Wolverine Digest

High four-star center prospect includes Michigan Basketball in top group

Dusty May and the Wolverines are finalists for one of the top center prospects in the 2025 recruiting class...

Matt Lounsberry

From left, Michigan forward Tray Jackson (2), guard Nimari Burnett (4), guard Jace Howard (25) and forward Tarris Reed Jr. (32) huddle after a play against Michigan State during the second half of MSU's 81-62 win over Michigan on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, in East Lansing.
From left, Michigan forward Tray Jackson (2), guard Nimari Burnett (4), guard Jace Howard (25) and forward Tarris Reed Jr. (32) huddle after a play against Michigan State during the second half of MSU's 81-62 win over Michigan on Tuesday, Jan. 30, 2024, in East Lansing. / Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK
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After flipping nearly the entirety of Michigan's roster this offseason, men's basketball head coach Dusty May and his new staff in Ann Arbor have been hard at work building for the future.

The Wolverines are still seeking their first verbal commitment in the 2025 recruiting cycle, but have made the cut for two of their top targets in the class. On Tuesday, Michigan was included in the 'Top 6' for four-star Las Vegas (Nev.) Sierra Vista center Xavion Staton, who listed the Wolverines alongside Arizona, USC, UNLV, Stanford and BYU in his final grouping. This comes just days after Michigan made the 'Top 3' for five-star Bradenton (Fla.) IMG Academy point guard Darius Acuff Jr., who's also considering Arkansas and Kansas.

"They're one of the programs that's been showing non stop support with Dusty May and coach [Justin] Joyner coming to a lot of my games," Staton told 247Sports' about Michigan. "As recently as the last live period in Indianapolis they were at every single game."

According to 247Sports Composite, Staton is considered the No. 33 overall prospect, No. 3 center and the No. 1 player from the state of Nevada in the 2025 class. The 6-foot-11, 210-pounder has garnered over 30 scholarship offers during his recruitment. In addition to his finalists, Staton has also received offers from Xavier, Illinois, Iowa, Creighton, Auburn, Texas, Kansas, UCLA and Ohio State, among others. Last year, he was named the 2023-24 Nevada Gatorade Player of the Year.

Here's what On3's Jamie Shaw had to say about Staton:

“The piece of Xavion Staton’s game that pops is the defensive ability. He is an excellent shot blocker with natural feel. He has very long arms with high-set shoulders and a big standing reach and quick-twitch pop. There is an intimidation factor he brings throughout the course of a game. Offensively, Staton needs reps to continue working on his feel for the game. He is a dunker spot, front of the rim-type big right now. Listed as a true 7-footer, he has natural touch beyond the arc, but he needs the reps to work on balance, feet, and load. There is some unique defensive ability, possibly the best rim protector in the class. That will keep him high in the rankings and bring him a lot of notoriety. He plays with a good motor and generally affects play when he is in the game.”

Staton is in the process of setting up official visits to his top schools, with the hopes of making hid college decision in October.

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Matt Lounsberry

MATT LOUNSBERRY

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