ITF Hoops Extra: Michigan and Antonio Reeves, Paul Mulcahy

Michigan basketball is one more player away from fielding a very interesting team in 2023-24, having landed Tennessee transfer Olivier Nkamhoua from the portal. There are two the Wolverines’ coaches are very interested in for the backcourt.

One, Kentucky’s Antonio Reeves, has yet to enter the portal, but he’s reportedly taking classes at Illinois State with the probable intention of playing elsewhere next year. We’ve reached out to several different sources on this one and we’ve gotten a few different answers.

“If Kentucky gives him enough NIL, he will stay,” one said. “If they don’t, he will transfer. That’s what I’ve been told.”

Those closer to Kentucky, however, believe the writing it on the wall.

“Lately I’ve been hearing it’s more likely he’ll enter the portal rather than return to UK,” one close to the Wildcats program told us. “He’s taking the classes at Illinois State to become a grad transfer. Since he already used his one transfer, he doesn’t have his “free” one to use anymore.”

During the draft process, in fact, the Michigan target unenrolled from Kentucky.

“I think there’s a concern about minutes and usage with all the incoming freshmen,” the source said. “There are going to be a lot of mouths to feed.”

So … this one could come down to what he’s looking for — NIL, playing time, or a combination of both. And there are conflicting reports on what it is and his interest in Michigan. We’ve heard everything from “very interested” to “seeing what it out there. “U-M is being very quiet about it, but we can assure you this isn’t like the Nkamhoua situation when they were preparing early on for his arrival (before he started looking a bit more).

In other words, they don’t have the bio written and the release prepared.

It’s certainly one to follow closely over the next several weeks, however. Reeves would be the perfect fit at Michigan, averaging 14.4 points and shooting 39.8 percent from three-point range a year ago.

As for Rutgers’ Paul Mulcahy, who actually is in the portal — there is some serious mutual interest there, but he’s just getting started. Illinois, Kentucky, Georgetown, Notre Dame, and Seton Hall are others in the running (already), and the list could expand.

Mulcahy averaged 8.3 points and 4.9 assists while shooting 41.6% from the field last season. We do know he’s intrigued, however, and understands there is time for him at Michigan.

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