Michigan Basketball: Juwan Howard gets an edge with Jalen Wilson

How new Michigan basketball coach Juwan Howard can get a slight edge in recruiting four-star forward Jalen Wilson.

When Juwan Howard was introduced as Michigan basketball‘s head coach Thursday in Ann Arbor, one of the things he said that was that he needs to learn the NCAA’s recruiting rulebook.

Howard emphasized how important it was for the Michigan basketball program to follow the same path it did under John Beilein, which was straight and narrow.

When it comes to the world of college hoops, under Beilein, the Wolverines were that annoying kid in high school that never drinks, smokes, or gets in trouble.

That squeaky-clean image is something Howard wants to keep and that’s a good thing. So dive into that rulebook, Juwan, because it’s quite complicated.

In fact, some questioned whether Howard committed a recruiting violation when he said that Cole Bajema would be signing his national letter of intent soon. But, Bajema signed it months ago, which allowed Howard to talk about him.

Yet, one thing that I didn’t know about the recruiting rules is that Howard will be able to take an in-home visit with Jalen Wilson, something he wouldn’t be able to do with the normal recruiting calendar.

College basketball is currently in a quiet period for recruiting. That means that teams can only meet with players on campus. Coaches aren’t allowed to go to their homes and speak to them outside of campus.

However, with Wilson and Michigan basketball, that doesn’t apply. That’s because Wilson asked for his release for the national letter of intent he already signed. And according to Sam Webb of the Michigan Insider, who cites the Michigan Compliance Office, UM is the one school that is allowed to take an in-home visit with Wilson, since he is still partially signed.

That doesn’t seem like a big deal but it is. When I first looked at the calendar, I thought Howard would have to settle for Wilson visiting Ann Arbor again. Yet, with this rule pointed out by Webb, Howard can sell his vision of Michigan basketball to Wilson right in his living room, which is what the kid said he wanted. Here’s what he told MLive May 22:

"“Coach Beilein came to my house and had a full game plan of his future with me,” Wilson said. “I would expect the same from Juwan.”"

Wilson is ranked 50th in the 247 sports composite rankings and is a 6-foot-8 forward who hails from Denton, Texas. He is also listed as the No. 13 small forward and has taken an interest in Kansas and North Carolina.

While Michigan owns the majority of his crystal ball projections at 247 sports, the last six have all gone to Kansas. North Carolina is another attractive option.

However, neither of those teams will get an in-home visit. And since Jalen’s mother named him after Jalen Rose of the Fab Five, that connection should give the Wolverines a shot, along with the chance to offer immediate playing time next season.

If Wilson came to Michigan, there is a good chance he would start and even if he didn’t, he would play significant minutes. That’s a key selling point and Howard can also sell him on getting to the NBA.

Either way, it will be a great test of Howard’s recruiting abilities. He can offer the kid playing time and a path to the NBA, plus, he gets an in-home visit when no other team does. Those are all reasons for optimism. Now, Howard has to close the deal.