International prospect Youssef Khayat commits to Michigan

One of the top international prospects Youssef Khayat has committed to Michigan, he told On3.

“I chose the program for their experience of developing international wings,” Khayat said to On3. “They have one of the best coaches right now in coach Juwan Howard who I grew up watching and admiring. The coaching staff made me immediately feel at home. And Michigan has one of the largest Lebanese community in the U.S. so that impacted for sure.”

The 6-foot-9, 195-pound small forward is originally from Lebanon but moved to France at the age of 15. Khayat has been competing in the French professional league, known as the Limoges.

The now 19-year-old wing has been recruited by college programs all across the U.S., thousands of miles away from Khayat’s home. Due to distance and other variables, Khayat is committing to Michigan sight-unseen. He chose Wolverines over Xavier, Wake Forest, and DePaul.

Khayat has been playing for Limoges CSP in France’s U21 program, where he’s led the team in scoring, averaging 17.4 points, 7.7 rebounds and 1.8 assists per game in one of Europe’s top youth leagues. Khayat has also played for Lebanon’s senior national team, winning the country’s first-ever FIBA Arab Championship.

Youssef Khayat Scouting Summary

From Eurohoops.net: 

“Khayat is a 6’8 forward with a +2 wingspan. He possesses good fluidity and coordination which allow him to move well around the court and get to his spots. He’s not extremely vertical but he’s quick and explosive to get up. As a matter of fact, it’s not rare to see him dunk with authority when finishing. 

“Offensively, Youssef can’t be considered a shot creator at this point. Instead, he scores the majority of his points by running hard in the open court and cutting with great intensity and timing. He displays constant motion off the ball and good reads when taking advantage of defensive mistakes. He also showcased an improved and refined finishing package in the paint, flashing a promising floater. 

“Moreover, Khayat has tremendous defensive upside thanks to his motor, willingness to sit in a stance, lateral movements and instincts. He projects as someone who could potentially guard both forwards positions at the high major D-1 level and switch onto guards out on the perimeter. He’s not afraid of diving for loose balls and regularly makes winning plays.”