Michigan Basketball: Khristian Lander is the future for Wolverines at PG

Michigan basketball always seems to have an abundant supply of top-notch points guards, and 2021 star Khristian Lander feels like the perfect fit to carry on the tradition.

No, Khristian Lander hasn’t committed to Michigan basketball just yet, although all signs are pointing that way. The Michigan Insider’s Garrett Fishaw and The Devils Den’s Andrew Slater both have Crystal Ball predictions for Lander to land in Ann Arbor while the only other educated guess has Khristian heading to Indiana.

Lander, who stands at 6-foot-1 and weighs 160-pounds, plays at Francis Joseph Reitz High School in Evansville, Indiana, and is ranked 12th nationally, the No. 1 point guard, and the No.1 basketball player from his state for his class. He also earned a 9955 composite rating with five-stars.

According to Rivals, Lander if the third at his position and 13th nationally with five-stars. The main difference between the two recruiting websites is that Rivals ‘Commitment Forecasts’ has a tie between IU and Louisville with Purdue trailing.

You can see from the video that Khristian’s skills aren’t ordinary, as he can play from anywhere on the court. He has speed, the ability to drive, and a quick-release that’s accurate from a distance. Lander is solid defensively and can rebound the ball despite his height – which will inevitably change as he gets older.

Since earning a scholarship offer in June, Lander has quickly warmed up to the Wolverines and visited the weekend of October 25th.

What a great weekend it was for Michigan as they took down a top ten opponent on the football field with a top recruit in the stands cheering them on. That’s not the only good news for UM since Khristian could potentially move into the 2020 cycle if he chooses to reclassify by graduating early.

“It is a possibility but I am not positive about it yet,” he told Rivals. “I would have to get 14 more credits to graduate after this year so I would have to take a few more courses but I could get a head start and play at the college level right now but I need to get a little stronger.”

If he decides to make the jump, his rankings might fall, but only time will tell on that front. As of right now, he’s another top talent recruited by Juwan Howard, and potentially the next great point guard. And he interested in taking on the responsibility.

Since getting over the recruiting hump with five-star Isaiah Todd (that consisted of getting close to securing commitments from top 50 players only to be snubbed at the last minute), Juwan has a legitimate chance at obtaining the pledge from another top 20 talent not named Hunter Dickenson – the 7-foot-2-inch monster that’s the No. 6 center for the 2020 class – which is a clear sign that Howard is a way better recruiter than anyone could have predicted and that his coaching philosophy is going to be in stark contrast from that of his predecessor.

If Lander decides Ann Arbor is his next home, he will become another great point guard for the Wolverines in a line of greatness that, in recent history, started with Trey Burke and is continued today by Zavier Simpson and David DeJulius. While Khristian doesn’t employ the same style as those before him, he will undoubtedly make his mark in history in his own unique way.