended the camp seventh overall in scoring and 3-point percentage at 11.4 points and 36.4-percent," Shaw reported. "The 6-foot-5 Howard is the No. 40 prospect overall in the 2022 class and played 23.8 minutes per game, and showed his composure on the ball and his burst and ability to score the ball. Howard plays with a great pace and a lot of strength, it was his confidence and composure that stood out, also his willingness to compete."
His team also won the 3-on-3s, and Howard made big plays on day one of the event Wednesday, Rivals' Rob Cassidy wrote.
"Howard scored a game-high 15 points and willed his squad to a narrow victory on Wednesday afternoon. The efficient effort included three, 3-pointers. More impressive than the raw stats, however, was the fact that he put his team on his back in the final minute. The IMG Academy star hit a 3-pointer to break a tie with roughly 50 seconds to play and later iced the game from the free-throw line. Howard seized the moment on a team full of alpha-type prospects, which says plenty about his confidence and trajectory."
The 'general thought' is he will play for his dad, Shaw added.
McDaniel, whose birth name is Knasir, had his ups and downs. He finished the camp 18th in scoring (9.3 PPG), tied for 16th in rebounding (4.0) and tied for seventh in assists (3.0). He was also fourth in steals (1.5), tied for sixth with Howard in three-point percentage (36.4) and ranked third in assist to turnover ratio (2.0).
Walker took home the Shaw's "best power forward" honor after an outstanding stretch.
"Walker was the most productive player I saw at camp, 3-on-3 and 5-on-5 included," Shaw wrote. "During the 5-on-5 play, the 6-foot-7 Walker averaged 10.6 points (11th) and 5.6 rebounds (5th) per game in 28.8 minutes per game. The Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy forward also led his team to the 3-on-3 championship game.
"Walker is a strong and athletic player who straight line drove his way into the paint often. He rebounded strong and he finished well in the mid range, especially going left off the bounce. His handle looked sharper and his motor ran hot, Walker also finished on the leaderboard in assists per game at 2.4 and second overall in defensive rebounds at 5.0."
Walker took official visits to Auburn, Ohio State, Alabama and Houston in June, and Michigan talk has cooled significantly this summer.
Udeh, a Michigan offered, started the event strong and had a nice week.
"The 6-foot-10 Udeh, who carries a 7-foot-2 wing span, finished his two games on Day 1 of the NBA Top 100 camp 9 of 12 (75-percent) from the field averaging 10 points and eight rebounds per game," Shaw wrote. "Using his length, The Orlando (Fla.) Dr. Phillips High center plays with a tenacity around the basket, trying to dunk everything. While questions may arise about his feet and lateral ability, Udeh showcased a great motor with the ability to run the floor and a great set of hands.
Rivals notes Udeh has not yet sat down to decide on visits. Udeh carries over 30 offers with his most recent five coming from West Virginia, Michigan, UCLA, Baylor and Arkansas.
It's unlikely Michigan will continue to pursue him if four-star big man Tarris Reed pledges this week, as expected.
Udeh finished 15th at the camp in scoring (10.0 PPG) and tied for first in rebounds (8.0).
Traore does not yet hold a Michigan offer, and it appears unlikely the Wolverines would be able to make a move with him at this point. He's a top 10 player in his class, per some folks who saw him at NBAPA, and the Rivals guys insisted he'd make a jump.
"There is not much on the floor that Traore cannot do," they wrote. "The 6-foot-9 big man has excellent feet with the ability to move laterally and vertically. The Napa (Calif.) Prolific Prep forward started day two with a 20-point outburst while going 10-for-15 from the field. It was in that game that Traore showed his full arsenal, with some mismatch-type handle, range on the jumper and the ability to score over both shoulders. Look for the No. 64 prospect in the Rivasl150 to jump in the next rankings update."
By the end of the week, Shaw was calling him a top 10 prospect.
"The 6-foot-9 forward showed glimpses of brilliance in this camp, and he competed, which was not always the case in this setting," he reported. "When it comes to his NBA prospects, you wish he was a couple inches taller, but for college, this will not matter as much. Traore, of Napa (Calif. ) Prolific Prep, is currently ranked No. 64 in the ‘22 Rivals150 and averaged 12.4 points and 3.8 rebounds on 57.4-percent shooting for the week."
We don't expect Michigan to be seriously involved here.
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