Wing with three stars Ricky Liburd formally commits to Michigan for the 2025–2026 campaign.
After the program announced on Wednesday that class of 2025 recruit Patrick Liburd had signed with the Wolverines, the Michigan men’s basketball team officially added another player to their 2025–26 roster on Friday. Prior to rescinding his commitment to Coastal Carolina on May 8, the 6-foot-6 wing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida, pledged to Michigan on May 16. Additionally, Liburd reportedly received offers from North Florida, Loyola, Maryland, Cornell, Dartmouth, Fairfield, Florida International, Jacksonville, Jacksonville State, and Murray State.
Over the past few years, Liburd, often known as Ricky, has been a standout for Sagemont Prep, helping the program win three state titles, including the 1A class victory in Florida this year. For Sagemont, which finished 22-8 this season and was ranked by MaxPreps as the No. 57 high school team in the nation, Liburd averaged 16.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals, and 1.0 blocks per game. He led the club in field-goal percentage even though he was a winger. Liburd helped lead Sagemont Prep to a 25-6 record and the 2024 FHSAA Class 2A State Championship last season with averages of 16.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals, and 0.6 blocks per game.
Michigan coach Dusty May said on Michigan’s “Defend the Block” podcast last week that Liburd was a “late bloomer” who may still take some time to round into form in Ann Arbor.
We’ve had trouble getting long, rangy wings — the 3-and-D type wings. There’s not a lot of them out there,” May said. “It’s why the NBA is constantly looking for them as well.
“He has skill. He has shooting ability. He’s a hard worker. From an intangible standpoint, he’s just someone that we felt like could really develop, especially if he’s patient this year and learning from these older guys who play the game at a high level.”
Coastal Carolina’s staff described the 6-foot-6 Liburd as a “big guard that can defend multiple positions, play above the rim, and can shoot the ball with range.”
Per May, Michigan’s coaching staff being so well-connected to the Florida prep scene helped the Wolverines make up ground after reaching out to Liburd late in the 2025 recruiting process
Coastal Carolina’s staff described the 6-foot-6 Liburd as a “big guard that can defend multiple positions, play above the rim, and can shoot the ball with range.”
Per May, Michigan’s coaching staff being so well-connected to the Florida prep scene helped the Wolverines make up ground after reaching out to Liburd late in the 2025 recruiting process
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Three-star wing Ricky Liburd officially signs with Michigan for 2025-26 season
The 6-foot-6 wing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida was previously committed to Coastal Carolina, but backed off that pledge on May 8, and committed to Michigan May 16.
Zach Shaw
Zach Shaw
Jun 11th, 10:49 AM
3
The Michigan men’s basketball team officially added another player to its 2025-26 roster Friday, as class of 2025 recruit Patrick Liburd signed with the Wolverines, the program announced Wednesday. The 6-foot-6 wing from Fort Lauderdale, Florida was previously committed to Coastal Carolina, but backed off that pledge on May 8, and committed to Michigan May 16. Liburd also held reported offers from Cornell, Dartmouth, Fairfield, Florida International, Jacksonville, Jacksonville State, Loyola Maryland, Murray State and North Florida.
Liburd, who goes by Ricky, has starred for Sagemont Prep over the last few years, helping guide the program to three state state titles, including this year’s win in Florida’s 1A class. This past season, Liburd averaged 16.4 points, 6.2 rebounds, 2.6 assists, 1.1 steals and 1.0 blocks per game for Sagemont, who went 22-8 this season and was ranked the No. 57 high school team in the country this season by MaxPreps. Despite playing on the wing, he led the team in field-goal percentage. Last season, Liburd scored 16.3 points, 5.4 rebounds, 1.6 assists, 1.4 steals and 0.6 blocks per game, helping lead Sagemont Prep to a 25-6 record, and the 2024 FHSAA Class 2A State Championship.
Michigan coach Dusty May said on Michigan’s “Defend the Block” podcast last week that Liburd was a “late bloomer” who may still take some time to round into form in Ann Arbor.
“We’ve had trouble getting long, rangy wings — the 3-and-D type wings. There’s not a lot of them out there,” May said. “It’s why the NBA is constantly looking for them as well.
“He has skill. He has shooting ability. He’s a hard worker. From an intangible standpoint, he’s just someone that we felt like could really develop, especially if he’s patient this year and learning from these older guys who play the game at a high level.”
Coastal Carolina’s staff described the 6-foot-6 Liburd as a “big guard that can defend multiple positions, play above the rim, and can shoot the ball with range.”
Per May, Michigan’s coaching staff being so well-connected to the Florida prep scene helped the Wolverines make up ground after reaching out to Liburd late in the 2025 recruiting process.
“This what a situation where he developed. He was — I don’t want to say a late developer, but he was kind of late on the scene as he was recruited mostly by Ivy Leagues and good mid-majors in the early signing period,” May said. “We had heard rumors that he was getting out of his [Letter of Intent with Coastal Carolina], and there was a couple other high-level schools that were going to go in to see him.
“One of the assistant coaches was in Florida making the rounds and went by and watched open gym, and he obviously stood out. He was intrigued by him, and so it happened quickly.”
In his AAU career, Liburd mostly played with SOH elite, who placed third at the Under Armour Next AAU Circuit last summer. He averaged 9.9 points and 4.3 rebounds per game on a team that also featured four other Division-I prospects, including five-star Cincinnati signee Shon Abaev and 2026 four-star Jasen Lopez.
At Michigan, Liburd will offer depth on the wing, the thinnest position on paper on Michigan’s roster. Though the Wolverines are slated to have a strong two-deep at guard (Elliot Cadeau, Roddy Gayle Jr., Nimari Burnett, LJ Cason, Trey McKenney) and in the frontcourt (Will Tschetter, Aday Mara, Morez Johnson Jr., Oscar Goodman, commit Yaxel Lendeborg), and many of those players can be effective on the wing, incoming freshman Winters Grady is the only other true wing player on Michigan’s roster.
With only 11 players slated to be on scholarship out of a possible 15, Michigan had room to add players. But with so many proven and touted players on board in its top-10 combined high school and transfer recruiting class, the Wolverines were struggling to sell players eager to make an impact now on joining the team. Liburd, on the other hand, could be another long-term Floridian recruiting find for former FAU headman Dusty May, following the likes of Cason, who was an unheralded recruit but had an effective freshman season.
“That’s the toughest part now with the young guys,” May said. “It’s very difficult to not have that instant success, instant whatever it is that happened before the game got older and before players decided not to go to the NBA early or not play in the G League early because they could profit financially in college.”
At Michigan, Liburd will offer depth on the wing, the thinnest position on paper on Michigan’s roster. Though the Wolverines are slated to have a strong two-deep at guard (Elliot Cadeau, Roddy Gayle Jr., Nimari Burnett, LJ Cason, Trey McKenney) and in the frontcourt (Will Tschetter, Aday Mara, Morez Johnson Jr., Oscar Goodman, commit Yaxel Lendeborg), and many of those players can be effective on the wing, incoming freshman Winters Grady is the only other true wing player on Michigan’s roster.
With only 11 players slated to be on scholarship out of a possible 15, Michigan had room to add players. But with so many proven and touted players on board in its top-10 combined high school and transfer recruiting class, the Wolverines were struggling to sell players eager to make an impact now on joining the team. Liburd, on the other hand, could be another long-term Floridian recruiting find for former FAU headman Dusty May, following the likes of Cason, who was an unheralded recruit but had an effective freshman season.
“That’s the toughest part now with the young guys,” May said. “It’s very difficult to not have that instant success, instant whatever it is that happened before the game got older and before players decided not to go to the NBA early or not play in the G League early because they could profit financially in at college.”
Liburd announced his commitment on May 16 and joins Trey McKenney and Winters Grady in the Class of 2025. Kiwi forward Oscar Goodman, who reclassified and joined the program mid-winter, will also compete for playing time this year as a redshirt freshman.
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