Miami basketball faces an important offseason in recruiting

The momentum that Jim Larranaga had built with three straight NCAA Appearances from 2016-18 was halted by the lack of any true freshmen signing in 2018. The Miami basketball program now faces a key offseason for adding talent to their roster.

Miami basketball head coach Jim Larranaga and his staff have five scholarships available for the 2019-20 season. The biggest recruit for next season for Larranaga was retaining assistant coach Chris Caputo. Caputo was up for the Buffalo job that went to Bulls assistant Jim Whitesell.

Miami has already signed four-star guard Isaiah Wong and three-star forward Anthony Walker for the 2019-20 season. The Miami Herald’s Barry Jackson discussed the Hurricanes plan for adding more players this spring earlier this week.

"“Their preference would be to add two high school players, two grad transfers and one transfer who would sit out a year. But that’s a flexible plan and UM will take the best players available.”"

There are several players the Hurricanes are still pursuing. The list of players transferring out of their programs is still evolving. There will likely be some players Miami pursues that have not made their intent to transfer or officially added their name to the transfer portal yet.

Jackson has combo guard Harlond Beverly who is originally from Michigan and played for Montverde Academy outside of Orlando on the Miami radar. Beverly is a 100 percent projection to Michigan State according to the five prognosticators listed on 247Sports site. He is an extreme longshot to the Hurricanes.

Beverly visited Miami two weeks ago. The 6-4 Beverly is a four-star prospect who is the 82nd ranked player in the Class of 2019 and the 19th ranked combo guard. Jackson spoke to Rivals. Com’s Eric Bossi about Beverly.

"“Is in my opinion the best available guard in the country not named Cole Anthony. Beverly is explosive, he can shoot with range, he does things pretty efficiently and he knows how to shine and get his while playing with other big time talent.Miami wants him and many others are trying to get a sniff. The more I see of him, I see a potential impact player anywhere in America and I have a feeling the race for his services is about to get very intense.”"

Judging by 247 projections it would be extremely surprising for Beverly to sign with Miami. A player like Beverly could potentially impact the Miami basketball program the same way Lonnie Walker did in 2017-18.

Stephen F. Austin forward T.J. Holyfield could provide Miami with desperately needed scoring on the frontline. Holyfield is a graduate transfer for the 2019-20 season after sitting out this past season with a knee injury.

He’s a versatile forward who averaged 10.7 points and 5.9 rebounds, made 53.4 percent of his field goal attempts and 37.6 percent of his three-point attempts. Holyfield is visiting with the Miami basketball program this weekend according to Jackson. He is deciding between the Hurricanes, Texas Tech and Illinois.

The final player that Jackson mentions the Miami basketball program is pursuing is 6’9 dutch small forward Tristan Enaruna. The Hurricanes are also contending with Illinois on Enaruma in addition to Kansas, Creighton, Georgia Tech and Texas Tech. Enaruna plays at Wasatch Academy in Mt. Pleasant, Utah.

Miami has eight scholarship players committed to their roster for 2019-20. Guard D.J. Vasiljevic will be the lone senior. Center Rodney Miller, forward Sam Waardenburg, guard Chris Lykes and transfer guard Kameron McGusty are rising juniors in eligibility and Deng Gak will be the lone Sophomore.

Walker and Wong are currently the only Freshmen committed to the Miami basketball program for 2019-20. No other freshman are currently on the Hurricanes lists of prospects or scholarship offers that are likely to sign with Miami. The transfer portal is likely to be Miami’s best mode of adding talent for 2019-20.