Michigan basketball announces early signings of Jalen Wilson, Cole Bajema

The Michigan Wolverines basketball team a hell of a Wednesday.

Not only did the current team dominate the defending-champion Villanova Wildcats at their place, but John Beilein and company welcomed two additions to the future of the program.

4-star forwards Jalen Wilson and Cole Bajema officially signed their letters of intent during the early signing period, and are now officially Wolverines.

Wilson, the gem of the class, is the 43rd overall player in his class and hails from Denton, Texas. The 6-foot-8, 215-pounder had offers from programs like UCLA, Kansas, Oklahoma, Oklahoma State, Marquette and more.

“We are thrilled to have a player of Jalen’s caliber join the program,” Beilein said in a press release. “He is a strong, physical wing with the ability to score in a variety of ways. Jalen and his family love our university, and that was important to us, too. His versatility gives him the ability to play multiple positions on offense, and his strength allows him to be able to come in and be an impact defender. He has continued to improve in many areas since we have been recruiting him. With his attitude, work ethic and skill set, we cannot wait for him to arrive.”

Wilson averaged 16.1 points, 6.2 rebounds and 3.3 assists during last season’s 38-2 record at John H. Guyer High School.

Fun fact: he is also named after former Wolverine Jalen Rose, so he was born to be a star.

Meanwhile, Bajema is the 121st overall player in the class and is from Lynden, Washington. He stands at 6-foot-7 and weighs 175 pounds, so he will certainly have some weight to put on when he arrives in Ann Arbor. Unlike Wilson, Bajema is a more under-the-radar prospect and only had one real elite offer — Virginia.

While he is listed as a forward on 247Sports, Bajema is listed as a guard on Michigan’s press release of the news.

“Cole is a talented player, and his passion for Michigan made him a great fit,” Beilein said in the press release. “We are excited that his family roots led him back to the state of Michigan. We love it when kids come running through the door to be a part of such a great university. Cole showed a skill that evolved each time we watched him play. He is a versatile player that we are looking forward to developing in our system. His willingness to work on and off the floor as well as in the classroom makes him a perfect fit.”

Bajema was Washington’s 2018 AP Class 1A Player of the Year last year, averaging 23.0 points and 7.0 rebounds.

It is very likely this will be it for the 2019 class. After missing out on a couple other players, most notably 5-star guard and Ohio State commit DJ Carton, it appears the coaching staff will turn the attention to the next class.