In March, before he began his final grassroots season with the Middlesex Magic, Quinn Costello met with program director Michael Crotty and his family and talked about goals for the spring and summer.
“I said, ‘Hey, what do you really, really want to accomplish this season?’” Crotty recalled.
Of course, they wanted to win the 17U Under Armour Association championship – and they ultimately came close after a last-second loss in the semifinals. But individually, Costello (Medford, Mass.) – who was not yet on the national radar – wanted more. He wanted to be recruited at the highest level from high-major schools that had the best academic pedigree.
He made it happen. The 6-foot-10 Costello blossomed into one of the biggest stock-risers in the country this spring and summer, as he surged up the national rankings and racked up 25 high-major offers. On Tuesday, the star from Newman and the Magic dwindled it to one. Two days after making his official visit, Costello committed to Michigan and head coach Dusty May.
“If we think about that meeting, he’s now going to the University of Michigan as a four-star recruit,” Crotty said. “It’s kind of mission accomplished.”
Costello picked the Wolverines over a handful of other highly-respected finalists, including Michigan State, North Carolina, Purdue, Texas and Minnesota. In an Instagram post, Costello thanked all the coaches on his journey, from Bill Loughnane at Boston College High, to Jackson Johnson at Newman.
“I also want to express my gratitude for all my coaches – going back to the earliest days at Dugger Park and Fidelity House,” Costello said. “I would not be in the position I am in today without the belief shown in me by Coach Johnson, Coach Crotty, Coach (Chris) Giordano, Coach Lambros (Papalambros), Coach Loughnane, and the rest of the staffs at Newman, Middlesex Magic, and BC High.”
Costello started with the Magic as a seventh grader and it was never an easy climb to the top. Crotty said he coached him hard on his 16U squad as a sophomore, and it didn’t always work. But Costello never wavered – supporting his teammates while continuing to work on his craft.
This spring and summer, it all came together for him. Always a shooter, Costello unlocked other parts of his game. He embraced physicality and toughness, trusted his skill to get to the rim and make plays, rebounded with purpose and defended at a high level. Costello began the spring outside the national rankings but finished the summer firmly inside them universally – he’s now ranked No. 45 by 24/7 Sports and No. 54 by ESPN.
“He's had a lot of great coaching, and he’s taken the coaching,” Crotty said. “This is not something that was just a guarantee for Quinn. He had to put in the work, he had to be coached and he accepted the coaching every step of the way. … He just kept working at it.
“This year with us, I think it was just a culmination of all the hard work,” Crotty said. “He was one of the best players in the country. He can shoot it, he’s running the floor, he’s rebounding, he’s guarding people, he’s adding layers off the dribble and he played with supreme confidence.”
Asked about Costello’s fit at Michigan, Crotty justifiably pointed out that a 6-foot-10 shooter of Costello’s size and ability would fit in anywhere. But he said May is getting a cerebral player who’s tougher than people give him credit for.
“He can shoot, he can pass, he can run the floor, he’s getting stronger,” Crotty said. “I think he’s an exceptional talent and I still think he has a long way to grow with his game. That’s why I think he’s scary good and why he’s an NBA prospect. But I think he would fit really well at a lot of these places. …
“From what I’ve seen with Dusty May, and some of the offensive packages and how they do things, I think he can fit really well as a big wing four-man forward. … I think Quinn Costello is a really tough player, too. Sometimes when you look at guys his size that are that skilled, skill is the first thing you talk about, but he’s really tough, too. I think he’s going to continue to prove that.”
