Updates on Garrison, Paris, and Brown
In the late Seventies and early Eighties, Bubba Paris was an offensive tackle for Michigan's football team. From there, he went on to an NFL career with the San Francisco 49'ers. Today, Paris is the father of Prep West Hoops' No. 2 rising senior power forward in the West, David Paris of Modesto (Cal.) Christian.
Paris the Younger measures about 6-8, 250, and while he too had an interest in a football career, he told The Wolverine on Monday that he simply outgrew the sport. There is no such danger in basketball, which Paris seems to have grown into quite nicely.
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Paris said that in addition to Michigan, he is considering California, UCLA, Utah, Arizona State, and Minnesota. Asked whether he has any favorites, he said, "Michigan is definitely one of the top ones," and also named Arizona State and Cal.
"I'd like to make (a decision) pretty soon," Paris said, "but I want to check out the schools." Thus far, he has only seen Cal, which is "right down the road" from him, and Utah. Therefore, before Paris makes a decision, he said, "I might try to make a trip out (to Michigan) to see the campus."
Paris said that although there is an obvious appeal to staying close to home for school, "I'm pretty open to going anywhere." He has emerged as a serious recruiting target of the Wolverines', and will be one to watch during the July evaluation period.
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Also on Monday, The Wolverine spoke with 6-9 power forward Travis Garrison of Hyattsville (Md.) DeMatha and got an update on his recruitment. Garrison (right) said that he is considering the same schools as he was when he last spoke with The Wolverine -- Maryland, Georgia Tech, Syracuse, Charlotte, and Michigan -- but that he is now interested in Michigan State as well.
One of U-M's top recruiting targets, Garrison has been quoted in the past as saying that he planned to take unofficial visits to Maryland and Charlotte in the early part of the summer. On Monday he said that he has not yet taken those trips, but still plans to do so, though no dates have been set. "The other schools, I'm going to visit officially," Garrison said.
Official visits are only permitted after recruits have begun their senior year, and Garrison said that he plans to wait until fall to make a decision. Additional comments from Garrison's interview can be found in the Premium section of this site and in this month's issue of The Wolverine magazine, which can be ordered by calling (800) 421-7751.
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Graham Brown, a 6-8 power forward/center from Mio (Mich.) H.S., is not a big name in national recruiting circles, although he is gaining recognition. Brown plays with The Family AAU team, and Vince Baldwin of Prep Spotlight magazine, who works with The Family, gave The Wolverine an update on his recruitment last week.
"He had his coming-out party at the Boo Williams tournament," Baldwin said, "and he hasn't been seen much since." That will change during the July evaluation period, though.
As it is, Brown's Boo Williams performance was enough to draw attention from a number of programs. Baldwin said that Villanova, Notre Dame, Boston College, Georgia Tech, Northwestern, Michigan, Michigan State, and Marquette are expressing interest.
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