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When we talked to Michigan’s newest commit, East Lansing (MI) wide receiver Andrel Anthony, back in February, he said he was strongly considering schools where he could play both football and basketball.
“I’m definitely considering playing basketball in college as well, because I’ve been playing basketball for awhile – as long as football,” Anthony told WolverinesWire at the time. “I love both sports. It’s been a long ride.
“I’ve got an offer from Bethune-Cookman. I’ve talked to Toledo a lot. They want me to visit there for basketball and they’ve already offered me for football. I talk to Central a little bit, Miami of Ohio and Duquesne a lot.”
Ultimately, he made his decision on Friday with football on the mind, but could basketball still be in the cards, now that he intends to play in Ann Arbor? It turns out, it’s quite possible.
“Yeah, he’s open to it – Coach Harbaugh’s talked to him a few times,” Anthony told WolverinesWire on Saturday. “Not even just Coach Harbaugh – Coach Gattis did, too. This was awhile back. But I’d be open to it.
“I talked to Harbaugh a few days ago – I talked to him Wednesday. He said, ‘Yeah, they’d be open to it. Just come to open gym, stuff like that. So that’d be pretty interesting! A lot of people pulling me in different directions. It’s a good problem to have.”
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Anthony doesn’t have a strongly established relationship with basketball head coach Juwan Howard, but they have spoken about the possibility directly. Howard has reiterated the message that the dual-sport athlete does have the opportunity to give it a shot if he so chooses.
But there’s another ace in the hole — which certainly could have helped Anthony make his decision for Michigan to begin with.
He shared that he’s also close with one of the basketball team’s 2021 commits in Grand Rapids (MI) Christian shooting guard Kobe Bufkin.
“I talked to him once or twice, seeing how it was going – stuff like that,” Anthony said. “He’s letting me know that the option is definitely open if I wanted to do that, do both as well.
“Actually, one of my best friends, Kobe Bufkin, is committed to Michigan basketball as well. That was pretty cool, too, because he’s been playing basketball and I wanna play football – so it’s awesome.”
Michigan has a handful of dual-sport athletes already on campus. Linebacker Joey Velazquez and true freshman safety R.J. Moten both also play for the baseball team as well as the football team.
But it’s been awhile since a player has taken to both the hardwood and the gridiron. The most notable recent dual-sport athlete in that regard is Kelvin Grady, who started with the basketball team but then suited up for football to finish his career — though he did not play both concurrently. Additionally, fellow Michigan WR Ronnie Bell, who is football-only at this juncture, originally was committed to Missouri State for basketball before deciding to focus on football.