German 7-footer Malick Kordel was in Ann Arbor this past weekend for the game against MSU. Here’s everything you need to know about the big man that Dusty May and Michigan are pursuing on the recruiting trail:
Among the thousands of people that packed Crisler Center for the Michigan State -Michigan rivalry game last weekend was 2025 center Malick Kordel, who got the chance to take in the scene and sit courtside about an hour before tip-off. Several Michigan staffers took time to talk to the big man before the game.
Malick Kordel, a 2025 seven-footer from Germany, is here for MSU-UM pic.twitter.com/NievLklRtu
— Kellen Voss (@Kellen__Voss) February 22, 2025
Let’s break down how the German 7-footer has fared in international play, look into his game and project where he could fit on Michigan’s roster should the Wolverines land him.
Recruiting and international play
Kordel is reportedly being recruited by Iowa, Xavier, Villanova , Butler and Michigan. He has already taken official visits to Iowa and Xavier . He took a non-traditional path to the hardwood and didn’t start playing competitive basketball until 2021. He actually grew up playing handball, starting at six years old.
“Everybody said, ‘Start playing basketball. You’re huge. You have the perfect tools,’” Kordel said on a podcast last year. “You look like a basketball player. Just try it. But for me, I didn’t want to let my friends down, let’s say. I built up a big circle of friends.”
Kordel was playing handball when the COVID-19 pandemic shut down gyms. He took to the outdoor basketball courts and started practicing for the U19 NBBL team in Germany.
Now playing for the Fraport Skyliners in Frankfurt in Germany’s BBL, Kordel has averaged 11.7 points, 8.2 rebounds, 1.7 blocks and 1.3 assists in 24.5 minutes per game over 19 games. He shoots an efficient 70.7 percent from the field and a not-so-good 49.3 percent from the free throw line. In that league, per David Hein with Taking the Charge , Kordel ranks 27th in scoring among U22 players in that third division ProB league, is fifth among U22 playerss in rebounds and second in blocks.
Breaking down his game
Kordel can score in bunches in the pick-and-roll, and he does a great job keeping the ball high and finishing around the rim. He also possesses a good feel for when to roll and when to seal his man. He can pass out of the short roll and find cutters, too, a good sign for his playmaking upside long-term.
It’s hard to tell how good Kordel is against defenders his size — he was going against guys significantly smaller in the majority of clips I could find — but he finishes well around the rim and often ends successful offensive sequences with a thunderous jam. Additionally, he rarely puts the ball on the ground in the post, oftentimes just using his size to turn and finish without needing to perform a hook shot or drop step.
He’s a great offensive rebounder, finishing missed layups around the rim with ease. Kordel can make a 15-footer if the defense gives it to him, but he doesn’t have much range outside of that and gets the majority of his points around the rim on pick-and-rolls and put-backs.
Kordel is a menace defensively, using his size to intimidate defenders. He runs the floor well after blocks for easy buckets in transition. Watching him play, he reminds me of a less-polished version of Los Angeles Clippers starter Ivica Zubac. He’s got a long way to go offensively, but his sheer size alone and talents in the post are big factors for his potential.
Where he could fit in Michigan’s rotation
Michigan has signed three players in the 2025 class — five-star guard Trey McKenney, four-star guard Winters Grady and four-star forward Oscar Goodman — and a big man would round out the class nicely. It sounds like Michigan is going to have to replace both Vlad Goldin and Danny Wolf this offseason, at least Dusty May is telling recruits as much.
“Coach Dusty May is a great guy,” said Aleksa Dimitrijevic, a Serbian 7-footer who also visited Michigan this past weekend, told 247Sports’ Dushawn London ($) . “We had good chats and we’re on the same page. His message was that they want me and they need to replace the two bigs that will leave at the end of the season.”
If you squint really hard, you could picture Kordel playing Goldin’s role as a finishing big man in that offense, albeit he needs more reps on both ends of the floor. While Kordel isn’t as efficient as Goldin, he could thrive in Michigan’s offense as he develops. I could see him serving as a backup big man behind Will Tschetter next season.
Only starting to play basketball a few years ago, Kordel is just scratching the surface of his game and has plenty of room for growth. Whether he plays at Michigan or not, the success of Goldin and Wolf this season has center recruits across the world considering Ann Arbor, which is great for the growth of the program.