Michigan Basketball: Frankie Collins already recruiting top talent

It didn’t take long for Michigan basketball’s top commit to start recruiting others to the program. The family atmosphere drew him in, and he’s trying to sell it to others.

If not for Juwan Howard, the four-star top 60 point guard playing for Coronado High School this season may never have been a member of the 2021 Michigan basketball class.

“I know he’ll take care of me there, no question,” Collins wrote in his blog post about head coach Juwan Howard.

The connection to U-M started long before Frankie began drawing the attention of Division I scouts. A friendship decades old is the starting point.

“Coach Juwan (Howard) is really close with my family; he and my uncle have been close for a while. I would always see him around growing up and take pictures with him.

“I think the first picture I took with Coach was from third grade them seventh grade and more after that,” Frankie said.

The picture of Frankie Collins as a third grader standing next to Howard has made the rounds. There are many pictures Juwan has taken with adoring fans, but this one seems special. A young basketball fan standing next to his idol, unable to turn his attention to the camera.

As the nephew of Monty Buckley, a former NBA player and coach, Frankie had the opportunity to meet many famous people, although the bond between Monty and Juwan is strong, and it was passed on.

Even without visiting campus because of the pandemic, Frankie knew Ann Arbor was the right place for him, and he’s hoping to gather other top recruits for the Wolverines. Prospects that are considered unicorns; athletes that won’t be around for long, but could change everything.

“I’ve been talking with Chet (Holmgren) a little and so I’m really trying hard to get him. We also offered Hunter Sallis too and so I’m working on him. I think we’d be tough together in the backcourt,” Collins said in the blog.

Chet Holmgren is truly a unicorn. He’s either No. 1 or No. 2 for the class, and he can only be described as a point-5, meaning he’s a 7-footer with the playstyle of a guard. Chet has a crossover that can take down NBA basketball players and the shot-blocking ability of Dikembe Mutombo.

Hunter Sallis is no slouch himself. The five-star 6-foot-3 combo guard is positionless and is destined to leave for the NBA after one year. Hunter ranks 19th nationally, the No. 2 CG, and No. 1 from Nebraska.

Matt’s musings

The addition of either player would skyrocket the Wolverines to best in the Big Ten and No. 2 on the national class rankings behind Florida State. And the addition of either or both would take Michigan to a height reached only twice in the 247 sports ranking era. Michigan has only two five-star commits in its history (This doesn’t include the Fab Five et al.).

Just because Collins is on the phone with these phenoms doesn’t necessarily mean anything for the Wolverines unless the staff is able to seal the deal. With both, UM is contending with the typical one-and-done universities as well as the NBA’s G League. There’s also basketball overseas, which is becoming increasingly popular.

Regardless, it’s promising news and a sign of allegiance to the program from its top recruit.