By SAM LANCE
Juwan Howard has his highest-ranked commit since 2021, as five-star Khani Rooths announced his commitment to Michigan on Sunday.
Rooths — the 6-foot-8, 200-pound forward from IMG Academy (FL) and the New World AAU program — chose Michigan over his finalists Georgia and Florida State. Both of Juwan Howard’s sons — Jett Howard and Jace Howard, played basketball at IMG.
“It was tough figuring out where I wanted to go, all three schools were great choices,” Rooths said on Instagram Live. “What made Michigan stand out the most was how I could grow as a man, not only as a basketball player, but be a professional off the court. The people I met at Michigan, I never met people like that before and I feel like they can help me grow into the man I need to be.”
Rooths will join two other Michigan signees in the 2024 class in three star point guard Christian Anderson and three-star combo guard Durral Brooks. Howard’s recruiting class in now ranked No. 32 nationally by On3.
Rooths was reportedly a Georgia lean, but his visit to Ann Arbor in October seemed to seal the deal.
“Bursting energy,” Rooths said of Juwan Howard. “Many players will say he’s like a father figure that they have. He’ll get on the court with you, anything you need he got you. I really felt that on my visit.”
Rooths is Michigan’s highest-ranked prospect since Caleb Houston (No. 15 via 247Sports) and Moussa Diabate (No. 16 via 247Sports) — who were both in the 2021 recruiting class.
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