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The elite recruit forgotten in Michigan Basketball’s 2021 class

By Alex Hinton

INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 30: Head coach Juwan Howard of the Michigan Wolverines talks with his team during a time out during the second half against the UCLA Bruins in the Elite Eight round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 30, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA - MARCH 30: Head coach Juwan Howard of the Michigan Wolverines talks with his team during a time out during the second half against the UCLA Bruins in the Elite Eight round game of the 2021 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium on March 30, 2021 in Indianapolis, Indiana. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /
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Michigan basketball is bringing in an elite recruiting class but one player not being talked about enough is Kobe Bufkin.

By now, you have probably heard that Michigan Basketball signed the No.1 recruiting class for the 2021 cycle. The majority of them are on campus already with the exception of five-star Caleb Houstan, who led his Canadian National Team to the bronze medal at FIBA U19 Basketball World Cup. For good measure, he also knocked down a three and stared down #1 recruit Chet Holmgren.

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Fellow five-star Moussa Diabate, like Houstan, finds himself in the first round of 2022 NBA Mock Drafts. Top-50 point guard Frankie Collins has been busy showcasing the type of explosiveness he will be bringing to the Crisler Center this season.

However, there is one more elite recruit in that 2021 class that hasn’t been talked about enough.

Don’t sleep on Kobe Bufkin

In the final rankings for the 2021 class, guard Kobe Bufkin ended up as the 43rd best prospect, one spot ahead of Collins. Bufkin was initially ranked as the 130th overall prospect in the 2021 class, however a big offseason last summer began his ascent up the rankings.

If not for a hairline fracture to his left wrist that limited his senior season to five games, Bufkin might have ended as a five-star prospect himself. He still did enough to be named a McDonalds All-American and was named to the Jordan Brand Classic roster after averaging 25 PPG, 7 RPG, and 5 APG.

What makes Bufkin a special prospect is the fact that he is able to do everything well. At 6-foot-4, Bufkin has good length and above-average athleticism. He can create his own shot off the bounce and get to the basket. He can score at all three levels and has deep range on his jumper. He is also a solid playmaker for others and he is capable of playing either guard spot.

Transfer DeVante’ Jones will likely be the starter at point guard. Michigan also will have Collins and fifth-year senior Eli Brooks as point guard options, but Bufkin will find himself in the mix at point guard as well.

While the Wolverines will have plenty of options at the 1 spot, depth on the wing could be a question mark. As a result, Bufkin could get some minutes at SF, particularly if coach Juwan Howard wants to go smaller and give Caleb Houstan minutes at PF at times. It would be difficult to press the Wolverines with Bufkin as a third ballhandler on the floor.

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Bufkin’s versatility will make him a valuable asset to the Wolverines this season and could help him earn minutes. While Bufkin has flown under the radar among Michigan circles, do not be surprised if he has a larger impact than expected this season. By the way, Bufkin is capable of putting up some impressive highlights himself (see slide 3).

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