Michigan Wolverines: Basketball Recruiting
FRISCO, Texas -- Soso Jamabo (Plano, Texas/Plano West) would have liked to be a part of this weekend’s Nike EYBL series playing with the Texas Titans. With a sling on his right shoulder, however, the 2015 two-sport star was reduced to watching the Titans on the bench, offering instruction to teammates and being the team’s biggest supporter.
For the rest of the spring and most of the summer, Jamabo’s focus will be on rehabbing after undergoing shoulder surgery on April 30. Jamabo broke some bones and damaged some ligaments in his shoulder during a Texas Class 5A Division-I state quarterfinal playoff. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound athlete is expected to miss 6-10 weeks but is projected to return a couple of weeks before Plano West’s first scrimmage in August.
“It’s early in the process, but it’s going well,” Jamabo said of the rehab process. “I’m just trying to get the shoulder back to usual, if not better. Right now, I’m just doing basic stuff and keep everything as minimal as possible.”
Exactly what kind of football player will Plano West look to see back on the field? Jamabo’s first rush as a varsity player was against Flower Mound (Texas) Marcus on Aug. 31. It went for 12 yards. His second rush: A 75-yard touchdown run.
Since then, Soso has been ... well ... anything but.
Only the shoulder injury managed to slow the electrifying 2015 running back down. He rushed for a team-leading 1,697 yards and 24 touchdowns and also caught 20 passes for 453 yards -- an average of almost 23 yards per catch -- and four touchdowns. On the basketball court, Jamabo averaged 13.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 11 games.
For the rest of the spring and most of the summer, Jamabo’s focus will be on rehabbing after undergoing shoulder surgery on April 30. Jamabo broke some bones and damaged some ligaments in his shoulder during a Texas Class 5A Division-I state quarterfinal playoff. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound athlete is expected to miss 6-10 weeks but is projected to return a couple of weeks before Plano West’s first scrimmage in August.
“It’s early in the process, but it’s going well,” Jamabo said of the rehab process. “I’m just trying to get the shoulder back to usual, if not better. Right now, I’m just doing basic stuff and keep everything as minimal as possible.”
Exactly what kind of football player will Plano West look to see back on the field? Jamabo’s first rush as a varsity player was against Flower Mound (Texas) Marcus on Aug. 31. It went for 12 yards. His second rush: A 75-yard touchdown run.
Since then, Soso has been ... well ... anything but.
Only the shoulder injury managed to slow the electrifying 2015 running back down. He rushed for a team-leading 1,697 yards and 24 touchdowns and also caught 20 passes for 453 yards -- an average of almost 23 yards per catch -- and four touchdowns. On the basketball court, Jamabo averaged 13.8 points, 3.8 rebounds and 2.6 assists in 11 games.
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Spend enough time on the high school basketball circuit and you’ll find there are certain players you gravitate toward because you know exactly what you’re getting when you go watch them. ESPN 60 forward Kevon Looney (Milwaukee/Hamilton) is one of those guys.
Duke, Michigan State, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Kansas are among a big pack of programs that will vie for his signature.
Duke, Michigan State, Michigan, Florida, Wisconsin, Tennessee and Kansas are among a big pack of programs that will vie for his signature.
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He hadn’t played a meaningful game in a long time, forced to sit out his junior season of high school due to a squabble with the California Interscholastic Federation over a transfer. So when Kameron Chatman (Long Beach, Calif./Long Beach Poly) played last month for Inner City Players, it was a mix of emotions.
Relief. Jubilation. Rust from having missed a season of basketball after transferring from Oregon to Long Beach Poly. And he would have to deal with all of it while playing some of the top competition in the country on Nike’s EYBL circuit.
“It was hard to see, to not be on the court and just watch my team,” Chatman said. “I supported them in practice and stuff like that, but to not be able to get into the game, it was a hard thing.
Relief. Jubilation. Rust from having missed a season of basketball after transferring from Oregon to Long Beach Poly. And he would have to deal with all of it while playing some of the top competition in the country on Nike’s EYBL circuit.
“It was hard to see, to not be on the court and just watch my team,” Chatman said. “I supported them in practice and stuff like that, but to not be able to get into the game, it was a hard thing.
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Stephen Zimmerman (Las Vegas/Bishop Gorman) was watching Michigan play this season where he saw something more familiar than he could have anticipated. There the Wolverines were, running a play through their own big man, Mitch McGary.
Immediately, Zimmerman recognized it, and it only helped reaffirm his interest in the Wolverines.
“They used him really well,” Zimmerman said. “The play that they run where it runs through Mitch, we run the same thing with my traveling team, so it was a good thing to see how he ran it and things he did with it.”
Immediately, Zimmerman recognized it, and it only helped reaffirm his interest in the Wolverines.
“They used him really well,” Zimmerman said. “The play that they run where it runs through Mitch, we run the same thing with my traveling team, so it was a good thing to see how he ran it and things he did with it.”
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McGary's career full of peaks and valleys 
April, 8, 2013
Apr 8
10:10
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By Adam Finkelstein | ESPN.com
Like a volatile Wall Street stock, the perception is that Mitch McGary’s individual status has hit an unprecedented amount of peaks, valleys and cliffs over the years. It’s a pattern that seemingly dates all the way back to his high school days at Chesterton High (Ind.) and continued through his prep school career at Brewster Academy (N.H.) and into his freshman season at Michigan.
Now, with Michigan one win away from a national championship and McGary not only the breakout star of the NCAA tournament but suddenly also a very real candidate to be one and done to the NBA, let’s take a historical look back to see if a pattern does exist after all.
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The Wolverines have reached the Final Four for the first time since 1993. That means the last time Michigan stepped on a Final Four floor, not only had America just sworn in its first female attorney general, but Tag Team and Boy George were both dominating American air waves.
We’ll call it a draw for humanity.
So in the spirit of the basketball frenzy that has taken over, I’ll answer your roundball questions this week as the Wolverine fans prepare for what is an historic day. Mike will take care of the mailbag next week, so send your questions on to him at @MikeRothstein or michaelrothsteinespn@gmail.com. Now, let’s talk some basketball ...
We’ll call it a draw for humanity.
So in the spirit of the basketball frenzy that has taken over, I’ll answer your roundball questions this week as the Wolverine fans prepare for what is an historic day. Mike will take care of the mailbag next week, so send your questions on to him at @MikeRothstein or michaelrothsteinespn@gmail.com. Now, let’s talk some basketball ...
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U-M commits excited about Final Four
April, 3, 2013
Apr 3
9:15
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By
Michael Rothstein | ESPN.com
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- Derrick Walton Jr. and Zak Irvin will be teammates next season. This past weekend, that bond grew a little more.
As their future school, Michigan, upset Kansas in the Sweet 16, decimated Florida in the Elite Eight and made its first Final Four since before the recruits were born, they texted each other all weekend.
“We were really excited,” Irvin said. “Especially with Kansas, down with a minute to go, we were going crazy.”
As their future school, Michigan, upset Kansas in the Sweet 16, decimated Florida in the Elite Eight and made its first Final Four since before the recruits were born, they texted each other all weekend.
“We were really excited,” Irvin said. “Especially with Kansas, down with a minute to go, we were going crazy.”
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Telep's Top 10: Sweet 16 recruiting stories
March, 27, 2013
Mar 27
11:00
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By
Dave Telep | ESPN.com
This year’s NCAA tournament has been full of great stories, from Florida Gulf Coast’s Cinderella run to La Salle going from First Four to Sweet 16 to the Big Ten placing four teams in the final 16.
But what about the stories behind the stories -- the tales of how some of this year’s March Madness stars ended up at their eventual schools and helped shape this year’s tourney? To delve into those, this week’s top 10 looks at the 10 best recruiting stories from players and teams in the Sweet 16.
1. Trey Burke, Michigan
Mick Cronin is not going to want to hear this again, but it’s true. Burke was going to Cincinnati. It was nearly a done deal. But one last call to Michigan’s staff changed the fate of two programs. According to recruiting lore, Burke’s father called a final time asking Michigan if it was interested in Burke. If the answer was no, then Burke was going to Cincinnati. This was in late July of Burke’s pre-senior summer. Remember, it wasn’t like the now All-American was hot stuff then. He was good -- a late top-100 player -- but he wasn’t the player then that he has become. Ultimately, Michigan said it wanted Burke and the Wolverines landed him a few days later.
But what about the stories behind the stories -- the tales of how some of this year’s March Madness stars ended up at their eventual schools and helped shape this year’s tourney? To delve into those, this week’s top 10 looks at the 10 best recruiting stories from players and teams in the Sweet 16.
Top 10 Recruiting Stories From the Sweet 16
1. Trey Burke, Michigan
Mick Cronin is not going to want to hear this again, but it’s true. Burke was going to Cincinnati. It was nearly a done deal. But one last call to Michigan’s staff changed the fate of two programs. According to recruiting lore, Burke’s father called a final time asking Michigan if it was interested in Burke. If the answer was no, then Burke was going to Cincinnati. This was in late July of Burke’s pre-senior summer. Remember, it wasn’t like the now All-American was hot stuff then. He was good -- a late top-100 player -- but he wasn’t the player then that he has become. Ultimately, Michigan said it wanted Burke and the Wolverines landed him a few days later.
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Recruiting is a tricky deal to figure out sometimes.
There’s Duke, which knew it had to replace seniors Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly with a stud frontcourt player in this recruiting class. But conversely, did the thought of potentially having to replace sophomore Shane Larkin even enter Jim Larranaga’s mind at the beginning of the season? I know Larkin is not likely going anywhere, but still, the point is that it can be hard to know exactly what you’re going to need to replace in recruiting.
To that point, Tom Crean knew Victor Oladipo was good, but no one saw this type of year coming from the now projected lottery pick.
Once the afterglow of this season wears off, many Wooden Award finalists will need replacing -- and that’s not an easy task. So while not every player on this list will turn pro, the point of this top 10 is to rate how well each team prepared for the contingency going forward in recruiting.
There’s Duke, which knew it had to replace seniors Mason Plumlee and Ryan Kelly with a stud frontcourt player in this recruiting class. But conversely, did the thought of potentially having to replace sophomore Shane Larkin even enter Jim Larranaga’s mind at the beginning of the season? I know Larkin is not likely going anywhere, but still, the point is that it can be hard to know exactly what you’re going to need to replace in recruiting.
To that point, Tom Crean knew Victor Oladipo was good, but no one saw this type of year coming from the now projected lottery pick.
Once the afterglow of this season wears off, many Wooden Award finalists will need replacing -- and that’s not an easy task. So while not every player on this list will turn pro, the point of this top 10 is to rate how well each team prepared for the contingency going forward in recruiting.
Top 10 Recruiting Replacements for Wooden Award Finalists
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Doyle's skills will fit Wolverines well
March, 11, 2013
Mar 11
4:52
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By
Reggie Rankin | ESPN.com
Class of 2014 power forward Ricky Doyle (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot) has committed to the Michigan Wolverines over offers from Miami (Fla.), Notre Dame, Ohio State and Purdue, among others.
The first words that come to mind after evaluating Doyle are big and skilled -- and that is exactly what the Wolverines are getting.
The first words that come to mind after evaluating Doyle are big and skilled -- and that is exactly what the Wolverines are getting.
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On the court, Michigan dropped a big game to Indiana on Sunday. But Wolverines coach John Beilein rebounded on Monday, when he accepted a commitment from three-star junior power forward Ricky Doyle (Fort Myers, Fla./Bishop Verot).
Doyle, who is 6-foot-9, is right out of the Beilein recruiting handbook. The 16-year-old plays very little AAU ball, is the son of a former pro player and loves working on his game.
Doyle, who is 6-foot-9, is right out of the Beilein recruiting handbook. The 16-year-old plays very little AAU ball, is the son of a former pro player and loves working on his game.
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No. 6 junior has at least a dozen offers
January, 16, 2013
Jan 16
4:28
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By
Reggie Rankin | ESPN.com
Class of 2014 combo forward Kevon Looney (Milwaukee/Hamilton) is having a tremendous junior campaign and is living up to his No. 6 overall ranking in the ESPN 60.
Not surprisingly, some of college basketball's elite programs have taken notice by extending offers.
Not surprisingly, some of college basketball's elite programs have taken notice by extending offers.
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Cameron could be next year's Stauskas
December, 14, 2012
12/14/12
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By Adam Finkelstein | ESPN.com
Michigan swingman Nik Stauskas is one of the most pleasant freshman surprises in college basketball so far this season.
Ten games into his college basketball career, Stauskas cracked the starting lineup of a consensus top-five team. Now he’s averaging 29.1 minutes and 13.5 points per game while shooting .519 from the field, .587 from the 3-point line and .897 from the free throw line.
Stauskas is one of the most impactful freshman in all of college basketball, but only eight months ago he finished his high school career as the 76th-ranked prospect in the 2012 ESPN 100.
Looking forward to the Class of 2013, there is a player who could be in a similar position next year. Like Stauskas, Reggie Cameron (Paterson, N.J./Hudson Catholic) is an exceptional long distance shooter who is equally accurate making tough pull-up jumpers off the dribble. He has a high basketball IQ, is an underrated passer and is supremely confident in his ability to shoot.
Ten games into his college basketball career, Stauskas cracked the starting lineup of a consensus top-five team. Now he’s averaging 29.1 minutes and 13.5 points per game while shooting .519 from the field, .587 from the 3-point line and .897 from the free throw line.
Stauskas is one of the most impactful freshman in all of college basketball, but only eight months ago he finished his high school career as the 76th-ranked prospect in the 2012 ESPN 100.
Looking forward to the Class of 2013, there is a player who could be in a similar position next year. Like Stauskas, Reggie Cameron (Paterson, N.J./Hudson Catholic) is an exceptional long distance shooter who is equally accurate making tough pull-up jumpers off the dribble. He has a high basketball IQ, is an underrated passer and is supremely confident in his ability to shoot.
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Top 2015 hoops prospect to visit
October, 18, 2012
10/18/12
4:46
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By
Michael Rothstein | ESPN.com
The attention arrived early for the young big man with the precocious skills, a 6-foot-10, 252-pound teenager.
It all came fast for center Diamond Stone (Milwaukee/Dominican), the No. 2 player in the 2015 ESPN 25. Yet as the attention grew, his parents also made another decision: They wanted their son to take his time as he searched through colleges.
The interest would be there, so why not see as many places as possible, talk to as many coaches as they could to make an informed decision during his senior season. For now, that’s a long way off, although a trip to Michigan is not. The Wolverines are welcoming Stone for an unofficial visit this weekend.
It all came fast for center Diamond Stone (Milwaukee/Dominican), the No. 2 player in the 2015 ESPN 25. Yet as the attention grew, his parents also made another decision: They wanted their son to take his time as he searched through colleges.
The interest would be there, so why not see as many places as possible, talk to as many coaches as they could to make an informed decision during his senior season. For now, that’s a long way off, although a trip to Michigan is not. The Wolverines are welcoming Stone for an unofficial visit this weekend.
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With Michigan having back-to-back home games and basketball season rapidly approaching, WolverineNation caught up with some of the basketball recruits who have been or will be visiting campus lately to gauge their thoughts on the Wolverines.
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On to the update.
We ask that this information stays in The Den, as it is for subscribers only.
On to the update.
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ABOUT WOLVERINE NATION
Michael Rothstein
Michael Rothstein joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the University of Michigan for AnnArbor.com, Notre Dame for the Fort Wayne (Ind.) Journal Gazette and a host of colleges for the Daily News-Record (Harrisonburg, Va.). A Syracuse graduate and an East Meadow, N.Y., native, he lives in Ann Arbor, Mich. He can be reached at michaelrothsteinespn@gmail.com.
Tom VanHaaren
Tom VanHaaren joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering the University of Michigan for three years at MGoBlog.com. VanHaaren and his wife currently reside in Royal Oak, Mich. He can be reached at TomVHESPN@gmail.com.
Chantel Jennings
Chantel Jennings joined ESPN.com in 2011 after covering University of Michigan athletics for three years at The Michigan Daily. Chantel graduated from the University of Michigan with degrees in English and Spanish and lives in Ann Arbor. She can be reached at jenningsespn@gmail.com.