The Wolverine: Covering University of Michigan Football and Sports
Issue link: http://read.uberflip.com/i/982919
JUNE/JULY 2018 THE WOLVERINE 47 2018 BASKETBALL RECRUITING ISSUE JALEN WILSON 6-8 • 210 • Small Forward Denton (Texas) Guyer Rivals.com No. 39 Junior Nationally Wi l s o n , t h e c o - MVP of District 6-6A in Denton, averaged 16.6 points and 6.2 rebounds per game to help lead Guyer to 38 wins and the Class 6A state quar- terfinals. He was named after former Michigan Fab Fiver Jalen Rose (1991-94), so his family seems to like Michigan a lot and he would be a great fit. "They really want me to come in and be a wolf; that is what they say by being someone that comes in, leads the team, scores, plays on both ends and gets the offense the ball," Wilson said of U-M. "I love all the coaches. They just have communi- cated well with me for what I want to do." Baylor, Marquette, Kansas, Okla- homa State and UCLA are the other five on his list, which he trimmed May 7. Some believe U-M and Mar- quette might have an edge, and it's clear he likes the Wolverines. "They talk about the Final Four some, but they really want to focus on me and letting me know that it's something I could do and help lead them to and hopefully win," he added. "They are just pushing that they would be the best fit, and of course all of the coaches say that … mostly that I could come in and play the game the way I love to play." Wilson was planning a late sum- mer decision as of mid-May, and his bond with the head coach will be one of the keys to landing him. Beilein has U-M in good shape there, having made the trip down to Texas to see Wilson in person. "I'm just trying to make good re- lationships with the head coaches," Wilson said. "That's the most impor- tant part. They are the ones that play you, take you in and out of the game. "My focus is making the best rela- tionship with them and figuring out which ones have the best relationship with me." Wilson wants to win a national championship wherever he goes, and Beilein has proven he can give him that shot, having made it to two of the last six title games. JOE GIRARD III 6-1 • 170 • Combo Guard Glens Falls (N.Y.) High Rivals.com No. 79 Junior Nationally Girard, already the state of New York's a l l - t i m e l e a d i n g scorer (as a junior), averaged an amaz- ing 50 points per game at Glens Falls and has been com- pared favorably to former Glens Falls product Jimmer Fredette, who earned National Player of the Year accolades at BYU. Beilein coached Girard's father, Joe Jr., at Le Moyne many years ago, and the two have stayed in contact. That relationship had only bol- stered Michigan's chances. Beilein took it another step when he saw Gi- rard in New York twice in two weeks in April, as rules allowed. "I talk with Coach Beilein pretty much every day — either him or someone on his staff," Girard said in early May. "I have a great relation- ship with them. "Coach Beilein actually came out to Glens Falls and showed me some of their plays and explained where I would potentially fit in on each one. He uses a multi-guard style of of- fense, which is something that would work well for me since I can play on and off the ball." Beilein told Girard when he was offered in February that he needed to make sure there would be room on the roster before he accepted a commitment, but told him he wanted him. He's now made him a priority in the 2019 class. The New York Gatorade Player of the Year is currently averaging 14.6 points through eight Nike Elite Youth Basketball League (EYBL) games with the Albany City Rocks, shoot- ing 37.9 percent from long range, and has had a 25-point game this spring. "Without a doubt, they've got plenty of room for him now," his fa- ther, Girard Jr. said. "Coach wants him … he's the guy. Coach is show- ing him that … he's going after him guns blazing." To the point that Beilein has even shown him some of the intricacies of his offense. "I'm learning a little bit of their of- fense already, since it's so dynamic and hard to grasp," Girard said. "Coach Beilein is having me learn it early in case I do wind up going there. He's telling me which spots I should study, so I could be like a Derrick Walton or a Trey Burke-type player. "They were guys who were lead guards, but could score the ball at the same time." Those are traits that appear to be right up Girard's alley. KEION BROOKS 6-7 • 180 • Power Forward Fort Wayne (Ind.) North Side Rivals.com No. 35 Junior Nationally Brooks continues to get better and better, and he's torn up the EYBL circuit so far this spring. He averaged 23.2 points per outing over four games in Indianapo- lis at the end of April to earn MVP honors. Michigan offered him April 5, only three days after its season came to an end against Villa- nova in the national title game. "Coach Beilein was just coming off a tough loss in the championship game, and the first person he came to see was me," Brooks recalled. "That carried a lot of weight. "He wanted to get to know me and my family better, because I re- ally hadn't been in contact with him that much before that. We sat down and talked about our families, and he told me all about his, too — we just wanted to get a feel for each other. "His main message to me was that Michigan is a high academic school. Academics are something I care a lot about. I know I'd have an opportu- nity to go there and be a dual-type kid who plays basketball while also excelling in the classroom." Brooks said he plans on taking a handful of unofficial visits in the near future, and he already has a few schools he knows he wants to see. "I'd like to get out west to UCLA, and then over to Indiana, Kentucky and Louisville as well," he revealed. "I'm also going to get up to Michigan to tour their campus and see what they're all about." Indiana and Michigan State ap- pear to be the frontrunners, but U-M will have a chance to make up some ground. Beilein has already started