Michigan Basketball Beats Villanova, Iowa For 7-Foot-1 International Center’s Commitment originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The Michigan basketball team has put together another impressive recruiting and transfer portal coup of players this offseason under head coach Dusty May, who spent time in northern Michigan recently at a Champions Circle golf outing with coach Sherrone Moore and others.
Michigan’s 2025 class is among the nation’s best, with recruitments from Yaxel Lendeborg, the nation’s top portal prospect, five-star home state freshman Trey McKenney and others.
On Friday, word broke that the Wolverines beat out their 2018 national title game foe, Villanova, and a host of other teams for the services of a 7-foot-1 center out of Germany.
“BREAKING: 2025 German center Malick Kordel has committed to Michigan!” the X page uofmcoverage wrote on Friday.
“The 7’1 250 pound prospect chose the #Wolverines over Iowa, Villanova, Xavier, Butler and others.
“Malick averaged 11.9 points, 8.4 rebounds and 1.8 blocks on 71.4% shooting this year while playing professionally for the Fraport Slyliners in Germany #GoBlue,” the page added.
BREAKING: 2025 German center Malick Kordel has committed to Michigan!
The 7’1 250 pound prospect chose the #Wolverines over Iowa, Villanova, Xavier, Butler and others
Malick averaged 11.9 points, 8.4 rebounds, and 1.8 blocks on 71.4% shooting this year while playing… pic.twitter.com/7aOKffoBS9
— uofmcoverage (@uofmcoverage) June 13, 2025
Kordel was also linked to Xavier, Butler, and Iowa among other teams.
His highlights package shows a powerful center who excels at finishing around the rim on pick-and-rolls with thunder dunks, similar to former Purdue star center Zach Edey, who is three inches taller than Kordel.
7’1 250 pound German big Malick Kordel is currently conducting his second visit to Iowa today
The 20 year old has already visited Xavier, he’s also getting recruited heavily by Butler, Villanova and Michigan
He’s averaging 12 PPG, 8.2 RPG and 1.7 BPG on 71% FG in Germany’s… pic.twitter.com/9e4JKdoqDa
— Arman Jovic (@PDTScouting) February 20, 2025
The Kordel addition gives Michigan one of the nation’s best big man classes with Lendeborg, former UCLA center Aday Mara, and former Illinois power forward Morez Johnson now in the fold.
Michigan will need all hands on deck as they seek to replace departed NBA hopefuls Danny Wolf and Vladislav Goldin.
Related: QB Mikey Keene’s Health Status Gets Update From Michigan Football Insider
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 13, 2025, where it first appeared.