Michigan basketball head coach Dusty May is always recruiting and that was true last week when he secured the commitment of 2026 wing Malachi Brown.
Brown announced his commitment to Michigan basketball on Wednesday night, in a commitment that sort of came out of nowhere.
Brown was offered last week, personally by May, who, according to Eric Bossi of 247 Sports, made a trip to watch Brown in person last week, before offering him a scholarship, and accepting his commitment on the spot.
“It was amazing for him to come out here in the first place, even if he weren’t going to offer, was still awesome,” Brown said to Bossi. “That he took his time to come and offer and that I was able to commit was amazing.
What Michigan basketball is getting in Malachi Brown
The 6-foot-5 wing probably wasn't a name that many Michigan basketball fans had on their radar. Brown's only offer, until recently, was from UC Santa-Barbara.
Yet, the 6-foot-5, 185-pound wing, is ranked No. 154 overall, according to the 247 Sports composite rankings. He was also called a "hidden gem" by 247 Sports after his commitment to Michigan basketball.
That commitment was all about Dusty May, who has been doing his "homework" on Brown, according to Bossi, who shared these insights into the recruitment.
"While UC Santa Barbara was the first program to offer, May had quietly been doing his homework. He had actually been tipped off about Brown during the summer and had been intrigued by watching him. Last week, May quietly made his way to Knoxville to watch Brown work out in person and immediately offered. The offer was accepted just as quickly as it was given."
Brown is a late bloomer. He's a defensive-minded wing who excels in transition. The shot is good enough that he could be an effective three-and-def wing. His ability to defend is the best attribute. The other skills are intriguing, and he's a guy who wil be given time to develop.
Brown is the third commitment. Quinn Costello, a four-star forward, is ranked in the top 50 overall; Brown is a three-star, and Marcus Moller, the 7-foot-3 pledge from Spain, is unranked.
That's not a bad thing. May is smart to identify diamonds in the rough and late risers. The reality is that not all freshmen can play right away. But the highly-ranked ones that don't tend to transfer.
Brown and Moller won't come to the program with the expectation of playing right away. There's a chance, as we saw with LJ Cason, but Brown can be stored on the roster, and given time to develop before becoming a rotation piece.
May told Brown he's a "glue guy" and those are the kinds of players you need on your team. Not everyone can be a superstar.