Five-Star Joshua Christopher Nearing Decision

Lakewood (Calif.) Mayfair five-star shooting guard Joshua Christopher is down to a final four and is reportedly close to making a decision.

Alright where we going....? Date soon. pic.twitter.com/GdK3PFCO3X
— Josh(ua) Christopher (@Jaygup23) February 21, 2020

Per Josh Gershon of 247Sports.com, Christopher is getting closer and closer to a decision. The 6-5, 215-pounder is down to Arizona State, Michigan, Missouri and UCLA, and would like to have his decision made sooner rather than later.

Here's what we think is going to happen with the No. 10 overall player in the country with a decision date looming.

Brandon Brown

Football recruiting is more my wheelhouse, but ever since Juwan Howard arrived in Ann Arbor, everyone, including myself, has been paying closer attention to the hoops recruiting trail.

With guys like five-star power forward Isaiah Todd, should-be five-star center Hunter Dickinson and talented four-star guards Zeb Jackson and Terrance Williams already in the fold, adding Christopher would take U-M's class to rare heights. Michigan currently has the No. 4 class in the country behind only blue bloods Kentucky, Duke and North Carolina. That's obviously elite company, and with guys like Todd and Christopher in the mix, it's deserved.

Landing Christopher wouldn't thrust the Wolverines past UNC, but it would certainly give Howard a ton of weapons to work with next year. In talking to several people I trust, it seems like it's when, not if for Christopher to pick the Wolverines. He hasn't set an exact date, but it'll be a surprise if he ends up anywhere else.

Steve Deace

I have followed this recruitment closely, because it was one of the very first plays Juwan Howard made immediately after becoming head coach. Michigan was nowhere on Christopher's radar prior, so this would be a true test of Howard's recruiting chops. Getting Christopher on campus was impressive enough, but now landing him — which I think Michigan will — is a blue-ribbon achievement.

When you look at next year's roster, I would challenge anyone to find 10 teams in college basketball with a better one. That is as loaded a roster as Michigan has had since probably 2013. And it also provides a lot of lineup flexibility.

Which is why I think, at 33-1, the Wolverines are the best value on the board to win the 2021 NCAA Tournament.

Michael Spath

I don’t claim to be a basketball recruiting expert. I read what I read from people I trust, and everyone covering the Josh Christopher recruitment seems to be picking the five-star to commit to Michigan. I’d take that with a grain of salt if that was the word emanating from U-M sources only, but it’s the national college basketball recruiting writers for 247Sports and Rivals.com.

I know this too — Juwan Howard has exceeded expectations on the recruiting trail. He appears to be a wunderkind when it comes to attracting talent, already landing five-star Isaiah Todd and three more Top 100 prospects in the 2020 class. So I’m willing to bet on Howard winning this recruiting battle too. But, until Christopher makes that announcement, I’ll certainly be restless.

Jon Rothstein recently ranked Michigan the No. 22 team in the country for next season. The addition of Christopher would have to jump Michigan up 5-8 spots even if they lose Isaiah Livers. U-M would have one of the most precocious collections of talent in college basketball in 2020-21, a roster of freshmen better than anything else in the Big Ten.

Add to that Eli Brooks, David DeJulius, Brandon Johns, Franz Wagner and Austin Davis and I would really like Michigan’s chances to win the Big Ten and be a legitimate Final Four hopeful.

The future for U-M basketball already looks bright. With Christopher in the fold, it would be blindingly so.

Where do you think Christopher ends up? What does next year look like with Christopher in the fold? Comment below!!!