The 6-foot-11 forward averaged 23.3 points, 11 rebounds and 5.4 blocks per game as a junior.

DAYTONA BEACH — One of the area's most coveted senior basketball stars has chosen to go blue.

Colin Castleton, an All-Area first team selection in 2016-17, announced his commitment to Michigan in an exclusive video for The News-Journal on Wednesday. Father Lopez's 6-foot-11 forward chose the Wolverines over Illinois and Florida, among other schools.

Castleton said he felt at home on an official visit to Ann Arbor over the weekend and told head coach John Beilein and his staff that he wanted to be a part of Michigan's basketball tradition.

"It's kind of like DeLand times 15 or 20," said Castleton, who averaged 23.3 points, 11 rebounds and 5.4 blocks per game as a junior. "I liked the feel, the culture and the coaching staff. Coach Beilein doesn't lie; he's straightforward. He didn't promise me any playing time or anything like that, but the players are all great."

Castleton said that Beilein and the Wolverines envision him as a stretch-5, able to force centers out of the paint and guard Castleton as a perimeter shooter.

According to 247Sports, Castleton claimed 23 Division I offers, including Clemson, Florida State, Georgia, Purdue, South Florida and Xavier. The site ranked him as the No. 117 player in the nation for the graduating class of 2018, a four-star recruit.

At the start of September, Castleton took his official visit to Illinois, now under the direction of former Daytona State coach Brad Underwood. In choosing Michigan, he'll almost certainly go head-to-head with Illinois, a top Big 10 rival, a handful of times over the next few years.

"They're great guys. I loved Illinois," Castleton said. "I had a great time there, and the fan base is crazy.

"I didn't break the bond with (assistant coach Orlando) Antigua or Underwood. I'm probably going to talk to them in the future, and I wish good luck to them. But when we play, that's it right there."