Michigan basketball appeared to be long done when it came to the 2025 recruiting class, but it turns out head coach Dusty May still had some tricks up his sleeve.
May made waves this offseason via the transfer portal, bringing in four players who can help the Wolverines right away in point guard Elliot Cadeau (North Carolina), forward Morez Johnson Jr. (Illinois), center Aday Mara (UCLA), and (if he does indeed enroll) forward Yaxel Lendeborg. But high school recruiting is the lifeblood of any program, even with a bevy of transfers in this new era of college basketball.
With Oscar Goodman having reclassified to the 2024 class and enrolling in Ann Arbor this past winter, May had just two commitments in the 2025 class in former five-star Trey McKenney and four-star Winters Grady. But the Wolverines added a surprising third pledge on Friday morning.
A former Coastal Carolina commit ends up in Ann Arbor
The last time that Michigan got someone from Coastal Carolina, it worked out pretty well. Granted that was a transfer to the football team (Josaiah Stewart, who played for two years there), whereas this is a flip.
2025 Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Sagemont Prep three-star small forward Patrick Liburd had committed to the Chanticleers back in Sept. 2024 but backed off his pledge nine days ago on May 7. But Liburd announced on Instagram that he’s found his new school of choice, and it just happens to be Michigan basketball.
A post shared by Patrick Liburd (@rickyliburd_10)
Liburd is listed at 6-foot-6, 180 pounds, and is a three-star prospect according to 247Sports. He’s seen as the No. 56 small forward and 23rd-best player from the state of Florida.
Michigan is his only Power Four offer, with other schools of interest including Dartmouth, Cornell, Fairfield, Jacksonville, FIU, and others.
Late accolades
While little exists in terms of a scouting report, Liburd started generating some buzz last year with some of his offseason play.
Here are some highlights:
2025 W Patrick Liburd averaged 27.3 PPG & 11.8 RPG for Sagemont at Session 2 of the FABC Team Camp. Jacksonville offered him last night. Highlights below.@rickyliburd_10 @soh_elite https://t.co/FXyaA2vtD3 pic.twitter.com/4bsA4BbBM7
While the 2025-26 roster is shaping up, it still will be incomplete until UAB star Yaxel Lendeborg makes his decision whether to stay with his Michigan basketball transfer commitment or to enter the NBA draft. He just wrapped up his performance at the NBA scouting combine.
This article originally appeared on Wolverines Wire: Michigan basketball boosts 2025 class with late commitment from 3-star SF Patrick Liburd
Reporting by Isaiah Hole, Wolverines Wire / Wolverines Wire
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
