New Blue: 2014 SF/PF DJ Wilson

The proximity of this commit to the last basketball pledge is downright football-ian.  Less than a week after Michigan picked up the commitment of Kameron Chatman, the Wolverines reel in a second forward, leaving most likely one spot left in the 2014 class.  But, about the most recent commit:

Wilson comes by way of Sacramento, CA.  While the sites aren't all that high on him — only one considers him to be a top-150 player — there are a couple things that stand out.  First, his is a long forward with a nice inside outside game and shooting stroke, which is just the kind of player that John Beilein likes to roll out in his offense.

Second, his offer sheet is a nice mix of solid basketball schools and academic powerhouses.  Gonzaga, USC, Cal, Columbia, and Harvard all offered, as well as a few other west coast schools.  This should put to rest any questions of Wilson's intelligence, the boy's wicked smart.

Wilson should be a good fit for this team.  Beilein has shown an ability to maximize talent and find under the radar players capable of contributing on a larger level (see: Morgan, Jordan), and while Wilson isn't a potential blue-chip recruit, he has turned some heads.  UMHoops was sufficiently impressed with his game:

Watching Wilson play, everything starts with his jumpshot. His form is picturesque and quick and his consistency was impressive in the film that we watched. He loved shooting corner threes but was comfortable at the top of the key as well and even knocked down a handful of mid-range jumpers.

A lot of players have a jump shot but not many have the size and length that Wilson does. At 6-foot-8, pushing 6-foot-9, he has incredibly long arms which allow him to get his shot off anywhere on the floor. He moves fairly well bin the open floor and while he's not an elite athlete, he's athletic enough to make the most of his length around the rim. He blocked his fair share of shots and picked up a few easy put-backs due to length alone.

Here are some highlights (also from UMHoops) so you can judge for yourself.

From here, Michigan has likely one more spot to fill and a few different directions it could go.  Devin Booker and James Blackmon Jr. are both high on Michigan, but probably higher on Kentucky.  The Wolverines could make a move and snag a commit from either, or Michigan could simply end up being the winner of the odd-man-out sweepstakes.  Both players are highly regarded shooting guards, and are likely at the top of the list for the Wolverines.