Wolverine Digest

Michigan basketball adds third member to 2026 class, bolsters up rankings

Dusty May is starting to land a few players now ahead of the basketball season.
Trent Knoop|
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Michigan Wolverines

In a shocking turn of events, Michigan basketball added its third member to the 2026 recruiting class. The Wolverines got a commitment from three-star forward Malachi Brown. The Knoxville (TN) prospect chose Michigan over UC Santa Barbara -- his only other offer.

Brown, the 6-foot-5 small forward, is ranked as the No. 154 prospect in the country and the No. 47 small forward, per the Composite.

Brown told 247Sports how excited he was when he received his Michigan offer.

"I've been kind of an under recruited player and didn't really have any high majors so when offered I was pretty ecstatic," Brown told 247Sports." They are a great program so I figured why not take them up on the offer. I was really grateful that they were my first power four offer so it was pretty awesome."

Where Brown fits in

In the interview with 247Sports, Brown said he plays great defense, and he is starting to come along with his shooting as well.

"I think I play defense really well, that's always been my main thing. With the Tennessee Impact I played with a big ol' four-star Trey Thompson and some other great players I was never a first option to go score. So it was always cool getting those steals or making great passes just to help my team. 

"My shooting is something that I've really improved on lately so I feel like I can be a three and D guy. I think that's something I could do well. When I was with the impact one of the other ways I scored was off cuts so I can do that."

Michigan moves up the rankings

Brown is now the third commitment in the class, and the Wolverines are now the No. 14 in the 2026 recruiting rankings. Brown joins 7-foot-3 center Marcus Moller and 6-foot-10 forward Quinn Costello.

Michigan gained the commitment from Costello last weekend and Moller pledged to Dusty May and Co. back on July 8. Moller is a raw prospect from Spain, and is not ranked by 247Sports. But Costello is the nation's No. 38 prospect and was a huge get over Purdue and Michigan State, among others.

The Wolverines are coming off of a Sweet 16 appearance in Year 1 of coach May. Michigan is expected to be even better in Year 2 under May.

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Trent Knoop
TRENT KNOOP

Trent began writing and covering Michigan athletics back in 2020. He became a credentialed member of the media in 2021. Trent began writing with Sports Illustrated in 2023 and became the Managing Editor for Michigan Wolverines On SI during the 2025 football season. Trent also serves as the Publisher of Baylor Bears on SI. His other bylines have appeared on Maryland on SI, Wisconsin on SI, and across the USA TODAY Sports network. Trent’s love of sports and being able to tell stories to fans is what made him get into writing.

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