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The Michigan Wolverines are looking to rebuild after a disappointing 2022-23 season. Michigan has already lost three of their top players this offseason, with Hunter Dickinson entering the transfer portal and Jett Howard and Kobe Bufkin entering the 2023 NBA draft. More departures may come, although seniors Joey Baker and Jaelin Llewellyn are applying for an extra year.
While it was a disappointing 18-16 season, they finished with a winning record under Howard, who owns a 70-47 record in four seasons at his alma mater. Michigan has had 13th consecutive winning season, the second-longest active streak in the Big Ten.
With the departures and a changing landscape in college basketball, Howard has changed his recruiting strategy. Known as a great recruiter, Howard has picked up three transfers. Michigan has also signed two freshmen for their 2023 recruiting class, which ranks 30th in the nation, per 247Sports.
Michigan Wolverines' 2023 basketball recruiting class
The Wolverines signed two high school seniors this winter: George Washington III (Dayton, OH) and Pape Kante (Kent, Conn.). The Wolverines also received three commitments from players in the transfer portal: Nimari Burnett, Caleb Love and Tray Jackson.
With five newcomers, UM has 12 players under scholarship for 2023-24. If Llewellyn returns, the Wolverines will not have any more scholarships to give out unless someone departs. But that won'tstop them from bringing someone else in.
Incoming freshmen
George Washington III
Washington, a former Ohio State commitment, signed with Michigan in November. The son of two former pro basketball players (Jackie Bucher and George Washington Jr.), both of whom played in Finland, Washington is a four-star combo guard. He is considered one of the best shooters in the class of 2023.
Washington is a scorer with a solid shooting stroke. He possesses good athleticism and strong handles.
Papa Kante
Kante signed with the Wolverines in November as well. The 6-foot-10 four-star center from Senegal has a lot of upside. He is a defensive stalworth due to his athleticism and 7-4 wingspan, which helps aid him in being an exceptional rebounder and shot-blocker. Offensively, Kante still has plenty to work on but is more comfortable facing the basket than with his back to the bucket.
Harrison Hochberg, Stamford, Conn.
Hochberg will walk on at Michigan. The 6-6 wing committed to the Wolverines on April 8.
Committed transfers
Caleb Love, North Carolina
Love, who spent three seasons at UNC, projects to be the Wolverines' starting two-guard. The 6-4 guard is a high-volume scorer who is below-average defensively.
The former five-star recruit doesn't shoot the 3-pointer well although 46% of his career attempts are from beyond the arc. He is a capable distributor, gets to the free-throw line, and has improved his shooting percentage each season.
Tray Jackson, Seton Hall
Jackson, a Detroit native, will finish his collegiate career with Michigan. He played one year at Missouri and three seasons at Seton Hall. The 6-10 forward projects to get a few minutes off the bench at both the four and five.
Jackson is below average offensively, although he can stretch the floor as a career 35.5% 3-point shooter. He is also an excellent offensive rebounder.
Nimari Burnett, Alabama
Burnett, a former five-star recruit, is making his third collegiate start. The former five-star recruit played 12 games at Texas Tech after suffering an ACL injury and then appeared in 27 contests for Alabama. He should be an impact player for UM, which is why he chose the Wolverines.
Recruits the Wolverines are pursuing
Yohan Traore, Auburn
Traore, a 6-10 center, entered the transfer portal on April 4 after a season at Auburn. The five-star 2022 recruit averaged 2.1 points and 1.2 rebounds in less than 10 minutes a game.
Chris Ledlum, Harvard
Michigan reached out to Ledlum on March 23. Ledlum is a three-level scorer; he is not a great shooter, although he is a ferocious rebounder. The athletic 6-6 forward averaged 18.6 ppg, 8.5 rpg, 1.8 steals and 1.1 blocks last year. He produced a shooting slash line of .473/.294/.643.
Hunter Sallis, Gonzaga
Sallis is a 6-5 guard who spent the past two seasons at Gonzaga. The former five-star recruit made strides last year in his game overall. Sallis is a fantastic shooter, although he does need to improve from beyond the arc.
Tamar Bates, Indiana
Michigan reached out to Bates over a week ago. The 6-5 guard is not a great shooter, but he showed tremendous improvement last season, knocking down 37.4% of his 3-point attempts this season.
