New Michigan head basketball coach Juwan Howard has gotten 2019 Cole Bajema back in the fold. His hiring also has a number of recruits’ attention, including former signee Jalen Wilson.
Here’s where things stand:
As previously reported, Bajema is back in the fold after thinking long and hard about his recruitment post-John Beilein.
"The departure of Coach Beilein came as a big surprise," Bajema wrote. "Given coach Beilein recruiting me, I am sad to see him go but fully support him in his new venture at the Cavaliers. I cannot thank the entire Michigan basketball staff enough for their support. Having patiently wait for Michigan to name its new head coach, I am very excited Juwan Howard is the new head coach. I believe ehe will uphold the great culture that is Michigan basketball.
"I know there's been a lot of speculation out there but I am ALL IN for coach Howard and ready to report in June. Go Blue!"
Bajema's coach, Roger DeBoer, said Bajema has been hitting the weights "hard," and there have been reports he's already added 22 pounds.
"He could be very special when he gets stronger," DeBoer said. "He has already improved a lot since the season."
Bajema notched 19 points and seven rebounds in the Washington vs. Oregon All-Star game.
Wilson, meanwhile, confirmed with us that Michigan is definitely in the mix despite him opting out of his letter of intent and planning to visit Kansas and North Carolina.
He tweeted this immediately after Howard was hired.
Wilson was named after former Fab Fiver Jalen Rose. Howard could have a pretty good shot at keeping Wilson in the fold if the coach keeps a couple of assistants on staff.
Class of 2020 standout pledge Zeb Jackson is still firmly committed. He recently announced his transfer to Montverde Academy in Florida and tweeted this picture from three years ago with Howard:
Jackson was previously at Toledo (Ohio) Maumee Valley Country Day.
Other 2020s have taken wait and see attitudes, including Texan Micah Peavy.
Peavy has already taken official visits to LSU and Michigan, but more trips are on tap.
“I haven’t scheduled anything yet, but I would like to get back onto campus at Texas, visit Oregon, take an official to Texas Tech, and that is about it,” he told Rivals.com. “I am going to wait until after the summer to commit and I will sign during the Early Signing Period.”
He has kept close tabs on the situation at Michigan.
"I really liked the coaching staff they had and the family atmosphere," he said. "They're still on my list and I am just waiting to see who Coach (Juwan) Howard hires as his assistants."
From Rivals:
A 6-foot-6 small forward who has plenty of versatility in the frontcourt, Peavy is a light-footed prospect who can defend multiple positions. He also has a crafty mid-range game and is a major presence on the weakside glass.
The thought just last month was that Michigan and Texas Tech were the two to beat. However, with the recent coaching change in Ann Arbor, questions remain as to the direction that Howard will take with Peavy. For now, expect more suitors to emerge and a commitment to be made sometime later this summer.
Center Zach Loveday, an Ohioan who plays in West Virginia, also chimed in.
“That was out of the blue and literally blind-sided just about everybody,” Loveday said. “That is the business side of it.”
Michigan is still one of his favorites. U-M was thought to be in his top two before Beilein left.
“They are definitely under consideration still," he said. "It would definitely be something I’d really be interested in. I’d like to get to know him well.
"If the whole staff stays there, that would be important to me. I’d still have a relationship with a lot of those guys. We’d continue to push forward with new coach Juwan Howard, so that would be really important."
Finally, elite guard Nimari Burnett was the latest to receive an offer. He played for Michigan assistant Luke Yaklich growing up and had a strong relationship with him.
"I'm excited about the hire," Burnett, a Chicago native who transferred to Prolific Prep, said. "My interest is mostly the same, but a little more interested."
Arizona, Arizona State, Alabama, Auburn, Illinois and Iowa are among those who have offered.
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