- Michigan
STATE CHAMPS! SCOUT TEAM: GR Christian’s Kobe Bufkin picks Michigan, giving Wolverines a top-three 2021 recruiting class
Grand Rapids Christian’s four-star shooting guard, Kobe Bufkin, committed to the University of Michigan on Friday, pushing the Wolverines’ 2021 class into the top spot in the Big Ten, and No. 3 in the nation.
He made the announcement with a short video edit on Twitter.
Bufkin is the No. 3 player in Michigan, according to 247Sports’ rankings, the No. 15 shooting guard in the class of 2021, nationwide, and the No. 78 player overall. ESPN ranked Bufkin No. 1 in Michigan, and No. 15 at his position. Rivals ranked him as the No. 17 shooting guard and No. 61 in the nation. Our own boys basketball guru TJ Kelley ranked Bufkin as the No. 8 player in Michigan, regardless of class, prior to this last season.
He was also a finalist for boys basketball slot on the STATE CHAMPS! All-Junior Team.
Bufkin joins four-star small forward Isaiah Barnes of Oak Park (Ill.) River Forest and Stewartville (Minn.) Senior power forward Will Tschetter in coach Juwan Howard’s 2021 class at Michigan.
The 6-foot-4 Bufkin chose Michigan over a slew of other offers, including DePaul, LSU, Michigan State, Missouri, Northwestern, Ohio, Ohio State, Rhode Island, TCU, Virginia Commonwealth and Wisconsin. The two in-state schools, along with DePaul, LSU and Ohio State were in his final five, announced Tuesday.
Bufkin averaged 22 points, five rebounds and four assists for Grand Rapids Christian, 20-2 at the time the season was halted, and ranked No. 19 in the final STATE CHAMPS! Top 25 rankings.
— MATTHEW B. MOWERY
