Michigan basketball is in the hunt for its first pledge in the 2027 class, and the decision could come as soon as Friday.
After hosting four-star guard Devin Cleveland on an official visit this past weekend, Michigan got the Chicago native on campus for the Wolverines’ exhibition game against Eastern Michigan. Once that trip wrapped and Michigan had handled business in the win, Cleveland cut things down to a final three: Michigan, Missouri and TCU. He plans to announce his commitment on Friday, Oct. 16, live on CBS Sports Network.
Cleveland, a 6-foot-3 combo guard, brings the kind of backcourt profile Michigan is clearly keeping an eye on. He’s known as a strong perimeter shooter, and his EYBL numbers back up the production: 16.6 points, 2.9 rebounds and 2.5 assists per game. The consensus four-star is also ESPN’s No. 29 player in the 2027 class.
He’s been open about the mindset he’s bringing to the floor. “I feel like I’m a winner,” Cleveland previously told Rivals in an interview.
“That’s what I’ve been trying to prove this EYBL season. You know, the past couple of years, I haven’t really had much success in winning games, so just coming over here with Bradley Beal, their identity is to win.
So, I’m just trying to be a leader. I can score the basketball, and I’m a willing passer.
I try to get my teammates involved every game.
“I watch a lot of Devin Booker, Jeremiah Fears, my brother Fred Cleveland, who is a pro overseas. Watching how they score the ball, create contact on the offensive end so I can draw fouls and little things like that.”
Michigan got the last official visit in before Cleveland makes his choice, after he had already been to TCU and Missouri. Even with Dusty May leaving Michigan for the Dallas Mavericks, Cleveland has built a relationship with assistant coach Akeem Miskdeen, and there’s a path for the Wolverines to land him.
Rivals’ Recruiting Prediction Machine currently gives Michigan the edge with a 38% chance to secure his commitment.
For Michigan, the timing matters. The program just signed one of the top 2026 classes, headlined by five-star guard Brandon McCoy Jr., though McCoy Jr. will miss this season because of an ACL injury. The Wolverines are still set to get production from Quinn Costello and Joseph Hartman.
In Other News...
Michigans Turnover Problem Just Forced A Change They Couldnt Avoid
Michigans turnover problems have become too costly to ignore, and Kyle Whittingham made that clear during his Monday press conference. The Wolverines have had a strong defensive start in recent games, but the bigger picture has been hard to overlook: they rank 122nd nationally with a minus-4 turnover margin, and that kind of ball security issue has a way of erasing good work everywhere else on the field.
Whittingham said the turnover battle has to turn, and its already led to a change at punt returner after recent mistakes in that area. Michigan has lost the turnover margin in four of five weeks, a stretch that has lined up with its losses, and the frustration now goes beyond a bad stat sheet. For a team trying to stabilize itself, the margin for error keeps getting thinner. [Read more 🡒]
Michigan Returns To Ann Arbor With Pressure On Bryce Underwood
After a rough stretch on the road, Michigan comes back to Ann Arbor needing a reset and a result, with both sides of the ball still searching for consistency under a new staff. Penn State arrives with its own problems, sitting 3-3 overall and winless in Big Ten play, and the matchup has the feel of two programs trying to steady themselves before the season slips any further.
For Michigan, the focus is squarely on Bryce Underwood, who remains the starter as the Wolverines try to get the offense moving under coordinator Jason Beck. The pressure around the position has only grown with Michigan sitting 3-2 and 0-2 in the league, and this week offers another chance to show the home crowd a cleaner, more complete performance before the questions around the offense get any louder. [Read more 🡒]
Michigans UCLA Test Suddenly Feels Very Different For One Reason
UCLAs next stretch now looks a lot different after the Bruins kept their perfect record intact with a win over Oregon, only to come out of it facing a major change at quarterback. Nico Iamaleava is likely done for the season, and UCLA is expected to turn to Cal Poly transfer Ty Dieffenbach in his place. That kind of midstream shift always changes the feel of a matchup, especially for a team still trying to navigate a demanding run through Wisconsin, Michigan and USC.
For Michigan, the timing matters because the Wolverines meeting with UCLA was already part of a pivotal part of the schedule, and now it comes with an entirely new layer of uncertainty. A defense that prepared for one quarterback will have to recalibrate for another, while the Bruins try to keep their momentum going under different circumstances. It is the sort of development that can alter game plans on both sides, and it gives this upcoming trip an even more intriguing edge than it had a few days ago. [Read more 🡒]
