The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/678402
2016 BASKETBALL RECRUITING ISSUE MALIK WILLIAMS, PF 6-10 • 200 Fort Wayne (Ind.) Snider Rivals.com No. 36 junior nationally Michigan has just started the re- cruiting process with Williams and is playing from behind, though Beilein was in to see him work out recently. The junior is just getting started with the Wolverines and doesn't know much about them, but he has expressed inter- est. The problem is he is tentatively planning an Aug. 26 commitment — his birthday — and doesn't plan to go to U-M this summer. His only in-home visit to date has been with Michigan State. "It was a good time. They like my game and they would love for me to come play with the program and talked about what I need to work on for the next level," he said. "It's really about where I fit the best. The coaching staff, the campus, the edu- cational atmosphere — all of that is important." He looks like a safe bet to stay in Big Ten country, Bossi reports, and Michigan State, Iowa and Purdue seem to be ahead of the pack at this point. "Everybody wants him to play around the rim and be a more interior player, but that's not who he is," Bossi said. "He wants to face, hit jump shots and attack off the dribble." KRIS WILKES, SF 6-7 • 185 Indianapolis North Central Rivals.com's No. 12 junior nationally Wilkes expressed interest in the Wolverines last summer, intrigued by Michigan's "freestyle offense" in which players are given latitude to attack, and Beilein has watched him this spring. However, his re- cruitment with U-M has stalled a bit. Beilein, Izzo, Kentucky's Jon Cali- pari, Notre Dame's Mike Brey and others watched him at a recent Under Armour event in Indianapolis. Wilkes averaged 20.7 points and 6.7 rebounds per game while play- ing with the Indy Hoosiers during April's two live evaluation periods. He recently hosted UCLA and Mary- land for in-home visits, while Xavier, Michigan, Michigan State and Illinois have been in to see him recently. Indiana, Purdue and Notre Dame are also on him. "Probably at the end of the summer I will see who hasn't offered yet and start cutting it down from there," Wilkes said. "First, I'll cut it to whatever schools have offered me and keep it there. Then I'll keep go- ing down from there. "I think I'll visit UCLA for sure and maybe Maryland, too." Many believe he is holding out hope for a Kentucky offer, and he hasn't denied it. ❏