Michigan Basketball: Wolverines land key 2023 commit in top-100 Papa Kante

Michigan Basketball is looking for a new big to eventually take over for Hunter Dickinson. Will the newest commit, Papa Kante, be that guy?

One prospect whose name has been talked about this Summer and Fall is Papa Kante, a consensus four-star prospect in the 2023 recruiting class. He’s a 6’10 forward that plays out of South Kent High School in Connecticut.

Kante is a quality athlete with a 7’4 wingspan and other key measurables. He’s already a very good defender and shot-blocker on the defensive end, with an improving offensive game. The top-100 prospect can shoot the ball, although that’s not a strength of his. Kante is the type of player that can develop into a star in 3-4 years and could be an under-the-radar NBA prospect.

There have been five programs that have been involved with Kante in his recruitment; Pittsburgh, Rutgers, Maryland, Michigan, and Memphis. In the end, it was a Big Ten team that won out.

Kante becomes the first commit for Michigan Basketball after missing out on a couple of previous targets. He’s an important pickup for the program and for a frontcourt that’ll be undergoing changes in the future. All-American center Hunter Dickinson could go pro after this upcoming season, with top-50 freshman Terrance Williams II as the only other center on the roster.

The power forward position is more open, with Terrance Williams II and freshman Youssef Khayat set to get a good amount of minutes there. What makes Michigan a good option for Kante is that he can also play the four-spot. So even if Dickinson were to stick around longer, they can play those two on the court together, just like how he and Moussa Diabate did this past season.

Michigan is still after the No. 1 overall prospect, point guard Isaiah Collier in the 2023 class. That will be determined a month from now. But right now, the coaching staff should celebrate a nice pickup of another top-100 prospect commitment.