Michigan basketball senior forward Isaiah Livers chose to return for one more season with the Wolverines. Though he had a chance to be selected late in the upcoming NBA Draft, Livers believed the pros of a final year in Ann Arbor outweighed the cons. Thus, Livers was on a Zoom call with reporters on Tuesday morning, discussing the Maize and Blue ahead of the 2020-21 season.

"I feel like either decision would’ve been great," Livers explained. "But coming back and playing for Coach Howard and getting my degree was definitely a priority."

Last season, Livers missed 10 games due to groin and ankle injuries. When he was on the floor, he was tied as the team's leading scorer, averaging 12.9 points per outing, while also adding 4.0 rebounds and 1.1 assists.

Livers revealed he's worked primarily on his leadership, playmaking ability and defense throughout the unique offseason — but the most important thing has been to stay healthy.

"Man, it’s a different Isaiah, man," Livers said. "I don’t have any injuries coming into the year. I’m just trying to stay healthy the entire season. I know how important it is for me to stay healthy, because I feel like I let my team down last year when I got hurt.

"I know it’s just because it was a freak accident injury, but something I’m gonna focus on every day is my treatment, my recovery. No matter what, if I’m feeling 100 percent or not, I’m still going to see [trainer] Alex Wong and make sure everything’s OK."

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The team will be a different looking team, too, with the losses of the two winningest players in program history — point guard Zavier Simpson, the country's second-leading assist man, and center Jon Teske, who was a force on the defensive end and averaged 11.6 points and 6.7 rebounds per contest in 2019-20.

Livers is ready to assume the role of being the team's heart and soul, something Simpson has been for the past three seasons.

"If you ask me, I’d say I’m well prepared," Livers said of taking the next step in his progression. "If you ask anybody else, they may have some criticisms, but I feel like I’m well prepared.

"With Zavier leaving, I’ve taken a lot of tips from him, worked on my game over the quarantine, over the summer. Playmaking, too — I’m doing a lot more of that. I have the ball in my hands a lot more. And obviously just the leadership role of just talking and trying to gather guys, especially when times are rough and teams are going on runs, like in practice, I have to make sure I keep my own composure, let alone let my teammates get out of hand, get emotional.

"Something I’m building towards is being like this top dog leader and this top dog talker, on and off the court."

With the aforementioned departures and new primary leaders such as Livers, senior guard Eli Brooks and fifth-year senior forward Austin Davis, will the Wolverines' identity be different? Livers doesn't think so, due in part to the acclimation of the six newcomers on the roster — the four freshmen and two transfers.

"It can be pretty similar," Livers said of the team's identity. "Other than Zavier’s voice and Teske’s experience, that’s probably the only thing that we’re going to miss. I feel like we have the players and the talent to pick up on that. They’re both terrific players, but we’ve got guys that have seen the ropes of experience, they’ve seen what we have to do to get that championship level.

"I feel like right now, we’re in a perfect spot for where we want to be. We’re not behind or too ahead. People are obviously going to be learning. We’ve got a lot of new guys, new faces that are learning about the Michigan culture, but the way they’ve inherited our values is great. I’m excited to go to practice every day, honestly."

Livers said that if Michigan were to play a game today, the starting lineup would be himself, Davis, Brooks, fifth-year senior grad transfer guard Mike Smith and sophomore wing Franz Wagner starting the game.

Practice beings Wednesday, Oct. 14, and Livers admitted that though the culture is intact, the chemistry on the floor is going to have to get up to speed before the season commences, considering the fact that offseason workouts have been limited due to COVID protocols.

"We didn’t even get the opportunity to play our open gyms like we usually do," Livers said. "We’re definitely a little behind in the chemistry aspect, playing five-on-five, but that’s always going to pick up because official practice starts and we’ll start playing."

The pieces are there, Livers insisted, with four-star, 7-foot center Hunter Dickinson headlining the freshman class, along with Smith and senior Wake Forest transfer Chaundee Brown — who is currently seeking an immediate eligibility waiver from the NCAA — being new faces in the backcourt.

"We have a 7-footer who came in, and we’re trying to teach him the ways of Jon Teske," Livers said. "Austin Davis is doing a great job putting him under his wing.

"Chaundee is definitely a great dude. When he came in, you could feel his positivity. He was this guy who was just grateful to be alive and grateful for an opportunity. Obviously, a guy like that, you’re going to respect a lot. He’s a very talented shooter, he can handle the ball, he can guard multiple positions. You guys have all seen him — he’s strong. He’s a very good cutter off the ball. He moves very well off the ball, and that’s something that’s very underrated about him, something I didn’t even know watching his highlights from Wake Forest.

"He’s a guy that everybody just loves. Coach [Juwan] Howard said it the other day, ‘Chaundee, you’re a guy who came in and swayed everybody, we all love you and we all trust you already."

The team's success will be determined by how well the new-look Wolverines, in year two under Howard, mesh together on the floor, something Livers is optimistic about.

"I feel like a lot of guys — especially the young ones — are a lot more locked in than I thought they would be, because they didn’t get the chance to experience the first year naturally, playing in the gym, getting in the gym whenever they wanted," he said. "There’s protocols and stuff now; it’s definitely a different world for them. But I think everybody is adjusting really well and I hope it trends that way."

• As a leader, Livers has taken one freshman in particular more under his wing. At 6-7, 240 pounds, forward Terrance Williams plays a similar game to Livers.

"A freshman I took under my wing was definitely T-Will," Livers said. "He reminds me of myself when I was a freshman. He’s learning a lot about the game on the defensive end. He has a great shot. He’s gonna develop the ball handling capability as he goes on, he gets older. Really just awareness with him and trying to really get him in the film room a lot more and just watch himself, watch his movements. Everybody has a next level to them, and I’m just trying to get that out of him."

• It hasn't been determined yet, but it's more than likely that the crowds this season will be very limited, meaning Livers and his fellow seniors may have played their last games in front of a filled up Crisler Center.

"It’s gonna be very weird," Livers admitted. "We’re not gonna have our student section, we’re not gonna have those sideline fans up close and personal, hearing people talk and support you. It’s definitely going to be a lot different. Basically, I’ve been telling the guys it’s gonna be like a scrimmage in practice. That’s what I think about. You’re really going to hear everybody talking, you’re going to hear coaches’ voices, managers’ voices. You’re going to hear everything. I do hope they let family and friends in, but I’m not really sure. Other than that, we’re just gonna have to adjust like the NBA did."

Livers has acknowledged just how much the Michigan basketball fanbase has grown since he arrived on campus back in 2017. Since he's been in Ann Arbor, the Wolverines have won a Big Ten Tournament, advanced to the National Championship Game and made a Sweet 16 appearance.

"It’s very important, because when you have support and love like that, you come out and you see people are on your side and rooting for you," Livers said. "All it does is give you energy and excitement, and makes you want to play for something other than for your teammates and yourself. You have people there supporting you. And I know they’ll still be supporting you even if they can’t get in the game, so we’re gonna have to keep putting on a show for our fans."

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