Michigan Basketball: 3 prospects to keep an eye on for 2021

Jalen Warley

There’s no doubting Michigan basketball’s associate head coach Phil Martelli is a legend in the state of Pennsylvania. During his tenure at Saint Joseph’s, Phil coached the likes of Jameer Nelson, Delonte West, and Dwayne Jones. Let’s just say he left his mark, and it’s still fresh on the mind of high school athletes from the state.

They are keenly aware of what he brings to the game, and he’s more than just a great basketball mind, Phil has been a significant part of the recruiting process.

“I have a really good relationship with the coaching staff and Coach Martelli,” Jalen Warley told Stockrisers.

247 sports ranked the combo guard from Westtown High School at 27th for his class, 4th at his position, and No. 1 in-state with four stars and 97 composite score.

Here’s the unattributed evaluation from 247 sports:

"Jalen Warley is a big guard with size, skill and solid athleticism. At right around 6-foot-4, Warley has the size to play off the ball and also the ability to be a primary ball handler who makes others better. He doesn’t possess elite athleticism, but his size, basketball intelligence and feel for the game show on both ends of the court. On defensive he is capable of switching and guarding multiple positions, while on offense he can run a team or be a primary scorer if that is asked of him. Warley needs to continue to be more assertive so that his natural ability shines through, but all of the tools are there for him to make an impact and college, and potentially even in the NBA."

The 6-foot-4 175-pound is ranked even higher by Rivals at 21st nationally, but ESPN provided the lowest ranking at 35th.

Currently, there are no predictions for Jalen’s future, but as he trims his list, UM remains present like in the most recent cut to ten.

Matt’s musings

As we move closer to 2021, it’s important to remember the G League is offering up to a half a million dollars for high school basketball players to make the jump to the minor league of the NBA, and there are minimal restrictions. We saw the impact that had with the 2020 class, and it’s just going to grow as is overseas contracts as the salaries rise.

Additionally, the NBA could remove the one-year of college requirement in the near future, although that’s not expected for a couple of years.

The recruiting scene is going to become a hotbed for coaches losing out on top prospects until the name, image, and likeness rules are decided, allowing players to get paid while attending and performing for their colleges on the court and on the field.

With that said, the top guys in their class (Warley) will become unicorns on the college court; therefore it’s much more likely Juwan will be able to land Allen and Tschetter, who are incredibly skilled, they just haven’t bloomed as Jalen has in the eyes of the recruiters.