Michigan Basketball: 5-star Chet Holmgren finally chooses Gonzaga

After a long wait, Michigan basketball is finally out of the Chet Holmgren sweepstakes as the top overall recruit in 2021 chose to play for Gonzaga.

If you were holding out hope that Michigan basketball was saving that 2021 scholarship for five-star Chet Holmgren, you don’t have to hold onto that anymore.

The top-ranked recruit in the 2021 class according to the 247 sports composite rankings officially committed to Gonzaga on Monday, announcing his decision on ESPN.

Michigan basketball was one of the team squarely in the mix for the 7-footer from Minnesota, along with the Zags, Ohio State, Minnesota, Memphis, Georgetown, and North Carolina.

You can see the trend of former NBA players being attractive to Holmgren as head coaches Juwan Howard, Patrick Ewing, and Penny Hardaway all had squads in the final seven. Hubert Davis of UNC counts too but he was just recently hired as the head coach.

It’s a bummer because Michigan did seem to have a shot at Holmgren, however, it always seemed like he was headed for Gonzaga and maybe he will be their missing piece.

What could have been for Michigan basketball?

It sure is intriguing to think about the potential fit of Holmgren alongside the likes of Hunter Dickinson and other incoming freshmen, Caleb Houstan and Moussa Diabate, both five-star prospects in their own right.

That would have to be the most talented frontcourt in the country. Dickinson is a strong bet to be named an All-American again next season, which I guess would have Holmgren starting as the four. Houstan could be the three and Diabate would come off the bench, along with Brandon Johns if he stuck around in that situation.

That would be managing a lot of talent though and three potential one-and-done players. It wouldn’t have been a bad problem to have, but it’s not one Juwan will have to worry about.

The Wolverines have had that extra spot open and some were hoping that Holmgren or another five-star such as Efton Reid would fill that spot.

Reid could still be a possibility as he was supposed to make a decision on April 15 yet postponed it without giving a reason, at least that’s what his mom posted on Twitter.

The issue with Reid was that he’s a natural fit at center and it’s unlikely he will want to come in and play behind Dickinson. He’s the No. 23 recruit and third-ranked center in the 2021 class.

But in the world of recruiting, you never know. One thing we do know, however, is that Chet won’t be a Wolverine.