Michigan’s 2016 class lost the country’s No. 1 player, Detroit’s Josh Jackson; a national top 10 prospect and MSU commitment, Flint’s Miles Bridges; an athlete with multiple high-major offers, Battle Creek’s Devon Daniels; and a surefire D1 forward, Saginaw’s Algeveon Eichelberger, to prep school, turning an elite class to a below average one. But there is still some emerging talent, and smart college recruiters will make the most of it at the mid-major levels. Here are the seniors off the board, thus far.
Corey Allen 6-3 Sr Ypsilanti … Detroit: He has been Ypsi’s leading scorer since he was a sophomore, and solidified himself as a D1 recruit adding everything else he brings to the floor, physical defense and ability to step over and play some 1.
Jerry Ben 6-8 Sr New Haven … Cornell: All kinds of raw, but plays with energy, athleticism and embraces the dirty work of a 4 man. A project but with big upside for the Ivy League.
Braden Burke 6-10 Stevensville Lakeshore … Robert Morris: Coach Sean Schroeder does a great job coaching forwards at Lakeshore, and Burke doesn’t disappoint with his skill level in 6-10 form. While his game can still be erratic, he’s a nice fit for the NEC.
Austin Davis 6-10 Sr Onsted … Michigan: Improved fitness and maturity have really helped Davis’ stock, as he’s now finishing above the rim with regularity and some nastiness. And at still just 16-years-old, he should just continue to get better on that front. Old school big man who won’t wow you but embraces the physicality of it all.
Kameron Hankerson 6-4 Sr Novi…Wisconsin-Green Bay: Combination of length and explosion make him intriguing, as he contributes across the board despite averaging single digits as a junior. Maturation into a multi-level scorer saw Hankerson transform from sleeper to D1 recruit.
Cody Kegley 6-0 Sr Yale … Northern Michigan: From the Thumb to the U.P. Kegley is a gym rat and pure point guard who competes from tip to horn. Good in the pick-and-roll because he can get in the lane or shoot it. Athleticism and strength will need to develop.
Spencer Littleson 6-4 Sr Rochester Adams … Duquesne: One of the state’s most improved players over the past 18 months. Can play off the ball and knock down shots, or handle the ball and carry the load himself. Doesn’t yet look like an A-10 defender.
Jaylin McFadden 6-5 Sr Detroit East English Village: … Ferris State: Do-it-all x-factor for what should be the top team in the PSL. McFadden rebounds like a forward and can handle like a guard while checking up and down an opposing lineup. Strong GLIAC recruit.
Kevin McKay 6-4 Sr Warren De La Salle … Central Michigan: No one defining skill, but is just a versatile player that you want on the court because he wins, both with De La Salle and in AAU with Detroit Showtime. All-around game will complement the smaller out-of-state guards CMU is bringing in for 2016, along with current freshman shooter Corey Redman, a likely redshirt.
Brailen Neely 5-9 Sr Detroit Western … Oakland: A prototypical Derrick McDowell guard who helped the coach to his first state championship. Fearless shooter and much-improved defender. While even 5-9 may be generous, he picked the right program in Oakland where another little PSL guard, Khalil Felder, could be the best player in the Horizon.
Karmari Newman 6-4 Sr Detroit East English Village … George Mason: A one-time streak shooter with no conscience, Newman has matured into a a much more efficient guard and a top five overall player in the senior class. He’ll follow the likes of EC Matthews and Chris Hass, recent Michigan guards who went out East for school and thrived.
Innocent Nwoko 6-10 Sr New Haven … Central Michigan: Rim defender who has had athletic ability, but now it’s more apparent as he gets more comfortable with the game. More aggressive offensively, looking to dunk. Far from a finished project, but great tools with which to work.
Danny Pippen 6-8 Sr Detroit Allen … Kent State: The Flashes will look to replace one athletic Michigan 4, Khaliq Spicer, with another, Pippen. Finishes on one rim, defends the other, and can really run between them. Could be an elite, versatile defender in the MAC. A healthy Pippen should help take Allen from one of the state’s biggest underachievers in 2015 to a state contender … if they can get out of Michigan’s roughest Class C district at Loyola.
Rahsaan Pope 6-4 Sr Romulus … Saginaw Valley State: College wing size, long and smooth if not explosive, can handle, pass and shoot it off the catch or dribble. Decision making and situational awareness are growth areas.
Chris Rollins 5-10 Sr Detroit East English Village … IPFW: Pure point guard who is fast, fearless and unselfish. Put him on a college weight program, and watch out.
Ryan Schuller 6-10 Sr Sturgis … Michigan Tech: Vastly improved over the past six months. Already has a strong frame and isn’t afraid to use it. Mechanical and a project, but he embraces the process and by age 21 could give Michigan Tech a MAC-caliber center in the GLIAC.
Jason Williams 5-10 Sr Detroit Allen … East Tennessee State: Prolific scorer, the faster the game, the more he flourishes. No fear as a driver and an improving shooter. Should really flourish with college coaching as he develops as a point guard and defender.
Cassius Winston 6-1 Sr Detroit U-D Jesuit … Michigan State: A household name in the state since his freshman year, and has already led U-of-D High to its two greatest seasons. A YMCA game for the 21st century and the perfect passer for the kind of high-flying talent already in and coming to East Lansing. Underrated as a scorer — Winston was tops in the EYBL last spring.
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