Michigan extends offer to 2024 4-star big man Emmanuel Stephen

We know Juwan Howard and the Michigan Wolverines coaching staff love to recruit talented post players, with their latest target being Emmanuel Stephen, who announced his offer from Michigan earlier this week.

Stephen is rated just outside the top 100 in his class on the 247 Composite, ranked as the 16th-best center and the sixth-best recruit from the state of Arizona. He’s reportedly visiting Arizona at the end of September, and he’s already got offers from Arizona, Arizona State, Baylor, Kansas, LSU, Sam Houston State, and Seton Hall.

The big man is been pretty impressive on the EYBL circuit. At seven-feet tall, he towers over defenders and can finish at the rim with ease. He can make a quick hook in traffic, he’s a solid offensive rebounder, and if the lane is clear, he can dunk the ball off two feet with ease.

Stephen is also an excellent defender. He can protect the rim, but he’s also got the foot speed to keep up with guards on the drive. He’s got a high basketball IQ, anticipating shots and timing his leap to swat away opposing shots with his length.

The big man is at his best in the pick-and-roll, as he rolls to the rim hard and finishes quick enough to avoid defenders collapsing in on him. He could excel in the pick-and-roll at Michigan; I’d imagine Dug McDaniel and George Washington III should be able to get him easy buckets in those sets.

If he commits to coming to Ann Arbor, Stephen would be Michigan’s third recruit in the 2024 class, joining guards Christian Anderson Jr. and Durral Brooks. Some top 2024 targets like Flory Bidunga, John Bol and Marcus Allen have already committed elsewhere, so hopefully Michigan can land a solid big like Stephen who can contribute right away.