Consensus four-star recruit JaDun Michael, who officially signed to Wichita State on Wednesday, is the highest-rated recruit to commit to WSU in the Gregg Marshall era, per Rivals.

The North Carolina native plans to reclassify to the 2020 class.

Michael, a 6-5 forward, is ranked as the No. 127 player in the 2021 class, according to 247Sports. He is also ranked the second-best player in the state of North Carolina and the No. 32 small forward in the class.

Despite having offers from Cincinnati, Louisville, and NC State, Michael decided on the Shockers after taking an official visit to WSU this weekend.

Barring any transfers, WSU will be out of scholarships for next season’s roster if Michael reclassifies.

During Gregg Marshall’s weekly press conference Monday, he praised Michael’s work ethic and said the young prospect’s focus on the defensive end intrigues him.

“JaDun is a tremendous kid with a great family,” Marshall said. “He’s a hard worker. He’s one of those guys who has had the upbringing of getting up early and getting in the gym with his dad before school. He loves being in the gym. He’s a 3.8 (GPA) student and he loves to play defense.

“That athleticism and potential, [combined] with his desire to win and compete on both ends of the floor, make him ideal for what we were looking for. We’re excited about him.”

Marshall compared Michael to current Shockers DeAntoni Gordon and Dexter Dennis.

“He’s a wing, kind of like Dexter Dennis. He’s that type of athlete with that type of size. He’s going to get bigger and fill out,” Marshall said. “He’s really bouncy with a quick second jump. He’s kind of a combination of Deantoni Gordon and Dexter Dennis. We like him as a person. He’s a great fit for our program.”

WSU has upped its recruiting game in recent years, landing the No. 41 class in the country this year. Last year’s class was No. 64. Marshall said the sustained success of the program has helped attract better talent to WSU.

“Maybe it’s been the success of putting guys in the NBA. Maybe it’s the fact that we’ve been a good team for the better part of eight or nine years where we’ve won 25 games consistently,” he said. “Maybe my staff is doing a different job with at least checking with those players before moving on. I’m excited we’re getting those guys. They’re not only good players, but they’re good people.”