Michigan Basketball Recruiting: Walker Kessler, Nimari Burnett Set Visits
New Michigan head basketball coach Juwan Howard is swinging for the fences in his quest for class of 2020 talent. He's held on to four-star guard Zeb Jackson's commitment and is now lining up elite players to visit this fall.
Rivals.com's Corey Evans sees Michigan as one program that could really make an impact on the recruiting trail this fall.
"A month ago, it was difficult to surmise who Michigan really had a chance with. There were some reservations regarding whether Juwan Howard and his staff had it in them to defeat some of the sport's best for the best and while they haven’t done as such just yet, they have picked up some momentum with the nation’s elite," he wrote.
"Nimari Burnett will release his final five next week and Michigan will definitely be on it. Don’t be shocked if he ends up in Ann Arbor. Kentucky just offered Lance Ware and it was immediately assumed that he would end up there. That can still be the case but don’t underestimate Howard in the hunt for the top-60 forward.
"Dickinson is not as big of a reach for the Wolverines and while they would have to defeat UK for Josh Christopher, among others, Michigan could be up to the task. Henry Coleman, Jackson, Carlos Johnson and Walker Kessler are just four others to monitor in what could be a really good fall for Michigan."
Jackson recently confirmed he's 100 percent committed to Michigan and is doing his part to try to recruit outstanding talent to join him in Ann Arbor.
Meanwhile, two more elite 2020 prospects — five star big man Kessler and five-star guard Burnett — have scheduled visits.
Duke and Auburn could be tough to beat for Kessler according to some close to it, but getting him on campus is a start. He said last month he's intrigued by U-M and the program.
"Coach Howard obviously has the most experience of anybody on any of the coaching staffs at the professional level. He played 15 years or so in the NBA at my positions," he noted. "He’s told me he wants to build it up big there and I can be the start of it.
"When I found out coach [John] Beilein was leaving, I thought I was done with Michigan. When Coach Howard got the job, I thought it was good for him but I wasn’t sure it would be for me. I started talking to him and I really liked what he was saying and how he was straightforward and honest about everything. I really like him.”
Burnett, meanwhile, told us he plans to visit Sept. 5-8 when the Michigan football team plays Army. He's originally from Chicago and his family has a close relationship with Howard, so there's a legit shot here. He also confirmed he was feeling good about Michigan.
Michigan was one of several teams that followed Burnett's every move at Nike Peach Jam last month, joining Alabama, Illinois, Louisville, Oregon, Vanderbilt and many others ... per Rivals.com's Eric Bossi, "this on the heels of trying out for USA Basketball's U19 National Team and feeling the experience of being cut for the first time in his life."
“It taught me a lot," Burnett told Rivals.com. "You always have to give your all no matter what and I felt like I did. But I felt like it was better to me so I could get back to the gym and get back to work and prepare. Although USA would have been a good experience, I never took it for granted and had a good time out there.”
Michigan has picked up a lot of steam in this recruitment recently.
"I’ve known [Howard] since I was seven or eight and talk to him almost every day," he said. "We have a great relationship, so he’s a really good recruiter. He’s definitely very outgoing, he keeps the conversation going and he has a very good personality.”
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