‘They Just Let It [Be] Known That I Was Their Top Priority in the Portal’: Matthew Cleveland Talks Miami Commitment

Miami ended its transfer portal dry spell on Sunday afternoon with Florida State transfer guard Matthew Cleveland committing to the Hurricanes.

Cleveland, who averaged a team-high 13.8 points and 7.4 rebounds last season with the Seminoles, says he actually made this decision long before his announcement.

“About a week-and-half-ago. That’s when I realized I wanted to commit to Miami,” Cleveland told LifeWallet Sports “After I took all my visits and then had some time to think about it, that’s when I realized that Miami was the right school for me.”

UM made Cleveland a priority once he entered the portal. Associate head coach Bill Courtney was the first Miami staffer to reach out to the rising junior.

“First Coach Courtney texted, and then [assistant coach Kotie] Kimble texted me and they called me the same morning and they just let it [be] known that I was their top priority in the portal,” Cleveland said.

Miami was the first of three schools that Cleveland visited, with the others being Auburn and Missouri. He only visited UM for a day but enjoyed his time in Coral Gables.

“It was pretty good, even in the short amount of time I was there, like a day basically … I got to see how close-knit the whole staff is, from the managers to [graduate assistants] to coaches and just how they’ve put a plan for me already and how they want to develop me.”

According to Cleveland, Miami sees the 6-foot-7 guard playing a similar role that Jordan Miller excelled in while with the Hurricanes.

Like Cleveland, Miller was also a 6-foot-7 guard. The two players compare similarly in play style, as like Miller, Cleveland is a versatile defender, an excellent rebounder and has a multifaceted offensive game that complements Miami’s other pieces well.

“They basically said they lost Jordan Miller, and they see me and him playing the same similar role, even though our games are different but still having that same level of effect on the team and getting them to the championship level,” Cleveland said.

In his two seasons at Florida State, Cleveland played Miami four times, with three of these games decided by one score. The last of these matchups was arguably the most memorable, as Cleveland nailed a buzzer-beating heave to complete one of college basketball’s most remarkable comebacks of the 2022-23 season.

Through these battles, Cleveland took a liking for Miami’s up-tempo style of play.

“[Miami] loved to get out in transition, which is also what I love to do,” Cleveland said. “So that was the biggest thing and then the five-out and it’s a system that’s kind of built for someone like me. When we scouted them, it was always a tough shot.”

With Cleveland bolstering a lineup that could bring back three starters from last year’s Final Four run, Miami projects as a potential contender in the ACC next season.