Tuesday, November 5, 2019 // TIPOFF 2019
6B
Roster breakdown
Roster turnover — and adjusting
to it — is an inherent part of college
basketball. A top program’s best
players tend to move on annually
to the professional ranks as a new
batch of heralded freshmen take
over.
Michigan, which can now be
classified among the very elite
programs in the sport, is no
different. Jordan Poole, Charles
Matthews and Ignas Brazdeikis all
moved on from last year’s Sweet
Sixteen team, taking 57 percent of
the Wolverines’ scoring production
with them. With the loss of that trio,
a few newcomers and a completely
different coaching philosophy being
implemented under new coach
Juwan Howard, there is no shortage
of uncertainty accompanying this
year’s Wolverines.
And yet, the cupboard is far from
bare. Three linchpins and a number
of talented, albeit unproven, players
return to Ann Arbor. Whether the
latter can step up to the plate will
likely dictate how far this team goes
in Howard’s first season.
The Daily broke down what’s
still stocked in that cupboard for
the coming season.
Guards
Since he officially secured the
point guard job as a sophomore
under former coach John Beilein,
Zavier Simpson has become the
heart and soul of the Wolverines.
In his senior season, expect more of
the same.
Simpson is the unquestioned
leader of this team and one of the
best point guards in the country.
He earned All-Big Ten second
team honors a season ago, but only
because Michigan State guard
Cassius Winston also plays his
position. Though not a potent
scorer as evidenced by his 8.8 points
per game last year, Simpson and his
patented hook-shot have become a
nationwide phenomenon. A floor
general in every sense of the word,
Simpson registered a 3.2 assist-to-
turnover ratio last season, which
ranked first in the Big Ten and sixth
in the country. He also led the team
in steals and was named to the Big
Ten’s All-Defensive Team.
Simpson’s
contributions
to
Michigan
extend
well
beyond
statistics,
though.
Hard-nosed,
vocal and sometimes brash, he will
hold his teammates accountable
and is about as dependable as it gets
on this roster.
Junior guard Eli Brooks, on the
other hand, will be asked to step
up more than ever before. Serving
primarily as Simpson’s backup
last
season,
Brooks
averaged
just 12.8 minutes per game. Now
without Poole, Brooks will likely
start alongside Simpson in the
backcourt. Although he struggled
with confidence a season ago,
Brooks is a capable shooter and
defender.
In
the
Wolverines’
exhibition game against Saginaw
Valley State on Friday, he notched a
double-double with 13 points and 10
rebounds. Teammates and coaches
have repeatedly praised his work
ethic and understated leadership
this offseason. If Brooks improves
his decision-making and is more
aggressive on offense, he could
make a much-needed leap.
Sophomores
David
DeJulius
and Adrien Nunez fall very much
into the “talented but unproven”
category.
Both
are
slated
for
significantly more playing time
than last season and will be key
in replacing the loss of offensive
production from a season ago.
Despite only being 6-foot, DeJulius
is an energetic, athletic and crafty
ball-handler who can score in the
paint and knock down an open
shot from deep. Nunez is a long,
sharpshooting wing, who will be
more of a “catch-and-shoot” option
on offense. Defensively, there are
question marks surrounding both
of these players and their ability to
lockdown opposing guards.
Forwards
Isaiah
Livers
flashed
his
potential
multiple
times
last
season as Michigan’s sixth-man.
Now without the wing presences
of Matthews and Brazdeikis, the
junior — who averaged just under
eight points per game a year ago
— has an opportunity to shine.
He’s a threat from behind the arc
(42.6-percent last year) but is also
athletic at the rim. As demonstrated
by his team-high 24-point outing
against SVSU, Livers has the
potential to lead the Wolverines
in scoring. Already a versatile
defender with his 6-foot-7 frame,
Livers’ work in the offseason to get
in better shape should pay dividends
on the other end of the floor. With
two years of playing experience
under his belt, he joins Simpson as
a respected upperclassman.
Though
inconsistent
overall,
Brandon Johns Jr. showed some
promise off the bench last season
as a freshman. While he has a
professional build, a good motor
and can provide a scoring burst if
needed, he struggled at times to
stay in front of his man defensively
and battle for rebounds with other
bigs. Shoring up those areas of his
game could be key to him getting
more playing time.
A similar sentiment holds true
for his classmate, Colin Castleton.
At 6-foot-11, Castleton is a shot-
blocking big who can also step
out offensively and knock down
a perimeter shot. As a freshman
though, he was overpowered by
other bigs on the glass and wasn’t
skilled enough around the basket to
make his presence felt offensively.
Realizing Michigan lacks depth
downlow,
Howard
has
been
working closely with Castleton to
help him along.
Johns Jr. and Castleton will be
relied on even more during the first
few weeks of the regular season
due to the absence of highly-touted
freshman
Franz
Wagner,
who
suffered a broken wrist in practice
two weeks ago. Just 18 years old,
Wagner played professionally for
Alba Berlin in Germany’s Basketball
Bundesliga last season and earned
the 2019 BBL Best Young Player
Award. Though he has inevitably
received comparisons to his older
brother, Moe Wagner, he’s arrived
as a more polished offensive
player — with a sweet stroke and
good distribution skills — and is a
more willing defensive player. The
coaching staff has raved about his
temperament and savviness, so
look for him to possibly take over
a starting role upon returning to
action.
Center
If Simpson and Livers are
the first two linchpins for the
Wolverines, 7-foot-1, 265-lb senior
Jon Teske is the other. “Big Sleep,”
as he’s known to his teammates,
has steadily improved throughout
his time at Michigan, culminating
in a junior statline of 9.5 points,
seven rebounds and two blocks per
game. He possesses 3-point range
but arguably relied on that too
frequently a season ago. As a rim-
running center always active in
transition, he should benefit from
Howard’s
up-tempo,
transition
offense — though his conditioning
will be tested. Defensively, he’s
one of the conference’s best shot-
blockers and has the size to match
opposing bigs in the post.
Backing up Teske at the ‘five’
is senior Austin Davis. Davis is
a physical post player who can
finish strong at the rim but isn’t
particularly
technical.
He’ll
provide a high-energy option off
the bench for the Wolverines.
Outlook
The 2019-2020 installment of
Michigan is notably athletic but
lacks a refined scorer, especially
while
Wagner’s
sidelined.
Howard’s emphasis on pushing
the ball up the floor will cater to
the team’s athleticism but its half-
court offense may be suspect.
The
Wolverines
will
undoubtedly rely on their tested
veterans like Simpson, Livers and
Teske. But the development of
last season’s fringe contributors
— Brooks, DeJulius, Johns Jr. and
Castleton — will largely dictate
how far Michigan progresses in
Howard’s first year.
CONNOR BRENNAN
Daily Sports Writer
Wolverines looking for production from newcomers and unproven sophomore class in coming year
ALEC COHEN/Daily
Junior forward Isaiah Livers slimmed down this offseason in order to increase his athleticism and positional versatility.