Michigan Basketball: 2021 4-star G Kobe Bufkin commits to Wolverines

Juwan Howard and Michigan Basketball scored a win on the recruiting trail Friday afternoon, securing the commitment of 2021 4-star G Kobe Bufkin.

Michigan Basketball’s Class of 2021 hadn’t been one of the best in the Big Ten to this point. The commitment of guard Kobe Bufkin should change that.

On Friday afternoon, Bufkin took to Twitter to announce his choice to head to Ann Arbor to play for Juwan Howard and the Wolverines. He chose Michigan over DePaul, LSU, Ohio State, and most tellingly, the Michigan State Spartans.

When Bufkin announced his final list and his decision date, we predicted that the Wolverines would be his ultimate choice. In Bufkin, Michigan is getting a guard with a strong set of offensive skills who could become the next great Wolverines guard.

The impact of Bufkin’s decision on Michigan’s class cannot be overstated. Prior to his decision, the Wolverines had the sixth-ranked class in the conference, according to 247 Sports. After his announcement, the Wolverines jumped Northwestern to take the top spot in the conference. The Wolverines also rank third in the nation, behind USC and Louisville.

As it stands, Michigan has secured two four-star prospects (including Bufkin) and one three-star prospect for 2021. Bufkin is joined by small forward Isaiah Barnes and power forward Will Tschetter. He’s the second-best prospect Howard has brought to Ann Arbor so far in his brief coaching tenure, behind Class of 2020 center Hunter Dickinson.

Forecasting anything beyond the 2020-21 season is challenging, but Bufkin should slide into a major role with the Wolverines when he reaches campus. Zavier Simpson graduated after this season, while David DeJulius decided to transfer to Cincinnati. The only guard projected to be on the 2021-22 roster who averaged more than ten minutes per game in 2019-20 is Franz Wagner and even that’s a question after he flirted with the NBA Draft this spring.

In an ideal situation, Bufkin will play side-by-side with shooting guard Zeb Jackson, who will be a sophomore in 2021-22. Jackson isn’t a likely one-and-done candidate, so he and Bufkin would make a very strong guard tandem if Wagner is gone by then.

Of course, Bufkin’s role could be altered by the addition of more recruits or transfers, which remains a distinct possibility. Michigan still has offers out to some of the best guards in the Class of 2021. It’s worth keeping a particular eye on shooting guard Trevor Keels and combo guard Jaden Hardy, who are both giving serious consideration to the Wolverines.

Beyond the on-court impact, Bufkin’s commitment is also a win for what Howard is building. Due to conference affiliation and geography, the Wolverines are constantly competing with the Spartans for recruits. They trade wins in that realm – Michigan State has secured several major commitments in recent days – but Michigan now has an edge in both the Class of 2020 and Class of 2021. Howard is building a sustainable product in Ann Arbor.

Michigan’s potential Class of 2021 could be the program’s strongest in year. Time will tell if Kobe Bufkin is the first of many dominoes to fall.