Following the disappointment-filled past few months, the Michigan men’s basketball team finally got a pleasant surprise.
Just a month after losing 2007 commitment Alex Legion and potential 2006 recruit Patrick Beverley, the Wolverines welcomed Epke Udoh as the fourth member of next season’s recruiting class this week.
Udoh, a 6-10 forward from Edmond, Okla., joins forwards DeShawn Sims and Anthony Wright and wing K’Len Morris as members of the 2006-2007 recruiting class for the Maize and Blue.
Many believed Udoh would come to Michigan the following year, opting to attend a prep school next season instead. Udoh’s stock had dropped this year following a shoulder injury between his junior and senior years, and some close to Udoh encouraged him to take a year at prep school to hone his skills and reestablish himself as a formidable inside presence.
But a change of heart during the spring signing period made Udoh the second player to commit to Michigan this spring.
“I had prayed about what I was going to do … I felt like God was not going to steer me wrong,” Udoh told Scout.com earlier this week. “So then about two weeks ago … I believe it was on April 29 at around 3 a.m. in the morning … I sent Coach Mike Jackson a text message. In my text message I told him I was coming to Michigan. I didn’t get a call until the next morning, and he was very excited.”
Michigan has one scholarship remaining that it could use for the 2006-2007 season. With point guard-target Patrick Beverley opting to go to Arkansas instead of Michigan, the final scholarship may be used for a NEW point guard.
The recent exile of former Oklahoma coach Kelvin Sampson to Indiana has left many Oklahoma recruits, including once-Michigan target Scottie Reynolds, to renege on their commitments. Many believe Michigan coach Tommy Amaker will try to get Reynolds as the fifth member of the upcoming recruiting class.
If no players are signed, the scholarship can be saved for the next season’s recruiting class.
Notes: Amaker was named head coach of the 2006 Big Ten Foreign Touring Team for its upcoming 10-day tour through Australia in mid-August.
The 12-man roster is made up of players from each Big Ten team. Since Amaker is the coach of the team, Michigan will have two of its players on the team.
Sophomore Ron Coleman was the Wolverine representative on last summer’s team, which was coached by Illinois coach Bruce Weber.
“To represent not only the University of Michigan, but also the Big Ten Conference with this tour is a tremendous honor,” Amaker said. “We look forward to putting together a well-represented group from each conference school and playing competitive basketball against some strong competition in Australia.”