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Canadian point guard Jamal Murray is rated as a five-star prospect by Rivals.com and ranked as the No. 15 overall player in the 2016 class.

(Gregory Payan | AP Photo)

ANN ARBOR -- One of the more interesting recruiting stories in college basketball is playing out north of the border and Michigan is right in the middle of it.

According to ESPN's Paul Biancardi, Jamal Murray, a point guard from Toronto and projected future NBA draft pick, could be visiting Michigan in the near future.

Now here's the catch: Murray is currently a member of the 2016 recruiting class. As a 6-foot-5 point guard, he fits the bill as Michigan's greatest remaining need in that class. At the same time, Murray is considering the option of reclassifying to the 2015 class and playing college basketball in 2015-16.

Michigan holds an open scholarship for next season, and could fit Murray on next season's roster.

The same can be said, though, for Kentucky, Murray's leading suitor, and Oregon, another contender. Additionally, should Murray reclassify, any interest in Michigan would come with the caveat that next year's Wolverines feature a crowded backcourt of Derrick Walton, Zak Irvin, Caris LeVert and Spike Albrecht -- two juniors and two seniors.

Biancardi, speaking with guest host Seth Greenberg on Kentucky Sports Radio on Thursday morning, said Michigan is the great unknown in the race for Murray's services.

"He visited Kentucky, he just visited Oregon, he's thinking about visiting Michigan and a couple of others," Biancardi said. "Will he do that? He's not sure. Right now, it's a two-and-a-half horse race, Michigan being the half. If they get the visit, you have to consider them a full-fledged threat.

"Handicapping it, how do you not pick Kentucky out of those three right now? But John Beilein has had a lot of success and Dana Altman's doing a lot of great things up at Oregon, and they've got a Canadian up there already in Dylan Brooks."

Michigan has a Canadian of its own in recent years, 2014 Big Ten player of the year Nik Stauskas, who hails from Mississauga, 20 miles outside of Toronto.

Biancardi also told Greenberg that he expects Murray to finish his academic requirements to be college eligible in 2015.

"Talking to people in his circle, that should happen, but you never know," Biancardi said.

Whether Murray plays college basketball next season or remains at Athlete Institute Basketball Academy in Canada, the 18-year-old will be eligible for the 2016 NBA draft. He is currently projected by DraftExpress.com as the No. 21 overall pick.

As a 2016 recruit, Murray is rated as a five-star prospect by Rivals.com and ranked as the No. 15 overall player in the class.

The Wolverines currently hold three 2016 commitments from rising high school seniors Tyus Battle, Jon Teske and Austin Davis.

In looking to fill that 2016 point guard hole, U-M coaches have standing scholarship offers to Cassius Winston (4 stars, No. 24 in 247Sports Composite) and Quentin Goodin (4 stars, No. 73), and have actively recruited Bruce Brown (4 stars, No. 45), Bryce Aiken (4 stars, No. 101) and C.J. Walker (3 stars, No. 156), among others.

Brendan F. Quinn covers University of Michigan basketball and football. Follow him on Twitter for the latest on Wolverines hoops. He can be contacted at bquinn@mlive.com