Adding no more players to the freshman and returning guys, my personal starting 5 would be
Z
Brooks
Livers
Johns or Wilson
Teske
Shooting guard spot is clearly the biggest need by a mile of Brooks, Nunez or a way undersized Dejulius is the starting 2 but PF is a major question make as well unless Johns/Castleton make huge strides forward in their games this summer. I’m a bit more optimistic about the 4 spot than the 2 spot currently. Can also plug Livers at the 4 and place Wilson at the 3.
No way this team is better next year. You can save this comment if you want. I struggle to see at all how this team can be improved from 6th on KenPom unless it’s something unforeseen like Johns/Nunez/Brooks or a freshman becoming a 2nd Team AllB1G level player.
Yep. Michigan will struggle to be ranked unless they get some big recruiting wins.
alot of people thought that of this years team and they played above what everyone thought. i trust coach B and his staff to get the younger players spun up. there’s still alot of talent in johns, castelton and DDJ
The shooting guard question might not be resolved until June, though? I wonder how impatient Beilein might be with that.
Agree. Upper classmen are so important to so many college teams, and Beilein’s system is a challenge to assimilate. He must have been looking forward to doing more refining and less teaching next year, but he’s gonna be back in that Square One spot with much of the team.
The best that I can say is that it will be darned interesting watching Beilein work his magic. But if I were him I could see how so much instability could get old.
Keep in mind, the way the system is now, anyone with a vague possibility of going pro may as well test the waters.
Iggy has envisioned himself as a one and done for a LOOONG TIME.
If he gets invited to the combine, he’s going to really need to show a whole lot more creating ability them we ever saw from him at M. His vision is myopic at best.
His defensive limitations and athletic shortcomings are not going to miraculously disappear just because he visualizes himself an NBA player.
Never fault a kid for believing in themselves though.
They’ll shoot better next year. the shooting is going to improve a lot more than the defense will slip. It will be a more balanced team. Might take time to catch fire, but should round into form very nicely for March. Simpson teske and livers is still a very nice core of upperclassmen to lead the team.
So Michigan is notoriously particular in finding fits and wants recruits willing to unpack their bags.
Then have guys leave at the first chance who will be lucky to get drafted.
The only time Michigan got an extra year out of one of these guys was McGary, who promptly got hurt and missed the season anyway. Then wanted to come back and was suspended the whole season.
You have to expect that either 1. Poole will come back 2. He won’t and we will get a high level recruit in Quinones, Beverly, or Wagner (although I see him as more of Iggy’s replacement) 3. We get a decent grad transfer. I think everyone jumping to conclusions about how the roster is gonna look needs to just be patient and wait to see how things play out because more than likely 1 of the 3 scenarios I just presented will happen. I highly doubt that Poole and Brazdeikis leave and that’s that. Have to expect we will get a reinforcement or 2 somewhere.
Was anyone seriously thinking that Ignas and Jordan weren’t going to declare today? I’m truly confused by the level of panic here.
Don’t forget about Wagner (in ‘17) and Matthews (‘18) coming back.
Levert as well
And Glenn after fresh year
Secondary information seems to indicate they are both gone for good.
Trey Burke after his freshman year
For me, I’m just surprised that Iggy (from his quote) intends to stay in the draft. I think we all assumed that both Iggy and Poole would get second round grades and, at least in Iggy’s case because there’s other issues around Poole, choose to come back.
That said, the door’s not closed for Iggy either. It’s extremely on brand for him to believe he can work his way into a first round grade, and if he can’t, then maybe he still comes back.
I guess I’m talking Anthony Wright, who plainly wants to work in sports punditry, uncorking rumors that a guy is leaving on his 2nd podcast episode with a giant grain of salt.
Michigan sweats out decisions for guys that wont get drafted.
Levert gor hurt and missed the bulk of the season, so his return was basically him leaving.