Friday, November 11, 2016 // Tip Off
6B
Position-by-position breakdown: Youth, 
experience come together for Wolverines

A summer and preseason where 

all attention and focus could be 
put on the court rather than on the 
training table couldn’t have come 
at a better time for the Michigan 
men’s basketball team.

Michigan coach John Beilein, for 

the first time in recent years, was 
able to work with his entire squad 
with little to no distractions from 
injuries through the summer. With a 
roster that a brings a mix of veteran 
experience and youthful talent, 
Beilein needed that health to bring 
the Wolverines together as they 
seek their sixth NCAA Tournament 
appearance in seven years.

While 
there 
was 
major 

personnel 
turnover 
in 
the 

offseason — the Wolverines lost 
Caris LeVert to graduation and 
Spike 
Albrecht, 
Ricky 
Doyle, 

Aubrey Dawkins and Kameron 
Chatman to transfers — Michigan 
returns the starting five that fell 
to Notre Dame in the round of 
64 of the NCAA Tournament. In 
addition, the Wolverines have 
brought in four freshmen who will 
be expected to contribute at high 
levels early in their careers.

With many old faces and some 

new, the Daily breaks down 
Michigan’s roster:

Guards

Senior guard Derrick Walton 

Jr. 
will 
undoubtedly 
be 
the 

Wolverines’ vocal and emotional 
leader. The 6-foot-1 point guard 
is coming off his best season in 
Ann Arbor, averaging 11.6 points 
and 5.4 rebounds per game last 
year while also tallying career 
highs in assists and steals. Walton 
will be expected to surpass those 
numbers this season, especially in 
scoring, as he will be sharing the 
responsibilities at the point with 
freshman Xavier Simpson and 
playing at the ‘2’ more.

Junior guard Muhammad-Ali 

Abdur-Rahkman, 
Michigan’s 

most improved player a season 
ago, is hoping to build off the 
momentum he found in conference 
play. Abdur-Rahkman ended up 
starting 25 games due to LeVert’s 

injury, and grew more confident 
in his role in every appearance. 
The 6-foot-4 guard ended up 
shooting 45 percent from the field 
and 37 percent from behind the 
arc, and may be heavily relied on 
when Michigan needs points in 
a hurry. As the Wolverines’ only 
true shooting guard, if Abdur-
Rahkman finds himself in foul 
trouble or out with an injury, 
Beilein may need to call upon 
Walton, senior guard Zak Irvin 
or redshirt junior guard Duncan 
Robinson to fill in temporarily at 
the ‘2.’

Simpson will also be a boost for 

Michigan’s guard rotation coming 
off the bench. The 6-foot guard 
won’t feature as a prominent 
scorer but has the explosiveness 
and vision that will open up other 
options on the court. Beilein is 
keen to play Simpson and Walton 

together, with the freshman at 
the point, when Michigan needs 
to push tempo and be quicker on 
defense. Look for Simpson to post 
numbers similar to those Walton 
contributed his freshman year — 
averaging eight points and three 
assists — while playing 20 minutes 
each game.

Wings

Irvin is going to have to bounce 

back from a disappointing junior 
year in a big way. The 6-foot-6 
senior shot just 30 percent from 
deep and saw over a two-point 
drop in his scoring average. Unlike 
last year, when he underwent a 
summer back procedure, Irvin 
had the entire off-season to 
prepare and train. The Wolverines 
expect his 3-point percentage to 
return to somewhere around his 

career average of 36 percent along 
with growth in other areas of his 
game as well. The question still 
persists if Irvin can live up to the 
potential he’s shown in flashes 
throughout his career. It’ll come 
down to his final season to prove 
than he can be the guy Beilein can 
rely on to consistently find points 
for Michigan.

After establishing himself in 

his first season in Ann Arbor, 
Robinson will aspire to become 
more than a deep threat. Beilein 
hopes the 6-foot-8 guard can not 
only continue to shoot 45 percent 
from behind the arc, but also drive 
to the basket and be more physical 
on offense. Of the 134 field goals 
Robinson made last season, 95 
of them were 3-pointers. The 
Wolverines need that proportion 
to shrink, or Beilein believes 
Robinson will be too predictable 

and guarded too heavily on the 
perimeter. Michigan also expects 
Robinson’s 
defensive 
abilities 

to improve from a year ago. 
The senior showed weaknesses 
while guarding opponents and 
rebounding, and the Wolverines 
hope a summer in the weight 
room will help Robinson out-
muscle opponents and improve 
his quickness while guarding 
perimeter players as well.

Freshman forward Ibi Watson 

will give Michigan something 
different off the bench. The 6-foot-
5 freshman looked sharp in the 
Wolverines’ 
exhibition 
against 

Armstrong State, scoring seven 
points on 3-for-8 shooting while 
leading the team with three steals. 
Irvin and Robinson have had issues 
defensively in the past. If Watson 
can prove to be less of a liability 
than his teammates were, he could 

BRANDON CARNEY

Daily Sports Writer

FILE PHOTO/Daily

The Michigan men’s basketball team will be looking for one of its many forwards to emerge as a difference maker in the post early in the 2016-17 season.

