On Friday, Michigan Basketball added its fourth recruit to the 2025 class. Here’s what you can expect from three-star forward Patrick Liburd:
The Michigan Wolverines kicked off this past weekend with good news, as Patrick Liburd, a three-star forward, committed to the program. He is the fourth player to commit to the Wolverines’ class, joining five-star Trey McKenney and four-stars Winters Grady and Oscar Goodman.
Let’s dive into Liburd’s game and project how much he could contribute at Michigan as a freshman and beyond.
Scouting Report
Liburd only had 10 other offers from mid-majors like Murray State, North Florida and Cornell. He initially committed to Coastal Carolina, but re-opened his commitment on May 7 and wasted little time committing to Michigan.
The Fort Lauderdale, Florida native helped lead Sagemont Prep to three straight state titles. Robert Magobet of The Lakeland Ledger recently compared Liburd to NBA All-Star Pascal Siakam due to his ability to rise up and finish shots over smaller defenders.
Liburd took over for stretches of that title game, finishing with 29 points, nine rebounds, four assists and three blocks. He played solid interior defense, showcased his speed off the dribble and found teammates for open threes in the teeth of the defense. He also knocked down threes and showed he could create shots, both handling the ball in a screen and popping out after setting a screen, facing up and breaking down his opponent.
As a senior, Liburd averaged 16.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, and 2.6 assists per game while shooting 49 percent from three-point range on 59 attempts. His three-point shot is one of his most notable skills, as Liburd won a three-point contest (going 12-of-14 in 30 seconds) at The Sunshine State Premier Senior Games. He also played with SOH Elite on the Under Armour Circuit last summer.
Liburd is a unique prospect. He’s got a smooth handle for his size, lowering his shoulders while galavanting in transition. He’s got a high basketball IQ, and his length and high release point make his jump shot hard to defend. He can knock down corner threes and can finish out of the pick-and-pop. With his length and spot-up skills, there are shades of Brandon Ingram in his game.
Dusty May knows that area of Florida well. Liburd’s prep school is a 50-minute drive away from FAU’s campus, and based on the flashes we’ve seen from the largely unheralded L.J. Cason, May has a knack for finding diamonds in the rough in that part of the country.
Projecting Liburd’s impact, short-term and long-term
As of now, 11 or 12 of Michigan’s scholarships are accounted for, depending on Yaxel Lendeborg’s NBA decision.
Looking at the roster, Liburd is buried behind a potential NBA first round-pick (Lendeborg), and some solid returnees (Roddy Gayle Jr. and Will Tschetter) at the wing spots. If Lendeborg stays in the draft, Liburd’s path to playing time gets a lot clearer.
Liburd will need to put on more weight, but he has the talent to contribute right away. He could replace some of the shooting Sam Walters provided last season, but I don’t think we can just pencil him in taking Walters’ 12 minutes per game. Liburd could compete with Goodman for minutes in 2025-26, but it wouldn’t be shocking if Michigan redshirted him with how the rest of the roster shakes out.
Past next season, Liburd profiles as a starting wing who can earn a larger role as he continues to grow as a shooter. That height and three-point shooting will get him on the floor, and his ability to get buckets out of the pick-and-roll and in the mid-range outside of play structure would keep him on the floor in crucial moments.
There is a lot to like about Liburd, and getting a player with high upside like him this late in the cycle is good news.