New Michigan basketball offers, huge ratings leap for priority targets

Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard and his staff are hosting one of their top 2023 targets this week, and it’s one who made a huge leap in the recently updated On3.com rankings. In addition, the Wolverines have offered two more 2023 standouts. The latest:

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Michigan offerees Papa Kante, Zayden High make huge rankings jump

U-M is hosting Connecticut big man Papa Kante this week, and the Wolverines appear to be in great shape. Kante averaged 12.6 points and 9.8 rebounds per game at the Nike EYBL Louisville event to earn second-team all-event honors. He was one of the standouts at the Pangos All-America camp, as well.

Papa Kante highlights from the Pangos All-American Camp! @papaamadoukante @PangosAACamp @trigonis30 pic.twitter.com/j3uFfUiPYn

— Courtside Films (@CourtsideFilms) June 10, 2022

“If we were to give an award for the best center at Pangos All-American Camp, Papa Kante would have been aggressively in the conversation,” On3.com’s Jamie Shaw reported, calling Kante one of his top stockrisers. “Through the first two days at Pangos, Kante averaged 11.7 points and 7.0 rebounds, on 53.8-percent shooting from the field. He does what you want a big man to do, rebounding the ball, defending and switching, and making tough guy plays.

“His offensive arsenal continues to expand, showing a go-to move on the block and stepping to knock down spot-jumpers from three and create opportunities in the mid-post.”

Kante moved from the 80s to the No. 34 2023 prospect nationally. He’s now On3’s No. 5 center prospect. Though he visited Rutgers and is still set to see Maryland, he entered his June 14 visit as Michigan’s to lose.

Spring Branch (Texas) power forward Zayden High, meanwhile, moves from the 90s all the way to No. 37. Per Inside Texas, he’s visiting Texas unofficially and will return for an official later in the month.

“TCU is also working to get an unofficial visit in June,” they wrote. “Arkansas will receive an official visit. Houston was the leader headed into the spring, but that lead has shrunk.”

Michigan, Arkansas, Houston and Texas are his top four schools.

“I built a good relationship with Coach (Juwan) Howard; he’s been good to me,” he said recently. “I talk to them probably every other day, and they’ve been good to me.”

Two new offers from the 2023 class

Michigan recently offered elite 2023 wing Justin Edwards. He tore it up at the recent Pangos All-American Camp in Las Vegas, On3.com’s Jamie Shaw reported. 

“Tennessee and Kentucky are the two visits Edwards has taken. Tennessee feels like they are in a strong place here, but you can’t ever count out Coach Cal if he wants a player.”

As of June 7, Michigan had some catching up to do. Edwards admitted it was “between Tennessee and Kentucky” as of “right now.” Auburn had been in the mix, but faded.

In addition to Edwards, Howard and Co. have offered Carey Booth and Andrej Stejokavich. Booth is a lanky, 6-10 power forward out of Englewood (Colo.) Cherry Creek. He’s also the son of former Penn State center Calvin Booth, now the President of Basketball Operations for the Denver Nuggets.

Booth earned a spot on the Pangos All-American Camp Top 30 Cream of the Crop to break into the top 100. He was previously unranked, but his versatile game put him on the map. PSU, Marquette, Florida and Arizona State are others involved. Michigan will try to get him on campus.

Carmichael (Calif.) Jesuit’s Andrej Stojakovic is another with a U-M offer. He’s ranked No. 35, moving up from 97.

“The last name stands out to most basketball fans,” Shaw reported. “Andrej Stojakovic is the son of former NBA All-Star and Champion Peja Stojakovic. The younger Stojakovic is a 6-foot-5 shooting guard who has progressed at his own pace. His game and confidence seem to be taking off at the right time. He averaged 25.3 points on 40-percent from three this high school season.

“So far this summer, Stojakovic has spent his time on the Adidas 3SSB Circuit, going from a mid-tier high major recruit to a bonafide blue blood.”

“I just got back from a visit to Stanford on June 1,” Stojakovic said. “I have a visit set to UCLA for June 14-16. That is all I have set now.”

Kentucky, Texas, Indiana and others are already heavily involved. Michigan just recently picked it up.

“I’m looking forward to visiting the west coast schools now,” Stojakovic said. “Then I’m going to Greece to train over there. As soon as I return in August, I plan on visiting a bunch of east coast and midwest visits.

“I will be looking for a healthy environment to help me grow as a player and a person. Most of my family is overseas and would love to come to watch me play. I want to go somewhere that would be easy for my family to get to. A good ratio of academics and basketball. My goal is to make the NBA, so I want to look heavily at the school that can best help me get there.”