‘It felt like home’: Durral Brooks picks Michigan for basketball, business and family

For 2024 guard Durral Brooks, Michigan made a perfect match. Sure, there’s that whole basketball program that could help the top class of 2024 prospect in the state of Michigan make it to the pro ranks. But there’s another program he wants to learn from.

“Being around the coaches at Michigan, it kind of just felt like home, felt like I was around family. So that was the main reason why I committed there,” Brooks told UM Hoops. “And then also another reason was obviously the business school and how good of a business it is but especially because that’s what I want to pursue.”

With that family feel comes mentorship, something Brooks consistently looks to gain. On the court, Michigan coach Juwan Howard’s 19-year NBA career means he’s got plenty of wisdom to share. Mentorship matters for Brooks, offering firsthand lessons he can’t learn anywhere else. That goes for basketball, as well as his time after it.

“Not trying to have any bad luck or anything, but you never know — you could have a career-ending injury or not be able to play basketball again,” Brooks said. “And having those connections will be good because you never know, (Howard) could maybe want me back to help coach, help do something that revolves around Michigan just because I decided to be good to him. … You never know the opportunities you could get outside of maybe what your main goal is.”