What Marvel Allen commitment to Georgetown means for Michigan Basketball

Marvel Allen released a top six on Friday and on Saturday, he committed to Georgetown. Here’s what it means for the Wolverines.

Things are starting to take shape in the 2023 recruiting class for Michigan basketball and the Wolverines board is starting to become clear.

One name that Michigan basketball fans have been monitoring in the backcourt is four-star guard Marvel Allen.

Allen is 6-foot-4 and is ranked as the No. 27 overall prospect in the 247 sports composite rankings, yet his ranking has started to trend downward as Matt Em of Mgoblog details.

Still, Allen was expected to take an official visit to Michigan and there seemed like a decent chance he could be part of the 2023 class if the Wolverines pushed for a commitment.

However, this decision to commit to Georgetown shows that the push never really came, which isn’t a huge surprise based on some recent offers/developments.

The 2023 board is taking shape

Allen is a combo guard and it’s clear that Michigan basketball wants to add multiple guards in the 2023 class. The Wolverines could use another point guard and have a five-star point guard visiting sometime this month in Isaiah Collier, as well as a combo guard or a pure two-guard.

The roster is a little frontcourt heavy and next season, Dug McDaniel and Kobe Bufkin would be the only true guards on the roster if the Wolverines didn’t add any 2023 guards or transfers.

There was some thought that Allen could be in the mix but no visit was scheduled and it seems like he was more of a fallback option.

Elmarko Jackson, who is related to former Michigan cornerback Marlin Jackson, is a 6-foot-3 combo guard ranked 90th overall in the 247 sports composite rankings and was offered recently, and he would be another key addition and a perfect one to go along with Collier.

Michigan is a strong contender for four-star center Papa Kante and a class of Collier, Jackson, and Kante would be an ideal haul. There’s a strong chance that Joey Baker, Hunter Dickinson, and Jaelin Llewellyn are the three departures.

The frontcourt is going to have Tarris Reed, Youssef Khayat, Terrance Williams, Will Tschetter, Jett Howard, Isaiah Barnes, plus Jett and Jace Howard. So again, you can see a clear need for multiple additions in the backcourt.

After the decision of Allen, it’s clear that a combo of Collier and Jackson would be the ideal scenario. Getting Jackson on campus for a visit is the next objective and then it’s up to Juwan Howard and the staff to seal the deal.