Michigan Wolverines Basketball Recruiting: Huge Visit Weekend Upcoming

Michigan Wolverines basketball head coach Juwan Howard and his staff continue to look for other big men and forwards to join point guard Dug McDaniel and big man Tarris Reed — both rated by Rivals.com as four-star prospects — and will likely take four total recruits from the 2022 class.

It’s still very likely that four-star Jett Howard, Juwan’s son, joins the class (for the latest on him, click here: JETT HOWARD ENJOYS VISIT), meaning there would be room for one more player.

Here are the candidates currently left on the board, including two visitors this weekend.

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A shooter who “plays like a big guard” in his own estimation, Smith is entering his first (and only) year at Compass Prep in Chandler, Ariz., after transferring from Dallas St. Mark’s. He’s been to Michigan for camps twice and will return for a Sept. 24 official visit.

“I feel like I'm a three-level-threat — I shoot threes, I have a mid-range game and I can finish at the rim,” he said in early September. “I want to be a better playmaker, get my teammates open.

“I feel that I already bog down on the defensive end well. I want to keep on working on ball handling, being a big guard.”

Smith has already visited Stanford, once considered his heavy favorite, Vanderbilt and Arizona State, and he could make a decision soon after his U-M trip.

“I’d say that Vanderbilt, Arizona State, Michigan and Stanford are my top four,” he said. “Right now, the only official visit I have left is Michigan. I have visited Stanford unofficially multiple times, and I plan to take [another] unofficial visit to Vanderbilt.

“I’m not planning to make my decision until after that Michigan visit. I’m going to a school where I feel that I can really fit into the program and see how they can use me. Academics are important, too, because I want to find a major that interests me. I’m also going to look at the city where the school is, and just the vibe I get from the school.”

Traore came out of nowhere in the last year to move from outside the top 150 to No. 4 nationally. He has a final 10 of Oklahoma State, Memphis, Louisville, Tennessee, Texas Tech, LSU, UCLA, Michigan, Utah and the NBL (Australian professional league), and he’s been hard to pin down for interviews.

“This is a tough one because visits are going to determine so much in his recruitment,” Rivals.com’s Rob Cassidy said. “I’ll use a bit of a cop out on this front and go with either Texas or UCLA. I’m not confident enough to put in an official pick for either school just yet, but based on past conversations, those two programs seem like the most logical guesses.

“I’ll give the slight edge to the Bruins if I have to choose right now. Could all this change after he takes additional trips? Of course. But that’s where my head is for now.”

Traore has a ‘Giannis Antetokounmpo’ type of game, per analysts, and is so skilled he’s almost a sure bet as a one-and-done. Michigan will host him on a Sept. 24 official visit."

“Taking the opportunity of going pro out of this one, I’d put some money on Texas coming out on top here,” Rivals.com’s Dan McDonald said. “The Longhorns were one of the first high-major offers from the five-star post player and it’s really hard to count out Chris Beard and his staff in any recruitment right now. This will likely be one of the more fascinating recruitments in the 2022 class.”

Glenn has a final five of Michigan, Iona, USF, Georgia and Virginia Tech, and he plans on visiting all of them before deciding. While some have questioned whether he’s a ‘take’ in the 2022 class, the Wolverines’ coaches proved they were serious about him in bringing him up for an official visit Sept. 18 weekend.

Glenn isn’t a shooter — far from it — and that’s led many to question whether U-M can afford to bring in another player who needs to work on that aspect of his game. But he can pass it, is good with the ball for his size and has some skills.

“I would describe my game as a hard-nosed player. I am versatile,” he said. “I can get to the basket when I want. In the paint, I can score multiple ways. My shot is getting better, and I am one of the best passers in the country.”

He also likes to buckle down on the other end of the floor.

“I play defense well, and I bring energy and excitement to the floor,” he said. “People say I play like [NBA talents] Draymond Green, PJ Washington and others.”

Glenn will likely put pen to paper in the early signing period. We wouldn’t bet against him ending up at Michigan given what he said about his visit.

“It was a great weekend,” Glenn said. “All the fans were awesome. The campus was great.

“It was amazing — people welcoming me and telling me to come there; the coaching staff was really great. Everything ‘wowed’ me.”

Asked if he talked to the coaches about committing, he responded only with, “no comment.”

Udeh is one of the faster risers in his class, after he moved up an incredible 86 spots to No. 29 in the Rivals rankings and is now one of the most coveted recruits in the country.

Michigan recently made his top 10 with Alabama, Florida, Georgia Tech, Kansas, Tennessee, UCLA, Miami and Baylor; his 10th option is playing in the Overtime Elite league. He'll visit U-M this fall, though he has yet to set a date.

"The Florida native improved every time out this summer with Southeast Elite and during June with his Dr. Phillips team," Rivals.com's Dan McDonald said. "He’s a dominant force in the paint at 6-foot-10, with great athleticism, strong hands and soft touch around the rim.”

He wasn’t at his best at the NBA Players’ Association Top 100 Camp, but few were. Many were dragging after the long summer on the AAU circuit, and Udeh was among them.

“In the reps he had, he did what he does,” Rivals.com’s Jamie Shaw said. “He’s not doing anything outside of 10 feet, not switching ball screens and moving his feet, but he’s a good shot blocker, a good rebounder and finishes viciously around the rim.”

He’s also open between his final 10, ProInsight.com’s Andrew Slater said after speaking with people in the know. Given Juwan Howard's work with big men, it appears U-M will have a shot.

U-M has ties and an 'in' here given Dailey plays with head coach Juwan Howard’s son, Jett, but it's tough to get a read on his next move, or how the Wolverines see him in their potential plans. He does like Michigan, but many believe he could play overseas rather than attend college. His dad played for a long time in Europe and has ties there.

“I’ve known Coach Howard for a while now,” Dailey said in June, at which point he mentioned being recruited by Virginia Tech, Dayton, Miami and “a little bit by Florida.”

“I’ve actually known Jett since elementary school. That connection right there is pretty good,” he continued. “Coach Howard is a good coach, and he’s been where I’m trying to go. That’s a plus. He’s like family. We talk more about life lessons. He actually cares about me as a person.”

While Dailey is listed as a power forward, Howard has talked to him about playing more of a wing role in his NBA-style offense.

“He said I would play wing,” Dailey said. “He said I would be able to play freely, push the ball up the floor and come off pick and rolls. He would let me play my game within the offense, which is something I want to do.”

Rodgers moved up 16 spots in the rankings after a solid summer. His energy on the court is one thing that stands out, but he's not much of a shooter. U-M has other options and players in the fold at his position, and it seems as if the Wolverines have cooled a bit — and that he could be waiting until Jett Howard decides before making a decision, too.

Michigan State, once down on his list, and UConn were two of the schools on him hardest this summer. Houston is also a possible destination.

"Rogers comes equipped with a good motor and notable athleticism, but he’s a hard-nosed, willing rebounder as well," Cassidy said while calling him 'underrated' at the Peach Jam. "In the semifinal, he showcased his full range of skill taking defenders off the dribble bounce to the tune of 14 points on 6-of-12 shooting and grabbed 12 boards in a semifinal loss. Rogers has had an impressive summer.”

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