Michigan Basketball Recruiting: Cormac Ryan One To Watch Closely
By: Chris Balas | Senior Editor
Not everyone has heard of Milton, Mass., Academy and Middlesex Magic AAU guard Cormac Ryan – yet. But several coaches, including Michigan’s, have made the 2018, rising junior one of their priorities.
Ryan, a shooting guard/wing, has earned offers from many after averaging 21 points per game at Milton Academy. Head coach Lamar Reddicks said he knew he had a good player last fall – it wasn’t until January that he realized Ryan could be special.
“There was a stretch when I said, ‘this kid is good,’” Reddicks said with a laugh. “It was a couple games back to back where I don’t think the ball even touched the rim. That was a groove like no other.
“The best thing he does is shoots it, and he’s such a competitor. He needs to cover the best player on the other team. He elevates his game and is totally locked in to making sure his opponent doesn't have a great day. I love that about him. With him, he wants that challenge every game. He handles the ball well, is a combo guard though he thinks of himself more as a point guard. He has good vision, instincts, blocks shots, steals the ball. He’s just a very good player.”
He’s also a great student, Middlesex Magic AAU coach Mike Crotty Jr. said. Crotty is familiar with what Michigan is looking for in a player, having sent one of his former players – Duncan Robinson – to U-M indirectly through Division III Williams College. He was in the crowd when Robinson went off for 19 points against Maryland in Ann Arbor and sees similarities between Robinson and Ryan, especially when it comes to shooting.
“He’s been phenomenal [this spring],” Crotty said. “He plays up with our junior group, and he’s our heartbeat, makes the engine go. He plays one, plays two, defends the best wing, rebounds the ball. There’s no one way to describe him other than he’s a complete basketball player. Everybody needs to continue to work to get better and improve, but there’s not an area in his skill set where he struggles. He can handle it, shoot it, really rebound. He’s a terrific athlete – a special player.”
Crotty and Michigan head coach John Beilein are friends and talk often. When he has a player he thinks fits what Beilein’s looking for, Crotty said, he lets him know.
“We talk all the time … how’s the team looking, things like that,” Crotty said. “It’s not every year you’re going to have a kid Michigan will recruit. I told him, ‘we’ve got a guy.’ I said it to Duncan first, after the season spoke to coach Beilein, and I won’t forget it. I said, ‘great - I’ll send you four minutes of film,’ and he said he’d call back in a few days before he got off the phone. He called me about 11 minutes later.
“Cormac does have a unique interest in Michigan, too. He’s really smart; his family values education, and he wants to play basketball at the highest level.”
Virginia and Tony Bennett came to watch him, while Stanford, Northwestern and Notre Dame are also fits.
“Harvard and Yale are recruiting him, Davidson has offered, Rice, Boston College … he’s got all the Ivy League schools and Boston College,” Crotty said. “Rice and Duquesne have offered. Then you step up to the next list … Michigan Northwestern, Notre Dame, Stanford and Virginia.
“Michigan blends the highest level of education and basketball.”
Ryan will visit August 6 for the College Practice Camp, at which point he’ll get the tour, and – very likely – a Michigan offer.