TheWolverine.com CHAT: Michigan football, hoops, NIL & more
Our weekly noon chat in which we answer all your questions related to Michigan Wolverines football, basketball, recruiting and more.
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Michigan football has started its trip around the state of Michigan in Flint. Head coach Jim Harbaugh has taken his troops to Rome, France, and South Africa. While COVID has kept them closer to home this time around, there are several stops on the tour (lasting through July 29) that should make this bonding tour memorable.
Harbaugh looks like a guy who was fully invested in his job after flirting with the NFL in the offseason. He was preparing to go into a dunk tank and couldn’t have seemed happier.
“I love Michigan Football, the University of Michigan and the Ann Arbor community,” Harbaugh said in statement this February. “My family and I are excited to continue leading this football program, and we are thankful for the support that our athletic department and university administration have demonstrated toward the team.
“I appreciate all that our players, coaches and staff are doing to excel on and off the football field. My enthusiasm for tomorrow, the day after and every day following is as high as ever, and we are ready to get on the practice field and start preparations for the 2022 season.”
Spring ball was fantastic. His team is loaded. But recruiting has been tough with Harbaugh and Co. battling with Name, Image, & Likeness (NIL) restrictions and more. We talk about that in today’s chat.
Michigan basketball preparing for visits — and commitments?
Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard, meanwhile, is hopeful he’ll get a pledge this month from Connecticut big man Papa Kante. On3.com’s No. 3 player nationally has been one of the breakout players of the summer, having added more offense to his game. He has a great relationship with Howard, and he’s said as much.
Kante will go back to Senegal, Africa after Nike Peach Jam this week and decide with his family. Pitt and Rutgers are among the contenders.
Five-star point guard Isaiah Collier, meanwhile, is planning a July 28 visit. Others are still trying to get involved.
“Kentucky contacted me about two weeks ago,” Collier said. “They have shown a little bit of interest, but I am not sure what is going to happen with them right now.”
Collier has taken four official visits, Southern Cal, UCLA, Cincinnati, and Alabama. The five-star told On3 his fifth will be to Michigan next week.
“Juwan Howard is an NBA guy. They are getting players and putting them into the league. That is my main goal, really,” he said.
“I’m looking for a family program,” Collier said. “I want to go somewhere I can grow as a man and get an education too. Style of play will be important to me; I’ll be looking at the system and how they run and play in the half-court.
“I’ll be looking at the system, the love, coaches. I’m looking for a brotherhood, really, a family.”
We talk about that and more …
